This is Hairy Truman, my two-year-old Longhaired Dachshund, playing with his Christmas gift, a stuffed opossum, which I'm pretty sure looks more like a big rat to him. We had the occasional rat in our yard last year when I had the bird feeder up, and they drove poor Truman absolutely crazy.
Tru is a very sweet and very shy guy with a mostly calm, couch potato attitude towards life (unless there are rats or squirrels in his yard). He loves his home and yard and hates to go out for walks if he can see his house, so the only way we can go for walks in our neighborhood is if I put him in the pet stroller, walk him away from home, and then when we turn around to head back, take him out. Then he will go as fast as his short little legs will carry him to get back home.
Thankfully, he does enjoy car rides, and will happily go to my favorite birding place, the Union Bay Natural Area (AKA the Montlake Fill) and walk around the Loop Trail with me. He can't see his house from there. He's an excellent bird dog -- very quiet, very patient when I stand around staring at birds, and completely disinterested in them. Last weekend there were several Golden-crowned Sparrows hopping on the path about four feet in front of us, and he just sat next to me, waiting until we moved on. The only time he has ever chased birds is when they dare to trespass in his own yard.
Truman is a funny, happy little guy.
You certainly were lucky to find him. He's a sweetheart!
ReplyDelete