Toby Protects the Tomato Patch, Sort Of
Toby, the beagle on the job.
I captured this video Monday about three in the afternoon. Watch that mean dog terrorize poor little Bambi.
The Story
I live inside the city limits of Lancaster, SC which is a town of less than ten thousand people. We are a small town but we are a town: with a Wal-mart, a Blockbuster and a Walgreens within walking distance of my house. Yet, I have been forced to put my garden about twenty- five miles out of town so that the #$%$# deer won't eat every single thing I plant.
Last year, I adopted a mixed-breed bull dog from the local animal shelter, paid to have him neutered and then provided him with a wonderful home where his only job was to keep the deer out of my garden. He was useless. I had to pull a Donald Trump on him.
"You're fired," I said.
He said nothing. He was, after all, just a dog.
Don't call the ASPCA, I gave him to a great couple who love him and live in the deer free county.
Then I got Toby and wondered if he would do better. After all, he is a hunting dog. I planted my tomato plants and they grew to a height of about five feet. I went on vacation two weeks ago and put Toby in a kennel for his safety. When I got back the plants were butchered so I assumed Toby had been making a difference.
After this week's encounter between Bambi and him, I know he has--but at great risk to his puppyhood!
I have not seen the deer back since this episode. Of course, my yelling and screaming may be the reason. Now I'm trying to save those pitiful tomato plants to LURE the deer back so I can train Toby in Bambi patrol. I can't shoot deer in town and there was a time I didn't want to. That time was a couple of summers ago.
Anyone got a paintball gun that I can load with Kryptonite? It may come to that!
Another Toby Story Below
- Trouble in Toby Land, The Beagle Chronicles
Last friday afternoon I noticed that Toby was staying in his dog house when he would have normally been totally underfoot. I counted my blessings and decided to cover up the latest hole he had dug in a...