The Weimaraner Way to Eradicate Pests

I'm thinking about hiring Anika out as pest control. She's proven herself so adept at hunting and killing fledgling birds that any small creature doesn't stand a chance with her.

In fact just yesterday she proudly presented me with some kind of baby rodent or small field mouse. When I told her to drop it, she obediently did. When I realized what it was and that it was still alive I commanded her to get it. She did and took it to her hidey-hole which is on her blankey in the garage.

Well, the rodent was still alive and since I didn't want to stomp on it, I threw it over the fence in the front yard. Later that evening I found its dead little body on the driveway.

So I wonder how much I could fetch for her services.

More Summer Hazards

I have recently posted warnings about not walking one's dogs (in my case, Anika) on a hot sidewalk because the pavement can burn the dog's pads. Also, I've cautioned you not to leave your dogs in your car on a hot day.

I realize there are many hazards in the summer when we are enjoying outdoor activities with our dogs. Be careful taking your dog to the beach. Around here we have very powerful rip tides. White water rivers are also a drowning hazard for dogs. There are a lot of those around here, too.

But closer to home, in fact right in your own backyard are pet hazards to be on the watch for: do not use slug bait, Roundup, or rat traps anywhere your pets MIGHT get into them. Poisonous! Also do your research when planting landscape plants. Many are poisonous to dogs. And if yours are anything like mine, they eat everything. Do you know how to induce vomiting in your dog? A bottle of hydrogen peroxide is a must-have in your first aid kit.

The last hazard that comes to mind and is fresh on my mind is what to do if your dog tangles with a bee, hornet or a yellow jacket and ends up with a nice big welt. Last week was Steffi's turn on the left side muzzle:

Last summer, Anika got hers above her eye. Since I don't run to the vet every time something happens to my dogs; only when it's beyond my first aid expertise, Benadryl is another remedy to have in your first aid kit. I use half a child's dose and by the next day the swelling is usually gone. If that doesn't seem to work, then I would definitely take them to the vet.

Besides bees, dogs can more easily tangle with skunks, raccoons, snakes, and other dogs in the summer when everyone is out and about. So be smart and have your first aid kit ready and your vet's phone number on speed dial, just in case.

My Bad and Poor Anika's Pads

Last week Jack and I took the Weims for a 2.5 mile walk. I was dripping wet from sweating so much when we returned. The dogs were panting. Did I mention it was hot? Probably too hot for the dogs to be walking on hot pavement. This is what Anika's pads look like today. And it's almost a week afterwards.

I learned my lesson not to walk the dogs on such hot pavement. Now I feel really bad.

So let this be a lesson to you:  if it's too hot outside for you, it's way too hot outside for your dog, and the pavement is even hotter. And don't even get me started on the car. Unless you can leave your dogs inside the car in air-conditioned comfort, don't leave them in the car on a hot day. Leave them at home.

I am done preaching. Have a fun day with your dogs!

Circus Dog

Weimaraners are known to be good bird dogs. They work with their hunter people to point out birds hiding in the brush. My dogs have the hunting instinct, but I have never trained them to hunt. Instead, I think Anika should try out for the circus. Watch this video--towards the end she walks backwards on her hind legs.

Homage to William Wegman

What would the Weimaraners breed be without William Wegman? Ask anyone. There are calendars, Christmas cards, and short videos featuring his dogs everywhere. Children are taught the alphabet on Sesame Street from his alphabet-forming gang.

His work is currently on display at Bowdoin College Museum of Art in an exhibition called Hello Nature.

Update Friday, July 20: Martha Stewart visited the exhibit and wrote about it in her blog.

In homage to the brilliant William Wegman, here's my contribution to Hello Nature:

Gardening with Weims

I try to be a responsible Weim owner while enjoying my gardening passion. That means I don't poison my dogs by using pesticides in the garden. My hostas are slug bait because I refuse to use poisonous slug bait. I can't use compost or fish fertilizer because the dogs think I've buried something tasty and proceed to dig up the plants I've just planted.

My garden is inviting to birds and insects alike. Especially insects. And because we've had the wettest spring in recorded history, mosquitoes. I looked into using a fogger in the garden, but the small print on the label said "harmful to pets and humans." So I got some of those mosquito dunks to kill the larvae in standing water.

In my case, a birdbath. To make a long story short, I had no sooner put a dunk in the birdbath, turned my back, and returned to the garage when I found the eaten crumbs of the mosquito dunk I had just put in the birdbath.

Anika is a fast, sneaky dog! She had eaten the dunk. I quickly contacted the pet poison hotline to make sure there was nothing harmful in the dunk. (Even though the label clearly says they are harmless. I wasn't taking any chances.)

And because I have insects and flowers and birdbaths in the garden, I have lots of birds. I had a daily fight with a robin this spring who insisted on building a nest under the deck. Each morning I'd knock down the nest she built the day before.You just can't have bird dogs and robin nests in the same garden. Unfortunately, I have been unable to talk sense into the robin that built a nest in a low branch of the birch tree under my office window. Soon, when the hatchlings become fledglings, I'm afraid they won't last long with fast and sneaky bird dog, Anika.

Stay Cool!

Most of the nation is suffering a heat wave. So I won't complain about our too-wet and too-cool spring. Two days ago the sun FINALLY came out here so now it feels like summer, although it's only about 75.

This is where Steffi ended up after we returned from a quick walk around the neighborhood--under the ornamental grass.

Wherever you are with your dogs, stay cool and please don't leave your dogs in a parked car.

My Neighborhood

I think I live in a nice neighborhood. There are many retired people who take good care of their yards. Lots of kids riding scooters and bikes. But I have to admit, I see way too much dog waste left along the way as I walk my two girls each day.

I see many people walking their dogs. All generally have their little waste baggies with them. I have never actually seen anyone watch and just walk away after the dog relieves himself. But I see the evidence that it happens.

People! Please pick up after your dogs! We don't want to step in your dog's waste on the sidewalk or street.  Do you want your kids to step in dog poop?

And while I'm at it, please keep your dogs leashed at all times. It happened again yesterday. I was taking my girls on their daily walk In the flash of an eye, barreling out of a house at top speed come two dogs to attack! We were not on their property, but due to the owners' negligence, their dogs escaped, barking and teeth barred. The friendly-looking yellow lab turned in an instant into a ferocious attack dog and bit Steffi.

This is the fourth time this has happened with people who can't or won't for some reason keep their dogs restrained. How would you feel if in that moment of negligence, a car ran over your dog? What if your dog chased down a child and bit the child? You would be in big trouble then.

I was not nasty about it. The owner made sure Steffi was not hurt. But still.

And now I have to deal with my dogs anticipating the attack again and again each time I walk by that part of my neighborhood in the future. Because, believe me, they do. They become agitated and pull on their leashes, bark, and jump. Well, Anika does. And I have been working for months to be able to walk her calmly through the neighborhood without this agitation and now because of some stupid asshole, I have to start all over again.

I thought I lived in a nice neighborhood. But there are a few jerks everywhere.