It's been going on for a while now, but really picked up last summer. Throughout the fall and winter, the dogs took an interest in helping us rid the yard of the moles...or so we thought. Quick solution to the problem: let the dogs get the moles!
In reality, Dexter probably either smelled something and decided to dig after it, or saw the ground move and decided to dig after it– either way a fun game!! It wasn't long before Harley joined in this game. And then it wasn't long before we had a yard full of holes and exposed mole tunnels...and still had moles. The dogs were successfully destroying the yard, worse than the moles, digging some holes so deep half of their body would fit in... exhibit A:
And a wet winter and spring is dirty enough with dogs... but then when they dig... we have to bathe them nearly every time they come in. Check out the paws and snout.
Yes I was digging...
No I didn't get the mole.
Yes, I put that big chunk of mud on the door...
Today, however, a breakthrough! Our first dead mole!
I was napping and woke up to Dexter baying over and over and over again, not his typical I'm-playing-with-Harley bay. I went outside to see a disgusting, wet and rather large mole at his feet... dead. Harley didn't seem to care. I was able to get the dogs inside no problem and then shoveled the dead mole out to the compost pile. The pic up at the top of the blog entry is exactly what it looked like- HUGE paws. It was a big mole compared to what I've read about them online. Size of a chipmunk? More like the size of a squirrel. Maybe this was a mamma and the dogs just saved us from having a mole nursery in our backyard. I don't know. I'm just glad to see one gone.
I'm not sure which dog gets the mole trophy. It is pretty interesting that they got it out of the ground and somehow killed it with no mess. Harley has been known to shake a snake to death, so maybe she should get the credit. But Dexter clearly alerted me of the situation before it got messy, so he deserves some credit too, not to mention his nose is probably what lead them. I'd say it was good teamwork! Perhaps allowing them to destroy the yard is finally paying off.
4 comments:
Moles compost?
I agree with Erin. Moles = garbage or buried. Way to go to the four legged hairy beasts of Loveland. What a pair. Take that to the obedience school.
OK, a clarification. When I said "compost pile" I meant "pile where we put all the stuff we don't want and don't burn aka leaves and plants and what have you". We aren't spreading this on anything. Plus, I bet the mole is gone by now, scavenged by some animal.
It's all organic!!
I've never seen an up-close picture of a mole before--they're pretty disgusting!
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