Wednesday, December 20, 2006
the great 'possum hunt
So last night, I heard our beagles barking frantically in the backyard. This was their hunting howling fit that usually indicates there is a cat sitting on the fence taunting them. I looked out in the pitch black backyard, and I saw one dog standing by a pile of bricks out there and another about 15 feet away, so I wasn't concerned. A minute or two later the barking became more frantic and so I looked out again. The dogs were both standing at the pile of bricks, one on each side. This was not a good sign. It meant they'd trapped something.
Of course, Daddy-o and the two big kids were at Main Event, so I was home alone with B and some wild rabid animal that our dogs had trapped. So I got on shoes, grabbed leashes, and went out in the backyard (which involves a series of gates). I got over there to the bricks and found, yes, indeed, we had a possum cornered. It was hissing and had fangs showing. It was looking a tad bit horrific, but I would too in that situation. Both beagles had their noses six inches from this critter. I was trying to figure out how to get the dogs away without getting them or me attacked by the opossum. I finally got Blue Dog (on the back end of the possum) leashed up. Red Dog I grabbed by the tail and got him away from the possum. I got them in to the kids' yard and closed the gate on the dogs' yard. I was not having much luck getting Red Dog in the house, so I put Blue Dog in the house and started chasing Red Dog. I then heard Blue Dog come back out the doggie door into his yard. I forgot to lock off their room in the process so they couldn't get back out.
So I had to leave Red Dog, go back in the dogs' yard, and get Blue Dog on the leash again. The possum had moved about 15 feet in all of this time, but Blue Dog had not had problems finding it. I had to grab Blue Dog's collar which was again way too close to the possum's mouth for my comfort. I finally got both dogs in the house and Red Dog proceeded to track mud EVERYWHERE.
B spent the entire time completely plugged in to Little Bear on the tv. He asked me at one point during all of this when T and J were going to be home. My throat also felt lovely from screaming at barking dogs trying to get them to listen which as Daddy-o has so generously pointed out was a stupid and futile effort on my part. Hunting beagles don't listen to human owners. Nose on, brain off.
After getting home, Daddy-o took the beagles on leashes in the backyard and tracked the possum. Blue Dog stood howling at the fence and tried to climb it, so Daddy-o knew the possum had left. We still think the possum was either injured or really stupid to come in the yard of two beagles.
Of course, Daddy-o and the two big kids were at Main Event, so I was home alone with B and some wild rabid animal that our dogs had trapped. So I got on shoes, grabbed leashes, and went out in the backyard (which involves a series of gates). I got over there to the bricks and found, yes, indeed, we had a possum cornered. It was hissing and had fangs showing. It was looking a tad bit horrific, but I would too in that situation. Both beagles had their noses six inches from this critter. I was trying to figure out how to get the dogs away without getting them or me attacked by the opossum. I finally got Blue Dog (on the back end of the possum) leashed up. Red Dog I grabbed by the tail and got him away from the possum. I got them in to the kids' yard and closed the gate on the dogs' yard. I was not having much luck getting Red Dog in the house, so I put Blue Dog in the house and started chasing Red Dog. I then heard Blue Dog come back out the doggie door into his yard. I forgot to lock off their room in the process so they couldn't get back out.
So I had to leave Red Dog, go back in the dogs' yard, and get Blue Dog on the leash again. The possum had moved about 15 feet in all of this time, but Blue Dog had not had problems finding it. I had to grab Blue Dog's collar which was again way too close to the possum's mouth for my comfort. I finally got both dogs in the house and Red Dog proceeded to track mud EVERYWHERE.
B spent the entire time completely plugged in to Little Bear on the tv. He asked me at one point during all of this when T and J were going to be home. My throat also felt lovely from screaming at barking dogs trying to get them to listen which as Daddy-o has so generously pointed out was a stupid and futile effort on my part. Hunting beagles don't listen to human owners. Nose on, brain off.
After getting home, Daddy-o took the beagles on leashes in the backyard and tracked the possum. Blue Dog stood howling at the fence and tried to climb it, so Daddy-o knew the possum had left. We still think the possum was either injured or really stupid to come in the yard of two beagles.
Labels: around the house, dogs
# posted by Elizabeth @ 6:57 PM 
