Pets in the Garden

Lucky
White-Factored Rough Collie
( 1984-1998 )

Odie
Shih Tzu
( 1985-2002 )

Jojo
Black & Silver Mini Schnauzer
2003 -

Gardeninggonewild is inviting us to post about pets in the garden . I read somewhere that dogs are the worse enemy of the garden but I would add that it depends on the kind of dog.

My neighbor several houses down has a basset hound that likes to dig in the garden. I can hear her shrill voice scolding him : " Now, Wilbur, that's a flower and you mustn't dig it up ! " If it were only that easy. Certain breeds of dogs are prone to dig huge holes for burying bones or seeking cool places to lie down in.

I've been fortunate to have 3 "garden friendly" dogs . Lucky, a white-factored Collie ( there are 5 colors other than Lassie in the breed ) was very genteel and respectful of the garden and during his 14-year lifespan didn't injure a single plant. He was the sweetest and smartest of dogs and I still miss him to this day. I'm a big fan of Rough Collies but the big drawback is keeping their beautiful coat in top shape. My first born Cathy , a Collie lover like myself, has two smooth coats , or short-haired ones. They are a rare sight and she is constantly asked what kind of dogs they are to which she retorts : " Lassie, without the fur coat. "

My neighbor's ShihTzu had puppies and we selected a robust, chubby male from the litter and named it Odie. I wanted Lucky to have a companion since he was home alone a lot in those days. Lucky seemed to think he had become a daddy and he and Odie became great companions. I'm a big stickler for not over-feeding my dogs and Lucky, to our vet's amazement, lived to the ripe old age of 14, which is rare for large breeds.

Shih Tzu's may be small but they have a gigantic personality and intelligence. So now I had two dogs with gorgeous coats that demanded a lot of my attention . Odie filled our lives with his mere presence for 17 years and is sorely missed.

There's a big void in my heart and home without the companionship of a dog and it wasn't long before I was longing for another one. My younger sister Linda had two wonderful Schnauzers and highly recommended them. I was drawn to the "no shedding " and constant grooming that I'd had with Lucky and Odie.

We made a trip to a breeder in a far western suburb and she had a pen full of all colors and sizes of Schnauzers, mostly the popular silver colored ones. The one that caught my eye and stood out from the crowd was a beautiful black and silver pup that showed interest in me. The other puppies were busy playing with each other and paid no mind. We named her Jojo and she has been a delightful dog for the past 7 years.

Schnauzers are " the dog with a human brain " as one book declared. Intelligent, alert and playful they make delightful pets. Jojo doesn't know her size. She'll charge any stranger that enters her portals as if she were " 10 foot tall and bullet proof. " One day she charged my neighbors great Dane. Have you ever seen a Great Dane running from a Mini-Schnauzer? A funny sight, indeed.

She's a good garden dog and likes to sniff everything I plant. Like many dogs she tends to nibble on some plants which may be a digestive aid so I've planted a bit of wheat grass in the corner for her and trained her to eat it instead.

Schnauzers are rat terriers and Jojo is as good as a cat at mousing and keeps the squirrels and rabbits chased away from the garden. Now if she could only pull out those weeds.