Bella is justifiably afraid of buzzing bugs. She spent her formative early weeks fending for herself in Puerto Rico where, just like any tropical paradise, they grow their bugs particularly big and bad.
I mean seriously - they have a wasp called the tarantula hawk that eats. tarantulas. for breakfast.
You think I'm kidding, surely.
But no. No I'm not.
Because apparently, paradise doesn't come without a price.
Anyway, my poor little pupster was probably taught from her mum or had it already implanted in her genes that things that buzz are bad.
And then she came here and found a yellow jacket nest that taught her WHY things that buzz are bad.
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| Photographic evidence of why Bella now fears things that buzz. |
But our dog is smart and if she has learned anything at all in her 5.5 years of life, it is that people, while often scary, can also be a source of great safety when things get a little out of hand.
And so Bella has learned that when horseflies attack, the safest place to be is between mommy or daddy's legs. On a leash or free-roaming in the yard, Bella comes running whenever a horsefly finds her and she buries her face between our knees.
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| I'm ready to go in now! |
I find this unbearably charming even though it often means the flies turn their attention to my own apparently rather savory blood supply.
Thanks for bearing with me while I go through this existential blogging crisis. I am trying to figure out where and how and what to write now that Bella's story of transgression, aggression and redemption has come to a close.
 | And thanks to Alfie, Snoopy, Luna and My Brown Newfies for bringing us the Monday Mischief Pet Blog Hop. Make sure you hop on through to the other blogs and see what trouble our various critters can get into over the weekend. |
I love Bella's expression on the second picture.
ReplyDeleteOne thought for escaping bugs--get a sailboat. Most bugs can't land in the wind. We only see an occasional dragonfly out on the lake.
But you'd just miss having Bella under foot, wouldn't you? :)
Smart Bella. Now those flies won't get you
ReplyDeleteBenny & Lily
We feel your pain! I grew up with horse and horse flies are something I still detest! I think Bella might really be on to something with her tactic there, though...
ReplyDeleteOh, poor Bella - having lived through multiple bee stings on our dogs and many years of black flies in update new york, i know that neither are much fun.
ReplyDeletePoor Bella. I don't like bugs either but I am not scared of them. Hope no one stings you!
ReplyDeleteBender didn't really care about flies until we went camping and there were swarms of horse flies. They were biting him and he quickly learned to kill them as soon as they land on him!
ReplyDeleteJeez...I don't know what's worse, the tarantula, or the giant wasp. Probably the wasp (and I guess Bella agrees!)
ReplyDeleteHope you get over your blogging crisis! But also, having nothing to say can be a good thing to be grateful for. For example, right now I wish I had "nothing" to write about on the blog...
But in all seriousness, I look forward to what you come up with it. :-)
Right. There. With you, Donna. OMG, seriously? A wasp that can beat up a tarantula. Heaven help me.
ReplyDeleteI hear what you're saying about having too much to say. And it's not like I don't have anything to say, I just need to decide what I WANT to say. Ah well, we'll work through it... First world problems and all that.
Hugs to you and the pups.
Nice job, Bender. I'm not sure I want to encourage Bella to do that though. Last time my Lab ate a bee it cost me $100 in x-rays... :\
ReplyDeleteI was just going to say, yeah, I don't think Bella would be all that up for a sailboat ride. And where she don't go, I don't go. ;)
ReplyDeleteIsn't it wonderful you're in the place you are with Bella now though, even if it has led to a blogging crisis. I'm sure you'll figure it out. Some days I feel like I'm all over the place with the blog, and that maybe I should be more focused.
ReplyDeleteMy husband wants to hide behind me when the deer flies come out. I think they are even more obnoxious than horse flies. But it's way better than living in a place where wasps eat tarantulas.