The Mole-ester of Goose Creek
Moles must smell--powerfully. He can be running across the pasture at full tilt, suddenly stop on a dime, start digging in the soft soil. A minute and lots of flying dirt later, he marches triumphantly out of the tall grass carrying a wiggling sausage-shaped suede covered pink nosed mole.
And they must taste awful. Tsuga's never eaten one that we know of. He just carries the small soggy carcass around for hours, off and on. And if we come outside, and especially if we get near his trophy by then ignored in some corner of the yard, he rediscovers and reanimates it by throwing it in the air, often catching it before it hits the ground again. (A larger, more sophisticated pose from the same romp in the yard is here.)
Comments
Ohmigod! Will you rent him out? I've tried everything to get rid of these pests! I have one photo (never to be published) of my husband looking just about as joyful with a mole of his own victorious battle.
Posted by: susan | April 25, 2005 9:17 AM
I'm reaching the same conclusions, because our dog is also fond of tormenting them-- catch and release and chase and catch etc., etc. -- but NEVER eats them!
Posted by: Trix | April 25, 2005 10:18 PM
Jeepers, Fred--what a hoss he is! Boss Alpha--in looks, anyway. He deserves all those free, animated toys (yeah, I know, but I'm a believer in the food chain). I hope you admire his trophies extravagantly; he seems to be currying encores with all that after-the-fact flinging-about!
Posted by: Doc Rock | April 26, 2005 2:07 PM
As mentioned before I have a tracking setter. Kal delights in the mole hunt and like Tsuga apparently fails to see the need to enjoy her catch by devouring it. The answer it seems is that dogs and all predators need to learn what is good for eating. This info comes from Templin Grandin's book Animals in Translation. Though I have not lived a day of my life without dogs and other critters I found her book enlightening and a wonderful read.
Posted by: ililani | April 27, 2005 9:02 PM