Sometimes something unexpected happens. It can be annoying or interesting depending on the angle from which you’re looking. This one was interesting – for us at least and I had to pause the “trying to create a pattern project” I’m working on. Yesterday we saw and tasted something “new”. Moxxi has never caught one before so it was a new experience for her. I knew what it was but I’ve never seen IRL but I got a good look up close. I thought they were bigger..

Moxxi’s prey drive is very strong – it’s both good and bad. Bad because when we’re out walking she’ll hear something and suddenly jump into the ditch after it with me dangling on the leash after her. We practise not doing this because it is.. inconvenient. Let’s put it that way. Good because she keeps the area free of mice. She can hear them underground. She’ll stand completely still, head tilted pinpointing the exact location of her prey, the tail wagging wild. Good thing she doesn’t play poker – that tail is a massive “tell”😊. I’ll stand still too observing her in silence. Fascinated. She’s never eats the prey, she hunts for the pure joy of it. That much is clear.

When she’s sure she’ll go after it the same way a fox or polarbear does it; a big jump, head pointed directly down towards the prey and slam her paws against it. If she doesn’t get it this way it’ll certainly scare the prey to make a run for it, and that’s usually the end of the journey for it. Moxxi is almost always successful. It’s great exercise for her, it keeps her alert and it’s clear to me that she finds it very stimulating and satisfying.

She’s not allowed to dig in the lawn. She has her own area where she can dig a crater if she wants, making it easier to keep her from digging holes everywhere in the lawn. But this time it was too tempting and for once she didn’t listen. Completely focused. Something was moving under the grass. Close to the surface but out of sight. I went for the camera. Outside again she had caught a mole. A little unsure if it was ok, the scent was unfamiliar so I encouraged her and gave her “go” to kill it. So she did. I’ll spare you the description of the sounds.. 😉

She got a lot of praise – a mole IS a pest and after a trade with a raw bone with some meat on I could pick up the mole and examine it. Just about 4.5″ – I’ve seen educational mole-videos before but when when you’ve never seen one for real, it changes things and size gets a little.. I don’t know. I thought they were bigger. It was surprisingly soft – like velvet. The claws are very impressive! No wonder they can dig tunnels. On the picture it doesn’t seem like it has eyes, but maybe they’re just covered with fur. They have very poor vision but they’re not entirely blind.

I must admit I feel sorry for this one. But.. there’s enough pests around here and if they’re not kept in check it would have catastrophic consequenses. Now we both know what a mole looks and feels like and she knows the scent and taste as well so she has a permanent “go” to kill as many as she like. I mean.. last spring I counted 46! mole hills in the lawn. It’s a big lawn but still. I don’t think moles are going to be an endangered species any time soon so.. go for it – good girl! ❤

Copyright © 2020 theqraftyquill.com