Wednesday, July 11, 2007

My Great Husky Huntress

Life with a Husky can be full of surprises. For example, I've been surprised to discover that she loves tomatoes (both red and green) and can pick them off the vine without ripping up the plant. I have been surprised when I went to the back door to call her inside, only to discover that there was no doggie there. Then I was surprised to find a large hole dug out under our fence. I was even more surprised to find her in the yard the very next morning just when we thought that we would never see her again. She can dig out and IN. Who would have thought! And, boy, our neighbor was sure surprised when he saw the size of the hole on HIS side of the fence. I'm still trying to make it up to him.

I've been surprised to see my beloved doggie running up to me while I was outside talking to my neighbors. Huh, I thought that I left her inside the house so that she wouldn't dig under the fence to come find us. Just when I thought that I had the doggie equivalent of Houdini, I was surprised to discover that she had jumped out of the living room bay window (right through the screen!?!) that I had left open because there was a nice breeze. Ah, surprises!!

But all of those things happened a little over a year ago. She has been SOOOO good this year. No digging out, no getting overly worried when we leave, etc. Just a good, gentle, loving, obedient dog. But she still knows how to keep me on my toes! This morning I was opening the windows upstairs when I looked down into my backyard and saw my beautiful, majestic Husky looking up at me and *SOMETHING ELSE* laying on the ground next to her. Something else that was furry and not moving. Could it be a bunny? No, that was my husky gift last week. This little present had a long tail and sharp claws. Oh goody! An opossum. Just what I always wanted! So I yelled out the window for my dainty doggie to GET AWAY from the dead opossum and I went outside to confirm my suspicion. Yep. It was definitely an opossum. And it was nice and stiff too, so she probably caught it for me last night. Now I had to be a big girl and pick it up all by myself so that the girls could go outside and play later. Great. My lovely husky had picked a day that my hubby left for work extra early and would be home late to leave me this lovely gift. I try to be loving to all of God's creatures, but I am really not a big fan of opossums. Or dead things. YUK! So I scooped it up into a few plastic grocery store bags and began the long trek across my yard and around the house to the garbage bins. It's not really a long trek. We have a small suburban yard. But it sure FELT long as I was carrying a dead opossum in a plastic bag while saying "Ew Ew Ew!" over and over again. My faithful Husky was following me the whole way, looking at me as though she just didn't understand why I didn't love the gift that she left for me. After all, I told her to guard the garden. She was just being a good girl. I knew that something had been marauding my garden, and I was guessing by the teeth and claw marks in some discarded tomatoes that it was an opossum. And now my loyal and faithful companion has probably solved my garden dilemma. Good Dog!?!

Like I said, life with a Husky is full of surprises.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

That's too cute!

Kitkat, I heard tomatoes can be fatal to a dog: http://www.lowchensaustralia.com/health/dietno.htm

Tomatoes are members of the Nightshade family:
http://www.deliciousorganics.com/Controversies/nightshade.htm

I would call your Vet & ask them if this is true for dogs. :)

Unashamed said...

You picked up an oppossum??? Eeeewww. You're a better woman than I am. Last year I called the Humane Society to remove a dead raccoon from my garden. I know, I'm a total wimp. I stand in awe of you and your 'possum pickin' ways, *grin*!

Anonymous said...

I have to admit that just I bent over, kicked in into the bag, used my hands covered by the bag to finish getting it in, and tied it up REALLY FAST. No touching, and NO courage. :) And I only did it so that my girlies wouldn't have to see the nasty dead thing. If it had been just me home, I would have left it for my hubby. ;)

RFH ~ Oh my! I knew that they were a member of the nightshade family, but I had NO IDEA that they might be fatal! Fortunately, last year we put up a fence around the garden so she does have an all-u-can-eat buffet. But sometimes a branch grows close enough to the fence that she can lean over and take one. I have also been know to toss her a few cherry toms. I am going to check with my vet. Thanks SO MUCH for the info!!

Anonymous said...

No prob Kitkat. Let me know what your vet says. :)