Mommy's Little Helpers
My biggest challenge (besides a whole month of 100 degree-plus temperatures and no rain) in maintaining my garden is keeping the dogs out of the flowerbeds and borders. In addition to wearing paths all over the back yard and digging in freshly fertilized beds, my boys enjoy peeing on everything. I also have a female dog (who I can't ever get good pictures of.) She's killed two toads and three birds so far this year.
The Chihuahua likes to chew on little plants. (This picture was taken in the Spring, while I still had grass.) He's also mastered Giant Beetle and Grubworm hunting.
It takes my Great Dane about 5 minutes to undo hours worth of work. (That's a Mexican Plum in bloom behind him, and my neighbor's Redbud in the background.)
posted by r r s at 9/07/2006 09:58:00 AM
5 Comments:
That chihauha does have a cute face, even if he is a notorious plant chewer. Although I don't have any pups, the Divas are all doglovers, with similar problems to yours. Combining love of animals with love of plants is a challenge! They'll leave certain shrubs alone for months, then suddenly go after the stems. What goes on in those canine brains?
Cute dogs! My wire-haired fox terrier used to lie in my sunny flowerbeds during afternoon naps and gnaw whole branches of prized plants. Argh! I started sticking short lengths of bamboo upright among plants to discourage her from lying on them, but there wasn't much I could do about her eating habits.
Annie, I like your new photo. Is that really you?
I'll pass on the bamboo idea at the next project meeting.
Yes, that's me under the hat. Susan in Takoma added a glamour shot, then Xris mentioned that his B/W photo was 20 years old which gave me the idea. I was already hiding from the sun.
Annie
RSorrell!! I just reread the hilarious description of your planning process over at Zanthan and caught something that slipped by me the first time.
Did you say it to be funny or are you really using BONE MEAL in your garden?? When I tried that the raccoons went crazy trying to dig for the bones they were smelling. Maybe your dogs are trying to dig up nonexistent bones, too??
Annie, I thought of that... I usually only use bone meal (and other stinky stuff)in the front garden. I'll use it in the back occasionally, but only when we're getting rain. Most of what they dig is around the foundation of the house. They're trying to get to a cool spot. I've got a few climbing roses on the back fence, but they don't dig much at those.
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