Eeek, Biscotti

[Marty]

ate a baby squirrel this morn! They must have fallen from the tree onto our patio, and she would not give it up....

[E's]

Try not to worry about it - it is "Nature's Way" I like squirrels - enjoy watching them - but darned if I'm going to get sentimental about the little bladgers and wouldn't mind if Win finally caught one... Not likely, unless some accident like that which befell [pardon inadvertent pun] one of yours today... they are just so numerous, so pushy and bold, and so quick - sometimes I'm convinced they're teasing the dog: "Nah nah nah! Whose territory do you think this is, anyway, you big woofbeast?!" Also, they have all kinds of space in which to hide their pecans and live oak acorns, yet the silly things insist on destroying the plants in every hanging pot and basket in my yard...

However, I do know how you feel - the babies especially are so darned cute. Maybe it will make you feel better to tell you that most New Orleans natives call squirrels "tree rats" and have about as much regard for them as for palmetto bugs...

[Marty]

My sentiments exactly on squirrels, but you didn't mention how obnoxious and creative they get when you have a bird feeder in the yard! I was really more worried that Bisc would get sick or get worms or something...not to mention how gross it was, but I guess if people BARF their pets, she will survive this one. Guess I can say she fixed her own Thanksgiving dinner, and finally caught her first squirrel!

[Mary Plummer]

Marty, you know Mr. Blue is sending lots of congratulations and praise Biscotti's way, right He's caught only 1 squirrel, that we know about, and that was while I was on the other end of the leash! What makes me feel bad is when he catches rabbits. With the exception of the small moles he catches in our yard (which disappear down his throat instantly), his catches have been big enough that he can't eat them (thankfully!) E's, I think you're right that those squirrels are laughing at our dogs! They scurry up the apple tree when Mr. Blue and I are in the backyard. He of course goes right there to check them out, and then apples fall on his head! I swear those critters chew them off and deliberately drop them on him!

[k9Karen]

Boy, you guys have some mean squirrels! We have a huge one that goes back and forth between our tree and our neighbor's. It often uses the top of the fence as it's highway, or goes across our pool enclosure screen. Angel has fallen into the pool twice while watching the squirrel instead of where she was going (I think I heard the squirrel laughing). Angel chases it when it's on the fence, and as soon as it gets into the neighbor's yard, it chatters at her fiercely. I think this one is a tease, not a meany!

[momPaws]

Honey loves to chase em of course.
One day a young one came around the corner of the deck right by her...she started chasing it and they both stopped and the only description that fits is: Dances with wolves - I mean 'dances with squirrels' ...they both did this little dance and jumped up and down face to face and then the little guy took off for the tree. It was very funny and convinced me that Honey was not a hunter, but a dancing chaser.

[k9Karen]

You had said you thought Honey was part Sheltie - that would definitely be a Sheltie trait. They love to chase and herd things. None of mine has ever enjoyed being the "chasee" - only the chaser. Angel runs after birds and airplanes in the air, and of course that squirrel. She came face-to-face with a baby bird last Spring, and just went over to see what it was - no damage to the bird (except maybe to scare the poor thing). She went after a snake a few days ago - couldn't see it well enough to know what kind - that had me worried until I could get her away from it. Fortunately, it decided not to stick around. Our small flock of sandhill cranes is here for the winter - I'd love to see what she'd do if one of them landed in the yard - they're a bit on the large side!

[E's]

I love mompaws' term "dancing chaser" describing Honey... can just see that and will keep the image in mind. And Mr. Blue using his hound instincts... I guess Win is a chaser, but not a dancer... she can run very fast for a fairly long time, but it is a gallop, like a horse. She tries to stalk the squirrels, staying very still for several minutes, but I guess she is too large and/or cumbersome for the close work because the squirrel is up a tree or on the fence and thumbing its nose at her before she can get within 10 feet of it

More notes re Nature: Interesting about the sand hill cranes, Karen - I used to live at the other end of their flyway, or at least in the same State: the Sand Hills are in Nebraska, and in the part of the year the cranes are up North they live and nest along the Platte River, which runs east almost the whole length of Nebraska until it joins the Missouri River not far south of Omaha...

Also about squirrels and bird feeders: We gave up on that some time ago - what we have now are squirrel feeders, so we watch the squirrels (such acrobats!) until - once in a while - a bird or two gets some of the food ... could be worse I suppose...

[Marty 1]

I bought a squirrel feeder one year! It attracted roaches, and the squirrels STILL went to the bird feeder. Can't win around here.....