Mr. Cottontail

Warning! This post contains small animal death with photos. You’ve been warned.

So, the other morning we had quite the adrenaline rush in the coonhound house. I have a fully fenced (6 foot) backyard. The squirrels tend to love all the trees but of course, they come and go and sit up high to torture poor Daisy with their swishy tails. Since I am accustomed to this type of security I never think twice about just opening the door to let the girls out. Well, somehow the other morning a bunny had found its way into my backyard during the night. I opened the door…it saw us, and we saw it just about the same time. I helplessly yelled “Giiiirrrllls!!! Nnnnooooo!!” As they took off running in hot pursuit. I grabbed the pile of leashes at the door but of course, it was too late. In my mind I knew no matter what, the bunny was trapped and I wouldn’t be quick enough to save it. Bella caught in in under 30 yards. The girl is FAST. The bunny didn’t suffer.

Why share this story? Well, it’s more because of how differently my dogs reacted to the bunny in the backyard. Bella has the killer instinct. She is the only one who has ever caught any prey animal. However, if you would see her in the yard she isn’t focused on the squirrels like Daisy. She likes to relax and lay in the sun. However, put a headlamp on and leash her up and she thinks it is time to hunt! Daisy, from the untrained eye, would see more “huntress”. She’s not. She is a show pony! It is all yell and no action. With the bunny, she took off chasing and yelling but it was more the love of her own voice I think, rather than the thrill of the hunt, that got her going. Once the bunny wasn’t moving, she lost interest quite quickly.

My raw feeding friends said I should have froze the bunny so Bella could have had it later. I decided to continue the circle of life instead. I walked down to our roost of vultures and left dear Peter under a tree for them. Of course, in true mother pride I took a photo of Bella’s prize for posterity’s sake.

Happy Easter Everyone!

 

bunny

 

Risotto has a Home!

This past weekend my sweet foster Risotto-who is called Rizzie, went to her new home. It has been a couple days and I’m feeling great about it. On the long drive home I was terribly heartbroken and wondering if I could ever foster again. Then I got the picture of the kid/dog pile on a bed in her new home and I knew we’d both be just fine. She loves kids and now she has some to call her own! I knew she’d be okay with cats and she is-in fact she is a bit afraid of them right now.

Foster Grandpa got Rizzie some great flowers in celebration of getting her own home. The card said “I hope your next couch is the best”.

Personally, I will forever be grateful to Rizzie for teaching my Daisy that sleeping in the bed with me is a good thing! I always wanted a bed dog and now I have one.

Here are some last pictures of Rizzie and her flowers. As you can see Bella and Daisy were also interested in her gift.

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