It’s been kind of neat to watch the puppies learn to be mousers like their mama. Disa is a mouser extraordinaire, and then she taught Gaela, who is now even better. The two of them are teaching Stina and Elska, and let’s just say that the varmints don’t have a chance. They’ll all be innocently sitting outside chewing a bone or stick, as you do, and then those little puppy ears will perk up, and the entire pack is off on the chase. The mice and voles don’t have a chance.
The all time favorite is a mole. Frozen or dried makes it even better. They’ll throw it and gloat about having it for days before it’s gone. Best Bully Sticks should offer dried flattened moles as a treat. Our guys would go get jobs to buy them.
Usually though they’ll chase around whoever has the mouse, and they love to make it squeak. Oops. I make them let it go or kill it, or trade them for a squeaky ball. They have a favorite brand that sounds exactly like a mouse, but they also destroy those balls so quickly that I really have to dole them out very rarely. Disa has taken to moving over a chair next to the closet where I store the ball stash. She is a little addict, and every single puppy she’s had gets that from her, but really, no choice. It started in utero!
The local feed store we go to loves it when my girls visit and will often encourage them to run around the warehouse for a bit, because they never come out with empty mouths.
At home, Tara is often part of the hunting party. If the girls chase the critter up a tree, Tara goes up and chases it off a branch, and the Icies are waiting down below. Tara leisurely climbs back down and then joins them for the feast. They always make sure she gets some, too.
What a crew! Mousers are really handy on a farm.
I sure wish someone had taught our pup to mouse. With as athletic as she was (before back surgery, anyway), I’ll bet she would have been world-class. 🙂 Glad you’ve got some useful pups, anyway!