Bud, sweet in the house, cuddled in Jon’s lap offering up his pleading eyes for a belly rub. But a terror in the yard, especially since he started digging under the fence.
It’s new behavior for him starting at the end of spring when he dug a hole under the fence to get a to a turtle that was trying to reach our pond in the back pasture.
Then he dug to get to our Amish neighbors who bought the field across the road from us and were haying. Last week he was out and after the hens. And today he dug under the gate to chase Zip.
We’ve barricaded the places he digs with rocks and chicken wire. We even called in our handyman Dan to help with the problem. He has some good ideas, but needs time to actually do them.
When I saw the hole under the gate I knew Bud was gone.
Usually he comes running when I call, as if he’s horrified that he’s actually out of the dog run. Last time he was patiently waiting for me on the back porch.
Today he wiggled his little body under the door of the barn and ran right to Jon who held open the door to the house.
Inside the barn, Zip was high on the wooden ladder attached to the wall that leads to the hayloft. Zip looked around cautiously not wanting to come down.
I don’t know what happened between Bud and Zip in the barn. But Bud did come running when I called him, so maybe he was glad to have an excuse to get away from Zip.
I don’t have any doubt that Zip can take care of himself.
They have been getting to know each other through the fence, but never got this close before.
I did climb the ladder and bring Zip down by the scruff of his neck. Then I gave him a few treats to let him know all was well. And the barn belonged to him again.
We’re working on Bud-proofing the fences and gates, until we do Bud will be spending less time in the yard and more time in front of the wood stoves and on Jon’s lap.
Zip on the top rung of the hayloft ladder keeping and eye out for Bud
Terriers (or terrier-ists as the obedience instructor called my first one) are notorious diggers. When I bought my current property my first order of business was re-fencing the quarter acre where the dog would have roaming rights and having a concrete footer poured to secure the posts and wire fencing and deter the digging. But that’s an expensive solution. :-{
It really is Jill, but I bet your terriers don’t escape. This is new for Bud, he hadn’t done until the spring. WE have some quicker fixed in mind. We’ll see how it goes.
Zip and Bud sound a lot like our cat Alistar and our Jack Russell/border collie mix Escher. Escher is 100% energy in motion and Alistar hasn’t figured him out yet so when he sees Escher he makes a beeline to a nice high spot in the barn where he’s safe and can observe Escher. Our other dog Corina and Alistar have established respect for each other and mostly just ignore each other. Animals are fun to watch!
It really is always an adventure when a new animal comes to the farm. I have no doubt they will get used to each other. And no doubt they chasing will go on too.
Never a dull moment!
I have no doubt that Zip has the advantage.
Cats rule. Dogs drool.
My not so nice way of putting it perhaps, but I do believe they have the upper paw.
Love hearing about the animal’s adventures, but sounds like it could be quite the project to keep Bud from doing what he does so well – digging his way out! The Great Escape artist.
It will be a challenge for sure to contain Bud. We’re hoping if he’s not outside as much this winter (he loves the wood stove even more than digging) he may forget this new behavior. We shall see…
I don’t know much about dogs. Is Bud a breed that was bred to dig and chase? It can be hard when our furry friends start new and baffling (to us) behavior.
On a different note, the photo of Zip reminded me of the lookout, way up on the mast on old sailing ships.
Yes, Boston Terrier’s are digger and hunters. So it may be hard to quell that behavior now that it’s been unleashed.