MudDog

Sofie the Muddog

Sofie the Muddog 2

Today I want to talk about Sofie’s need to dig holes everywhere she possibly can; especially if there is a nice planting near by.  And, once dug, she likes to lie in her holes and defend them against the world.

Sofie in a hole

You need to understand that I am starting to get yelled at (a lot) for what is becoming a major construction site vs. our beautiful garden.  We are actually a National Wildlife Federation Certified Wildlife Habitat.  We are part of a worldwide network of mini-refuges.  Because of our careful planning, landscaping and sustainable gardening, wildlife can find quality habitat (food, water, cover and places to raise their young) on our property.  We are very proud of this.  But now we have Sofie.  Sofie Bear the excavator.  Sofie the hole digger.  Sofie the MUDDOG!

I can not say Louise is blameless.  She came in this morning with dirt on her snout too!  But the instigator is YOU KNOW WHO!  Even in the grass she digs holes. Conspiring to destroy years of hard work.

Let's dig here Lulu

To be honest, years of drought in the Mid-Atlantic has not helped my yard. I am starting to live on sand because all the topsoil is washing away every time it rains .  I think it is really hard to discourage digging behavior when the soil is so easy (and fun) to dig. Also, I think there is a mole under the lawn (noted by the tunnels).  And, I think Sofie’s lawn digging may have started with trying to get the silly underground moving thing. (Have you ever seen a mole or a shrew?  They are truly not nice looking creatures (down right ugly!).  Their poor lives are spent trying to get to the light only to be blinded by it. Now that is a weird existence.)

Close-up_of_mole

I figure digging is just Sofie’s nature, since she has tons of toys and gets lots of exercise.  I probably should never let her out in the fenced yard unattended, but she digs even when I am there,  She just likes to dig,  In the dog park, visiting other dogs, on a walk.  Really, she is a Muddog.  By now you may have figured out that I have never had any dog like Sofie; she whines, she digs, she does not listen to any commands.  In my old age, the Great Spirit must have sent me this little soul to teach me something (other than frustration) but I have not figured out what the lesson is yet (besides pure love). Some people are suggesting a sandbox of her own (put how do you keep that clean from the foxes and other animals?) and some have suggested placing her own feces in the holes (which may work but won’t she just dig a new one?).

I have to figure it out before I have to order a truck load of topsoil to fix her current projects, or worse, a truck load of concrete!  Just another dogdaz afternoon at the zoo!