What I am doing in my garden now!

Yes, it's those pesky critters. Of course, everybody's gotta eat, right? LOL

It was cheap, too, less than $20 if I remember right. Though the one you posted would do a much better job of keeping out the wildlife, and keep the pile from getting soggy in the Winter.

Here's my doggy, not really a furbaby, a furoldcodger. He thinks every garden bed I dig is a new bed for him.

LOL they have there place, no matter where.

What a cutie pie!! Isn't it great (well, not always) how they're like little kids - a nice pile of dirt feels good, with no thought as to how much of it they'll wear. What's your furoldcodger (I have one of those)'s name?

My furoldcodger is officially 'Methow' as he was found wandering the roads in the Methow River valley by his former owners. To us, he is Doggly, though I also call him Meti when he is in trouble. We first met him on July 4th at around midnight a number of years ago. Someone was setting off fireworks in the road and he came running to the only people around. It was pitch black, couldn't see a thing, and a large creature pushed past me into the house when I opened the front door. Turned out to be a dog. We finally located his people in a few days and took him home, but he continued to visit, sometimes for days at a time, hanging around the yard with me. A few years later, when his family had to move into the city, they asked if we wanted him. He was kind of half our dog already.

Awwwwww. He chose you when he was terrified to death. You must send out some "you are safe here" energy. That is such a sweet story, it has me leakin'. Fourth of July is, for that reason, not one of my favorite holidays anymore. My dogs do fine, but I think of so many terrified animals.

Actually, I mis-spoke. It was New Year's Eve (that's why it was so dark- complete cloud cover), and they shouldn't have been doing those d**ned fireworks. The Fourth is terrible for him every year. One of us often stays home to sit with him. Recently, with his hearing loss, it is a little better, but I think he can still feel the vibrations.

Never bring your pets to Vancouver on the Fourth of July. I have never lived anywhere that was so ridiculous about fireworks the way this town is. It is absolutely miserable with constant explosions. It goes from dark until midnight or 1AM.

MHF, your furoldcodger is still a very beautiful dog.

He is handsome, but the long fur is difficult to manage, and I don't do it very well. He has arthritic pains now and hates me to brush him. He gets dread locks in his tail, behind the ears, and even at his elbows. I gave up on keeping a clean rug in the house, especially at shedding time. But he picked us as his people, and we're committed to each other now. I had cats for my pets before this, who always did a good job of keeping themselves tidy.

I better go to bed. The morning is going to come far too early.

Thank you. Amber will appreciate her new thread. She did a good job of adjusting on Sunday. She even wagged her little tail and had a big stretch-out to the front and back. She is two and we got her at a breeder here in Shelton. It wasn't the best of homes. All the dogs were well cared for but Amber was the shy one and I think she was overwhelmed by all the goings on. She isn't at all afraid of any of us but she is afraid of noise and such. She also needs to be leash trained so that will be fun. She slept between us all night and was just fine. I just realized I should have put this on the new thread. Darn Patricia

He's a lovely dog! And I have envy of your pick up unloader. That's a tool I need.
My Fran was terrified of the fireworks the first year we lived in this house. She actually has a post-traumatic response to loud noises now. She was terrified. I hate the 4th of July now. It's too bad. It should be fun. But I feel so very sorry for all of the veterans who live in this area. I cannot imagine how they must feel every year.

Can you imagine the terror of MOST dogs on the 30th June thru the 10 of July. We have dogs in total panic attack the entire time. I have had dogs chew through sheet rock, jump through plate glass window, and run away only to be hit by cars and often never to find the home they cherished before their "best" friend decided to spend money they don't have, to make noise. I too like the pickup unloader.

Yea. I think there's a big difference between celebrating the holiday with a few inocuous sparklers and then going to an organized event and firing off strings of firecrackers starting days before and ending days after the Fourth of July. People can be so callous about the way the animals are affected.

My girlfriend's whole neighborhood used to smell and look smokey well into the morning of the fifth. She spends the evening with the stereos in the house blaring and with her dog in the tub in the bathroom in the center of the house.

IMHO, we need to enforce the laws on the books with no exceptions. Heaven knows that there are plenty of other ways to waste your money.

I think we should put a "sin" tax on the buggers so the rest of us who don't smoke could benefit from those whose 2nd hand smoke and noise affects us all.

Uh, that would only work for those few who buy the legal fireworks........It wouldn't have a lot of impact around here.

Fireworks, my neighborhood goes up in smoke being so close to the Reservation! Of the three in my herd, the only one who minds the fireworks is the Rott he will run and hide under things he is to big to be under, the Minpin would chase them and is not smart enough not to pick them up, the Chihuahua just simply doesn't care! I am not sure if our Chi is a true breed...lol, she just simply doesn't care about much, she does bark as part of the pack or if she wants back in sooner that I do....but I always thought this breed was yappy? The Minpin is the yappiest/most energetic dog I have ever had. We call her our instigator.

Hey,Mauryhillfarm-that's a pretty nifty PU onloader.All that's left is a little broom work.

Carla
Your kids are darling! Where is the third?

Thanks Rachel...I can never get a picture with all of them in one place being still.... Here is desilu

What perky ears on that one, and looking at you so expectantly.

LOL I just love her perky ears....She is so spoiled.... but she is a wonderful little dog and I normally do not care for small dogs, she is an exception!

They're all wonderful, Carla!!!!

