The "Mouse" Hunter

Steve Irwin once said: "born a wildlife warrior, die a wildlife warrior." That pretty much describes me last night. I am so proud of myself! Mom and Dad were pretty proud too. They gave me a whole can of wet food (Wellness 95% salmon) all for myself while all the other doggies sat and vultured.

Yesterday, the whole family was hanging out together in the basement family room. Mom, Dad, the Little Biped, Queen Kelsey, Sky, Hennessy and myself were all together. I was snuggled up with the Little Biped watching Open Season. It's a movie about hunting (but the animals win and the hunters lose). Dad had used the DVR to tape it since we had free movie channels on the TV for the weekend. I was watching very carefully to learn about hunting. Being that I am half husky and half lab, my hunting skills are usually all confused. I don't know if I should chase live animals like a husky or bring back dead ones like a lab... I thought if I watched this movie with the Little Biped, I might be able to hone my hunting skills.

After we watched for a little while, we were sent outside for our normal business. When we came back in, I smelled something funny and heard an odd noise. I figured it was time to try out the hunting skills I had learned in the movie, and see if I could catch the animal making the noise. I went behind the couch and started sniffing around at the baseboard heater. Then the animal squeaked. Mom yelled: "A MOUSE IN THE HOUSE!!!" She grabbed the Little Biped and instructed Dad that he needed to catch it. I stayed with him to work on it. We spent several hours trying to get it. When it would come out from under the heater, it would quickly run to another heater and hide under there. A few times, it found its way into the walls. Dad had all the tools that he needed: a few mouse traps, a screwdriver to try to chase it out from under the heater, a plastic bag to catch it in, and a hammer... Several times, we would go upstairs and leave it alone in the hopes it would come out.

Dad and I had gone downstairs to try and catch it again - well, that's what I thought anyway. Dad was taking laundry out of the dryer, but I was looking. I found it and got it cornered. I started to bark to get Dad's attention and he said "Good boy, Canyon!" I had the mouse trapped. It was hiding between a wall and an open door, but I wasn't going to let it get away again. Dad closed the door with me in the office and him in the laundry room. He told me it wasn't a mouse, it was a shrew. We have problems with these things. They fall down the stairs from our yard when it rains heavily. They must be trying to escape drowning in the yard. The shrew hid under the door, but I chased it out and then Dad got the little mole-like animal. He finished it off in a fashion similar to the old carnival game (you know the one), if not.....here's a BIG hint

We went upstairs and Mom told me what a good boy I was. That's when she got the can of food out and gave the whole thing to me! It doesn't get much better than that! Victorious in my hunting and a special treat!

Puppy slurps, Canyon