Beware of the Evil Rabbits

My dog, Daisy Mae, was born and raised in Florida. It was just she and me against the world living in an apartment. There was no backyard. Going outside meant waiting for me to put her on the leash and go for a walk.

Overlooking her lands

During her time in the Sunshine State, Daisy encountered only three types of wild animals: lizards, frogs, and squirrels. If she was at the window or sliding glass door and saw them, she would go absolutely nuts! She had to get to them. The whines and jumping around were non-stop until the animal disappeared or I appeased her need by taking her outside.  Once we were outside, she would either chase right after the animal or do a slow stalk to the animal and then chase it. All she wanted to do was play with the animal. She meant the poor animals no harm, but they didn't know it and would run away. 

There was one time when Daisy actually did "catch" a lizard. She had cornered it in my parents' screened in pool area. Daisy kept pawing at the poor little thing waiting for it to try and run so she could try and catch it again. Unfortunately, the pawing resulted in the lizard's death; something beyond my dog's understanding. I had to remove the lizard so she would leave the dead thing alone.

Since moving up to Illinois, we have yet to encounter any frogs or lizards and very few squirrels (on last count, about four). What we do have in abundance are rabbits. Lots and lots of fluffy little bunnies. I've never seen so many rabbits in my life. Each time I go for a walk, I will see at least three of them. No matter how we try to fill the holes under our fence, a rabbit always finds a way into our fenced

On patrol

backyard. 

Daisy loves the rabbits. They mean she has a reason to play and run at full speed after them. We've had several this spring already. In fact, we even had four baby bunnies under a weather observation station out back. (Amazingly, Daisy didn't notice them but did notice the mama and chased her away.)  

Now that the weather is warmer, Daisy has taken it upon herself to guard our yard from these heathen animals. She goes out several times a day to patrol the fence line, making sure not a rabbit comes into the yard. Once that is done, she will sit on the deck and over look "her lands." She wants to protect us from any evil rabbits. She has a job to do, and it is one she enjoys. Even now, she is whining so that I let her outside so she can "guard" the yard from the danger that the rabbits will cause. As she goes outside, I'm sure she is thinking to herself, "Beware of the Evil Rabbits." Or, more likely, "I hope I see a rabbit so I can chase it!"