Sometime almost two decades ago, I read a really disturbing science fiction story.

It was about a rancher who lived alone with his blow up doll on some deserted planet.

He took care of (and milked?) some "space sheep" that I believe had some sort of spiky fur.

The overtones were fairly depressing, that the man cared for both his sheep but longed for human contact, and he would play dress up with his blowup doll after finishing his duties around the ranch.

The pinnacle of the story was that a space sheep manages to enter his cabin and its spiky fur pops the blowup doll, sending the rancher into a saddened frenzy. He shoots the offending space sheep, causing the herd to get mad and murder him, through suffocation, I believe.

Could name this old tale for me? Thanks!

Sometime almost two decades ago, I read a really disturbing science fiction story.

It was about a rancher who lived alone with his blow up doll on some deserted planet.

He took care of (and milked?) some "space sheep" that I believe had some sort of spiky fur.

The overtones were fairly depressing, that the man cared for both his sheep but longed for human contact, and he would play dress up with his blowup doll after finishing his duties around the ranch.

The pinnacle of the story was that a space sheep manages to enter his cabin and its spiky fur pops the blowup doll, sending the rancher into a saddened frenzy. He shoots the offending space sheep, causing the herd to get mad and murder him, through suffocation, I believe.

So sometime, almost two decade ago, I read this really disturbing sci-fi story.

It was about a rancher who lived alone with his blow up doll on some deserted planet.

He took care of (milked?) some space sheep that I believe had some sort of spiky fur.

The overtones were fairly depressing, that the man cared for both his sheep but longed for human contact, and he would play dress up with his blowup doll after finishing his duties around the ranch.

The pinnacle of the story was that a space sheep had managed to enter his cabin and its spiky fur popped the blowup doll, sending the rancher into a saddened frenzy. He shoots the offending space sheep, causing the herd to get mad and murder him, through suffocation iirc.

I would really appreciate it if someone could name this old tale for me. Thanks!

Sometime almost two decades ago, I read a really disturbing science fiction story.

It was about a rancher who lived alone with his blow up doll on some deserted planet.

He took care of (and milked?) some "space sheep" that I believe had some sort of spiky fur.

The overtones were fairly depressing, that the man cared for both his sheep but longed for human contact, and he would play dress up with his blowup doll after finishing his duties around the ranch.

The pinnacle of the story was that a space sheep manages to enter his cabin and its spiky fur pops the blowup doll, sending the rancher into a saddened frenzy. He shoots the offending space sheep, causing the herd to get mad and murder him, through suffocation, I believe.

Could name this old tale for me? Thanks!

So sometime, almost two decade ago, I read this really disturbing sci-fi story.

It was about a rancher who lived alone with his blow up doll on some deserted planet.

He took care of (milked?) some space sheep that I believe had some sort of spiky fur.

The overtones were fairly depressing, that the man cared for both his sheep but longed for human contact, and he would play dress up with his blowup doll after finishing his duties around the ranch.

The pinnacle of the story was that a space sheep had managed to enter his cabin and it's spiky fur popped the blowup doll, sending the rancher into a saddened frenzy. He shoots the offending space sheep, causing the herd to get mad and murder him, through suffocation iirc.

I would really appreciate it if someone could name this old tale for me. Thanks!

So sometime, almost two decade ago, I read this really disturbing sci-fi story.

It was about a rancher who lived alone with his blow up doll on some deserted planet.

He took care of (milked?) some space sheep that I believe had some sort of spiky fur.

The overtones were fairly depressing, that the man cared for both his sheep but longed for human contact, and he would play dress up with his blowup doll after finishing his duties around the ranch.

The pinnacle of the story was that a space sheep had managed to enter his cabin and its spiky fur popped the blowup doll, sending the rancher into a saddened frenzy. He shoots the offending space sheep, causing the herd to get mad and murder him, through suffocation iirc.

I would really appreciate it if someone could name this old tale for me. Thanks!