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We have the usual array of neighborhood denizens, like squirrels, rabbits, and chipmunks. And birds love the water feature. But we get some larger four-legged visitors as well - possums, raccoons, and the occasional cat. I don't mind as long as they don't take up residence under our porch. Unfortunately, possums and raccoons just love to tunnel under our porch to birth and raise their families. And trash our plantings. And eat the fish in the water feature (we don't keep fish in there anymore; too many replacements over the average summer).
Now, my wife and I are "dog people" (see my blogs about that here and here) and have had a canine for much of our life together. Our favorite dog was a black Lab that we swear wasn't really a dog, but a furry Bodhisattva. She didn't much care to play with other dogs, and looked insulted, no, hurt, when we put her on a leash. "What's the matter? Don't you trust me?" - That sort of look. When she died, we didn't get another dog for some time. And when we finally did, we came to wish that we'd waited a little longer.
You see, the next dog was a hunter, through and through. Fast as the wind and strong, he'd close on anything he set his sights on, grab it, shake it, and kill it. Just like that. It was over in seconds. He was a one-dog wrecking crew, and nothing, but nothing, could stand in his way when he was after something. He did clear out the back yard, catching and killing a number of possums, chipmunks, even raccoons. That dog was afraid of nothing, and everything. He'd tackle a grizzly, I swear, but even distant thunder would send him under the bed in an instant. It even got so that he was afraid of being walked in the twilight. We finally found another home for him after he went through our porch screen twice in one week, chasing some critter. He needed more than we could give him, so we gave him - another good home.
Our current dog is a 17 month old, mini-Labradoodle. She is the kindest, sweetest, happiest dog on the planet, but she's stubborn and has boundless energy. When she's revved up, I call her "20 pounds of fury." She'll play with any dog who will have her, and is endlessly curious. However, she's tiny and her curiosity extends to creatures that might not receive her exuberance gladly. Like raccoons, for instance.
Despite the fact that we have no fish, a family of raccoons recently became the latest inhabitants under our porch. We don't want our pint-sized tough girl tangling with Mama 'Coon, so we're watching out for Mama, and her young, until we can get rid of them. First thought was to trap them, and we've done that in the past,
releasing the animals into the woods a couple of miles away. But we don't have a trap right now.
So I sprinkled coyote urine granules outside their burrow, while Mama and the kids were out and about. This was to trick them into thinking that there were predators in the neighborhood (real ones, not a 20-pound puppy). I think this did the trick, as we haven't seen them since then. I hope that's true, but I think I'll sprinkle more granules to be sure.
There are lessons here, as always. The little 'doodle has reminded us that when we are young, life is fresh. With that freshness comes endless enthusiasm and a willingness to take on all that life may bring, albeit sometimes foolishly. The raccoons have left a message too. Like them, sometimes we are afraid of things that aren't really there, but that we think are there, based on superficial inferences. While this may be adaptive (the predator angle), it often is little more than our minds running away with us.
I'm grateful to all the critters that have taught me lessons, from Bodhisattva dogs, to puppies, to raccoons. We are being taught every day. May we be granted the wisdom to notice it whenever it is happening.

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