Well, I have been sniffing around my yard for 6 months or so now. I have found so many good smells. I know where the snake lives. He doesn’t smell very good. I leave him alone. I know where the cats like to cross my yard. I know where the deer like to lie down at night to sleep but I can’t get to that place to take care of the “deer problem.” The deer problem isn’t just that they sleep near my yard. They come into my Lain’s yard and eat the roses. I have been in her yard and seen the bushes munched down, all of the flowers gone. Roses smell very good. Lain and I both like to smell them. Bob does, too. Cats I can handle. I know this yard like I know the back of my… well, the bottom of my paw. Deer are another thing.

    More things happen on the weekend than on the regular days. Bob is home. Bob and Lain have been working on a big project far away from my yard. I can see them and smell them but I can’t get to where they are. They are way over where the deer sleep. They are cutting large branches off the trees and carrying them away. Bob and Lain can walk under the trees on the one side but not on the side toward me. Now they are digging holes in the ground in a line from the trees to the house. I could help with that. I am verrry good at digging.

 

    I got to go watch them for a while, but I found a good smell and forgot to stay close by. I had to go back into my yard. I can still watch from here. I can still smell the air to be able to warn them if there is any danger. I haven’t smelled any yet. I stay on guard though.

 

    It’s lunchtime. I don’t get lunch. Well, I don’t get dog lunch. I usually get a bite or two of people food. That is good lunch.

    Back to work. I’m watching. Bob and Lain are putting some stuff along the trees and pounding it tight. Now they have gotten to the big holes in the ground. They are putting straight trees in the holes. The trees do not have limbs or leaves! Oh, I see more of the stuff goes along the naked trees. I’ve seen that stuff before. Usually there are other animals in fields behind it.

 

    It’s time for dinner. My best meal of the day. I get puppy chow mixed with soft canned puppy chow. Then comes the best part. When Bob and Lain are done, I get to lick their plates. Oh, doggie delight. The taste of people food!

 

    After dinner we go back out into the yard. Bob went first. He closed my puppy door so that I could not follow him. (I don’t like it when he does that.) Now Lain says it is time for us to go out. Wow, you should see what all of the work has accomplished. I have a BIG YARD! I can get over to where the deer like to sleep! I can get to where the squirrel plays! I can get to where the cat thinks it is SAFE. I can really guard this place now. No more cats allowed. No more rose eating deer either. Lain keeps telling me the squirrel is okay, but I’m not sure. I have found more snake holes. They still smell bad. I think I’ll just leave them alone. I have a lot of ground to cover. I’ll get back to you soon. Right now sniffing needs done.

 

I’ve got sniffing to do. Talk to you later,
Emma Basset