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Ducks and Bassets
Jun. 30th, 2009 12:28 pmWhile foraging, the ducks are getting more confident and learning the yard - where the tasty vittles grow and where snails and slugs hide. The compost heap is among their favorite places.
We're still working on training the bassets to leave the ducks alone when they are foraging in the yard. Fortunately, we're past the "predatory phase" but the "play with it" phase has been just as much trouble to deal with. The ducks are not up to basset hound play, those two are like short gladiators when they get going. Even Libby avoids them when they get like that. Folks at the dog park are often shocked to see how strenuously they play together, given the stereotypes people have. A body check from a basset will knock you off your feet, folks. And mine are the right height to hit most in the back of the knees to do so.
The backyard got a lovely clean up this weekend. We're mowed, branch cleared and all those piles of stuff (yard equipment, machines, wood, etc.) that seem to accumulate around here have been organized into tidy piles. I figured out a way to move the dirty duck water to water & fertilize the front yard, but it's tedious and the mess factor is high. Next time, I'll use the pump and all the garden hoses instead.
Miss Libby Mae is off to the vet today to get microchipped. She loses collars the way some folks misplace keys, so this is about all I can think to do. Fortunately the Navy Vet system has low cost chipping. Honestly, I'd like to get Fudge chipped, as well, though he's marvelous about his collar - he adores having a black leather studded one and we've no issues with him losing it.
More to come after the vet.
We're still working on training the bassets to leave the ducks alone when they are foraging in the yard. Fortunately, we're past the "predatory phase" but the "play with it" phase has been just as much trouble to deal with. The ducks are not up to basset hound play, those two are like short gladiators when they get going. Even Libby avoids them when they get like that. Folks at the dog park are often shocked to see how strenuously they play together, given the stereotypes people have. A body check from a basset will knock you off your feet, folks. And mine are the right height to hit most in the back of the knees to do so.
The backyard got a lovely clean up this weekend. We're mowed, branch cleared and all those piles of stuff (yard equipment, machines, wood, etc.) that seem to accumulate around here have been organized into tidy piles. I figured out a way to move the dirty duck water to water & fertilize the front yard, but it's tedious and the mess factor is high. Next time, I'll use the pump and all the garden hoses instead.
Miss Libby Mae is off to the vet today to get microchipped. She loses collars the way some folks misplace keys, so this is about all I can think to do. Fortunately the Navy Vet system has low cost chipping. Honestly, I'd like to get Fudge chipped, as well, though he's marvelous about his collar - he adores having a black leather studded one and we've no issues with him losing it.
More to come after the vet.
