This really happened. Promise.
Bear, the German Shepherd/Akita mix who was my sidekick for many years, had a "thing" for groundhogs. He just despised them. Thought they were a blight on the earth. This viewpoint made him very popular with the farmers when I'd take him on farm surveys when I helped my Dad; more than one tried to buy him, and a couple even tried to get my Dad to sneak and sell him when I wasn't with him!
I was living in a big old farmhouse I rented from a friend. Her new house was just over the hill, and every morning we would meet and take a walk on a two mile path around the farm. Bear went with us, as did her Terrier mix, Poodle and BJ, the elderly Beagle. About one-third of the way from the house there was a huge groundhog hole. Every morning Bear would sniff and snort at that groundhog's hole, paw at it, dig a little and bellow down it. The groundhog, not having any great desire to end his life, sensibly stayed way down deep in the hole.
Bear would get utterly frustrated.
But he found a strange way to alleviate his frustrations.
Each and every morning, after all the histrionics were over and the groundhog refused to come out to be dispatched, Bear would crouch over the hole and make use of it as his own personal toilet.
It kind of made me feel sorry for that poor, suffering groundhog.
Bear, the German Shepherd/Akita mix who was my sidekick for many years, had a "thing" for groundhogs. He just despised them. Thought they were a blight on the earth. This viewpoint made him very popular with the farmers when I'd take him on farm surveys when I helped my Dad; more than one tried to buy him, and a couple even tried to get my Dad to sneak and sell him when I wasn't with him!
I was living in a big old farmhouse I rented from a friend. Her new house was just over the hill, and every morning we would meet and take a walk on a two mile path around the farm. Bear went with us, as did her Terrier mix, Poodle and BJ, the elderly Beagle. About one-third of the way from the house there was a huge groundhog hole. Every morning Bear would sniff and snort at that groundhog's hole, paw at it, dig a little and bellow down it. The groundhog, not having any great desire to end his life, sensibly stayed way down deep in the hole.
Bear would get utterly frustrated.
But he found a strange way to alleviate his frustrations.
Each and every morning, after all the histrionics were over and the groundhog refused to come out to be dispatched, Bear would crouch over the hole and make use of it as his own personal toilet.
It kind of made me feel sorry for that poor, suffering groundhog.
