I have been absent from my blog writing for far too long and have no real excuses other than it slipped in my list of priorities. More pressing items had jumped to the top of the list but I am about to correct that.
Helping to set up a new office has taken much of my time over the last couple of months. Now happily ensconced on Main Street in Stowe with my trusty Lily by my side and back up to speed on daily real estate needs, I am ready to write again.
Lily is a one year old Yorkshire terrier barely 6 pounds in weight but with the stamina and tenaciousness of one much larger. She will approach any man or beast with a wiggling body ready to lay kisses all over the poor unsuspecting recipient’s face. Then the wanton little hussy rolls on her back with legs spread wide for a tummy scratch.
Lily gets plenty of exercise running and playing with our other dog, Chief and taking long walks in the woods with us in the mornings. During the day there are quick trips down Main Street to the bank, where she performs her party tricks for biscuits, and to the recreation path for strolls between client appointments. While in the office she naps hard and often goes unnoticed. Quite the perfect little dog!
Those of you who have ever owned or known a terrier also know the mischievous side that they all possess. They can’t help themselves. Very smart and trainable for sure, but only to a point. This week two events have come into Lily’s life that have caused her much consternation.
Some critter it appears, probably a fox, takes his evening walk through the fields and noses around the barn for signs of mice. The scent left behind is so powerful to small terriers, although undetectable to humans, so as to send her into a tizzy of yelping and tracking and no amount of whistling, calling, imploring or the offer of treats makes a blind bit of difference. She is gone! Eventually she comes back of her own accord but this is not acceptable behavior.
The second event is the acquiring of a bunny by the neighbors. They rescued this domesticated version and now keep it in a cage close to their house. Lily discovered it quite by chance and now cannot get it out of her mind. Rabbits are supposed to live in burrows in the ground and terriers were bred to find and remove them.
So now we are faced with a dilemma. How do we give Lily and Chief the freedom to explore our fields and woods but not everyone else’s? Hence the invisible fence. We have had one in place for several years that has always worked well for Chief. So well in fact that most of the time he didn’t have to wear his collar to respect the line. A reminder now and again was all he needed. Lily is so tiny that I have been hesitant to shock that little body even once for fear it will kill her. The vet and the manufacturer have assured me that the smallest collar they make is for dogs her size and shouldn’t harm her. The collar is on order and should arrive any day. Lily’s antics will be curbed sooner or later just as long as my stamina and tenaciousness outlast hers!
I’ll let you know who the winner is just as soon as it has been determined. Don’t hold your breathe!
No comments:
Post a Comment