Dogs are animals, and don't forget it.....

Published on April 13, 2005 By KarmaGirl In Pets & Nature

My husband never had dogs as pets when he was younger. I always had dogs. We now have 4 dogs. Three are older mini-Dachshunds, and the other is a young Welsh Corgi. For this story, we will be focusing on Holly, who is the young (about 1 1/2 years old) Welsh Corgi, Duke a 10 year old Dachshund, and Roscoe a 9 year old Dachshund. Quincey is the other one, but he really just cares about his food bowl and the couch, so he's not in this story.

So, there have been these two rabbits living under our deck for over a year. The deck has lattice around it, so the dogs can't get under it. However, every now and then the rabbits decide to come out when the dogs are outside and dash out under the gate in the fence. We live on a couple acres, so our back yard is large yet fenced in.

I've watched them do this a number of times and kept telling my husband "Holly's going to catch one of them one of these days". My daughter would always ask "what will happen if she does?" I never answered, because I didn't want her to puke or something. Well, obviously, my husband didn't actually know either.

But, yesterday, he found out.

We got home and let the dogs out. They went running as usual and we didn't think anything about it. Soon, Holly was at the door looking like she does when she eats one of my shoes. I knew she did "something" but I didn't know what. I look outside, and Roscoe is prancing around something and Duke was "playing" with what looked like a well used ball. After I focused on them, I quickly realized what happened.

Holly caught a rabbit and somehow killed it (or it died of a heart attack as rabbits tend to do). Roscoe and Duke ripped it apart, and Duke was playing with its head.

My husband looked in horror at his "pets". All I could say is: "dogs are animals, and don't forget it...."

Comments

Toblerone

on Apr 13, 2005

That's just the sort of story that is perfect for telling mid-mealtime, well it is if you're evil like me.

Dr Guy

on Apr 13, 2005

My old DOg, Tzar, was a pussy cat when it came to people and animals. He was a Polish Sheppard, but would not harm a flea unless you threatened my children.

One day, we found a few little bunnies living in our yard! The mother must have been away, but Tzar would not chase them or the mother. She came back later and got her bunnies (but my daughter sure got a thrill looking at the little hair balls!)

Then one day, I went out in the back yard, and Tzar was laying down dozing. He saw me come out, looks around, sees a rabbit and starts barking and chasing it! It was like "OMG! He caught me napping instead of chasing rabbits!". Needless to say, he did not catch the bunny.

Reiki-House

on Apr 13, 2005

What a wonderful example of nature at work. Of course nature is not always butterflies and blooming flowers. It's often pure animalistic behavior.

messybuu

on Apr 13, 2005

Those rabbits sure lived on the edge! I'm sure they were expecting to be caught eventually.
Once, my little black dachshund had a baby rat in his mouth. He let it go though, so I fed it to the snake (which was probably a bad idea, but he's all right, so it's all right).

Draginol

on Apr 17, 2005

It is easy to forget that our pets are still just animals. Every once in awhile they'll do something that brings it all home. Good example, Karma.

Dr Guy

on Apr 17, 2005

It is easy to forget that our pets are still just animals. Every once in awhile they'll do something that brings it all home. Good example, Karma.

You dont have cats do you?

Want me to send you a mole or vole? My Treat! I got more presents than I can deal with!

KarmaGirl

on Apr 18, 2005

Dr. Guy, what's funny is that my husband grew up with cats. But, I guess the mice and birds that the cat caught seemed "natural" to him, but the dogs ripping apart a rabbit wasn't something he expected them to do.

What I found odd was Holly's reaction to what she did. I'm not sure why she looked so guilty. The other two "partners in crime" had no problems ripping the rabbit apart- but she just sat on the porch looking guilty.

preacherman

on Apr 19, 2005

Roscoe

We have a Roscoe karmagirl.... a Jack Russell just over a year old. Smartest dog I have ever owned.

Try telling my wife they are just DOGS.

There are a many a day I wished my wife would talk to me like a dog, at least the way she talks to Roscoe. At our house it is squirrels not rabbits.

preacherman

KarmaGirl

on Apr 21, 2005

My husband named Roscoe after Roscoe from the Duke's of Hazzard (that's where "Duke" came from, too). I believe his personality is quite the same as his namesake. His pretty stupid and typically wouldn't hurt a fly (though he obviously has no problem tearing apart things that are already dead.....) He's a long haired, black and tan dachshund, and all four legs work independently of each other (it's really funny to see him run).

We're pretty attached to our dogs. They are like little children to us. They get better medical care than a lot of humans do (I probably take better care of them than myself) but no matter what, I always remember that they are animals, and they always could do something that you don't expect. You never can completely trust a dog, no matter how docile and loving they seem to be.

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