Gratuitous that dog can hunt blogging: McKenzie edition
By Gina Spadafori
October 11, 2008
I am sunburned, windblown and utterly exhausted. I left the house at 7:15 this morning and just walked through the door now, 12 hours later.
But … we passed.
That’s two hunt tests down and two to go. But best of all, McKenzie is getting better and more “into it” every time we train, work or test. She loves doing the job she was bred to do.
Update: Apparently hunting ability runs in the family. I couldn’t find Ilario for a little while after I got home, and finally located him in the attached garage (it’s accessible through a cat door — that’s where the litter boxes are).
He proudly showed me what he had: A dead mouse.
Image: Dog friends, and friend dogs. Me, second from right, with McKutie.
I think Ilario deserves a ribbon award too! :)
Comment by Marcy — October 11, 2008 @ 9:10 pm
Congratuations! To both of them!
Comment by Lis — October 12, 2008 @ 5:20 am
Why doesn’t someone offer the equivalent of a Hunt Test for cats? Just think of the possibilities - meadow tests, urban tracking - and optional tree hunter, interior pursuit, barn protection and winged prey certifications!
Comment by Janeen — October 12, 2008 @ 7:46 am
Hmmmm … they have feline agility now, so … why not?
I’m just delighted Ilario is interested in mousing. My garage is packed with everything including the kitchen sink — no room for a car! — and although I keep intended to get rid of it all with the mother of all garage sales, I just don’t have the time to deal with it. So there it all sits, including a lot of thing from my gran’s house — and she died in ‘95!
It’s a perfect mouse habitat, and I’ve fought them with traps over the years, ramped up the mouse wars when they venture into the house now and then.
To have a first-line mouse-guard … hooray!
Comment by Gina Spadafori — October 12, 2008 @ 8:34 am
Congratulations! WooHoo!
And to Ilario too! Our cats, both former or recovering ferals always seem so pleased to be able to present us with their latest mouse mole or rat.
And on a related note (sort of) I want to do a little shout out for Mendocino ACC and Anderson Valley Animal Rescue who have teamed up to work towards a true No-Kill in the county. I have just seen the new flyers for their “Working Feral Program” altered ferals are now being offered free to rural property owners for pest control at vinyards, ranches etc… instead of being killed when they do not have a colony to return to.
Comment by JenniferJ — October 12, 2008 @ 10:15 am
Ilario is doing what kitties do best…mouse hunting. :)
Makes one wonder, if they succeed in getting all the neighborhoods in L.A. free of stray kitties, through mandatory spay/neuter…will there be an infestation of rodents to follow? Something to ponder.
Seems like I remember that in the past they tried the road of getting rid of kitties and it didn’t work, to the tune of the bubonic plague taking over?
Comment by Marcy — October 12, 2008 @ 5:39 pm