After a month or so with the new furry child, we have settled on a name that most appropriately suits her personality - it is Shiva (the Hindu God of Destruction). In the time she has been with us, there has not been a garden bed left untouched. She has completely dug over my vegetable garden, torn up and eventually uprooted two camellias, torn apart a bromeliad (a rather spiky plant), pulled up a frangipani and generally dug up beds so that the garden is now a muddy pile of trash. Through the dirt strewn over the pathways and the upturned beds, there are remnants of watering cans (plastic), water bowls, cushions, her duvet, numerous torn tennis balls and a range of as yet unidentified objects. Her capacity to produce rather voluminous amounts of excrement is unmatched and at the other end she eats with a voracious appetite that exceeds that of the kelpie.
Having said that, she is a beautiful and joyous animal. Labradors are always known for their complete love of life and Shiva is certainly enjoying herself in this new home of hers. Boutros is also starting to relax into life with a 7 month old ball of beans. Shiva loves her and the two are getting up to quite a bit of mischief.
Last night we bought a bunch of toys from the pet store, one of which is a Kong - it is the only indestructible thing as it is the only thing that managed to make it through the day unscathed. The Kong is an egg type shape with a hole in the middle that you put peanut butter or other gooey things in that the pooch tries to get out through the day. Maybe I just need to litter the garden with them so that she never runs out.
We also bought something called 'get out of my garden!" which is a gel that you spread at the entry to garden beds and around plants. It confuses their sense of smell and they apparently stay out of the garden then. I think we will come home to find she has developed a taste for it but lets see...... We just have to keep the soil in the beds for long enough without her just digging it back out.
I feel like a new parent and am exhausted. Every time I try to walk anywhere in the house I have two large dogs under my feel but their tails are wagging and they are happy. There is much joy in this house - as well as a lot of dirt!
Having said that, she is a beautiful and joyous animal. Labradors are always known for their complete love of life and Shiva is certainly enjoying herself in this new home of hers. Boutros is also starting to relax into life with a 7 month old ball of beans. Shiva loves her and the two are getting up to quite a bit of mischief.
Last night we bought a bunch of toys from the pet store, one of which is a Kong - it is the only indestructible thing as it is the only thing that managed to make it through the day unscathed. The Kong is an egg type shape with a hole in the middle that you put peanut butter or other gooey things in that the pooch tries to get out through the day. Maybe I just need to litter the garden with them so that she never runs out.
We also bought something called 'get out of my garden!" which is a gel that you spread at the entry to garden beds and around plants. It confuses their sense of smell and they apparently stay out of the garden then. I think we will come home to find she has developed a taste for it but lets see...... We just have to keep the soil in the beds for long enough without her just digging it back out.
I feel like a new parent and am exhausted. Every time I try to walk anywhere in the house I have two large dogs under my feel but their tails are wagging and they are happy. There is much joy in this house - as well as a lot of dirt!
1 comment:
You feel good: Hope it stays.
It'll just work all together. Yah!
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