DOGS AS MOUSERS

Those of you with mice as pets probably do NOT want to read this post. 

You would think a household with as many dogs as I have wouldn't have a problem with mice inside, right? Guess my penchant for rescuing critters may have led my doggies to think they should leave the mice alone. 

I think mice are cute. However, I have a major disagreement with them on bathroom and sanitary habits, and do NOT want them in my kitchen and especially not on my counters. 

I've already asked--nicely, mind you--that the mice not come inside the house, or I would have to remove them. That didn't work. 

So I told the dogs they could get the mice or I would have to set out traps. Well, Ebony Rose caught a mouse!

I didn't see her do it, but discovered it when I was going to bed. I was straightening the blankets and discovered its little carcass tucked under a blanket. I don't know if she was hiding her prize from the other dogs or if she was trying to convince me it was still alive but just sleeping. 

But she had a real tentative look on her face like she didn't know if I was going to be mad or not. A bit of backstory--my Ebony Rose is kind of gritchy. If there's a dust-up in our household, odds are my girl is involved. So she knows the time-out room intimately.

In this instance, I made a big deal of her mousing skills and told her what a good hunter she was and that I was proud of her. (I also removed the mouse from the bed. :)

When I came back to get into bed, Ebbie wanted more tummy rubs and figured she shouldn't have to share much of the bed with the human. So I scrunched in beside her and let her sprawl in the middle of the bed. She did scoot over a bit--just enough so I could snuggle a little better. 

She told me this morning she really believed I loved her now. In spite of the squabbles. In spite of her guarding and growling, she realized she really was my adored little girl. 

So, thank you, little mousie, as you continue your journey in spirit, for the lessons you offered through your sacrifice. We all continue to grow and learn, don't we?