I love her little smile :0)

So, Carla, one of the dogs in my agility class, Paco, is called a terrier mix. And there's definitely terrier in there. But he has a "prancy" thing he does when he trots that seems to me to be decidedly Chihuaha. I think I've seen it in them before. Am I right? Does Desilu do that?

Yes, I guess she is a prancer...Now I know why I love to watch her trotting....she reminds me of a horse....lol Yes definately a prancer!
Lucy, the Minpin is like tigger...jumps around all over the place with no intentions.....
Ricky is just a lover boy and very kind to his girls, including me...he knows who he can be rough with and who he cannot.
I love my herd and thank you all for your kind words!

My daughter had a Rotweiler mix (don't know what the other part was - she definitely looked like a Rotweiler) . . . sweetest, most wonderful dog ever. Her name was Susie - they lost her about a year ago (to old age). There are so many "Susie stories" - she did NOT like to share her food and would guard her bowl 24/7 if she could. But the little Papillon, Otto, who weighs at best 5 pounds, would go tearing by Susie, grab food out of the bowl, and keep on going. Susie would let out a little growl, but never harm Otto (or any of the other animals who stole her food . . . she just tried to horde it!!).

Murmus such a neat story, Desilu can walk up and take food from his mouth or take his bone from him and he just looks at me like...Are you gonna do something? He plays with her and is never rough, although sometimes it makes me nervous when her whole head is in his mouth!

They have such a rotten reputation to be such a kind and gentle dog!

Carla, I do so agree with you about their reputation!! Susie hated to have her picture taken - she'd see that camera come out . . . and she'd be gone!!! We assume that somehow a flash or something that flashed scared her at one time . . . we did learn not to take her picture if she was aware of it . . . not fair to upset her . . . can you tell we all loved that dog???!!! Susie was 4 or 5 years old when my daughter & family got her so whatever happened to make her dislike camera - or flashes - occurred before she was part of their family.

I have heard so many sweet Rottweiler stories and have met some real Rottweiler sweethearts.

Murmur, sorry I fell off the conversation last night.

Ricky is a rescue dog, we got him at NOAH. He is such afraidy "dog" we do know he was on the streets for a while, he was picked up in Everett and he was skin and bones. NOAH only had him for 5 days and we came in and adopted him. He was not very healthy at the time, he had worms and a terrible skin condition. We had a heck of a time getting him to come in the house and it was even funnier to get him to come up stairs. Obviously he had never been inside before. He ducks and shies away from brooms, sticks, loud noises and loud voices. He eats his food so fast like it was his last meal, but he is willing to share it with anyone...dog or human. He has more than earned his keep by being such a kind soul, but he has also chased off would be burgulars two times, one time right into the hands of awaiting Sherrifs.
He was guessed to be 2 years old when we got him in July he has been part of our family for 3 years and such a joy! I just wish we could get him to stand up straight and be a proud dog but something in the past has made him cower even if I lift my arm to close to him in a quick fashion. He is my shadow and he keeps a close eye on me when I am in the side yard gardening....Can you tell I am the big dog lover in the family....my DH even though publicly he would not admit it, is a little dog lover.... His favorite dog that we have had was a little male Shitzu.
I always chose the troubled dogs...half wolf/half shepard, Saint Bernard, and now a Rott.
He has a good home for the rest of his days now and if for some reason he had to leave my home, my sister in AZ also fell in love with him this summer...so his life is well planned!
I really don't have to worry about any of my dogs...Sis will care for my pack or I will care for her pack....4 Chi's...lol

Carla, that's so sweet - and my heart feel so happy for Ricky knowing he is with you!!!

Carla,
Lucy, Ricky and Desilou- Do you like I love Lucy? :0) Ricky is one handsome fella and it looks like his girls adore him.

LOL....Still one of my favorite comedies! Good catch Rachel! My next girl will be Mrs. Mertz....can't quite call a puppy Ethel....I had a cat named Fred once until I had to give "her" up because of allergies.

Carla. just love it. Ester was a kennel dog, was afraid to get in a car and now after 3 years, can't keep her out. loves to go will set in the back seat if the door is open and stay there. She was in the house with me today and my DH moved my car she had a fit to get outside, she thought he left her. LOL

oh, poor darling! A friend of ours had a dog that so loved cartrips, she would take herself off to the neighbours to go with them - she knew all the schedules: school runs, grocery shopping, runs to the feed store and just turned up at each neighbour for the outing and then trot on back to sit in the drive waiting for the next ride.

Tills,
Isn't it funny how all of a sudden something they feared becomes one of their favorites when they are in contact with it enough!

Laurie,

LOL so glad the neighbors were accommodating, that was a lucky dog!

It must have been a Jack Russell terrier. Right Laurie. Or a herding dog.

Almost sofer, a patterson - predecessor to the Jack Russell. You know your dogs. the other lucky thing is they did live in a very small, not quite a village, on a dead end lane - so everyone knew everyone else's dog (and kids) and there was no risk of other traffic.

Thats cool Laurie,
Ester is such the lady in the car, no mater how many stops you make in and out of the car she just sets and waits, until you get 2 mils from home, then she is all about talking, licking the back of your neck, and all excited. now that I don't get, whats so exciting about come home? and only she knows, I guess.
Now Tyler, that a hold differant story.

Posting a link to this thread to make sure everyone sees it:
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/823360/