I was in the backyard taking photos of springtime. Ray was poking around the Grape Hyacinths which were positively ABUZZ with bees.
All of a sudden, Ray leapt backwards, his mouth open, his head shaking. He was gagging. Alarmed that perhaps he'd been stung inside his mouth, I ran to him. By the time I got to his side, the gagging fit was over. I looked inside his mouth but didn't see anything.
Ray was anxious to get back to whatever he was doing so I turned him loose but stayed close by to make sure he wasn't bothering the bees again. Ray cautiously returned to the border of flowers. Neck outstretched, ears deployed in ultra Dumbo mode, he semi-circled the area. I looked for bumblebees but didn't see any. I looked for smaller bees but didn't really see anything that could cause such curiosity in the blind dog. I watched as, again and again, Ray approached the area and pulled back. In alarm? In disgust? I couldn't tell until he pulled back and gagged. And then gagged again.
It was disgust.
Ray had found a snake.
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Bleargh....
ReplyDeleteIs that the British way to say "blech?"
DeleteI find it highly amusing that even with your working eyes you did not see the snake for a while and yet Ray picked up on it right away! It wasn't poisonous, was it?
ReplyDeleteIn my defense, it was a baby snake. And you know the problem with baby snakes? There's a bigger snake out there somewhere that we haven't come across yet. And probably more baby snakes.
DeleteI'm pretty sure it was a garter snake. But it was pretty well curled up in the grass and I didn't get a great look at it. Maybe if I'd had Ray's sniffer I would have acquitted myself better.
:-) I wanted to write what that dog 'says' on dog wants a kitty when the snake word was said, that was as close as I could get !
ReplyDeleteOh is THAT what that was.
DeleteI keep thinking that by some means Ray really can see. Maybe his eyes dont work, but seems like something does. Yes, he has blind dog bionic ears, but he is just so convincing that he is sighted!! Too funny. (my sighted little dog walked right into a neighbors pool the other night...she "never saw it"! good thing he has a cage all around the pool!!)
ReplyDeleteBetter get that dog's eyes checked. Maybe she's far sighted. Glasses might be in order. ; )
DeleteI could post a video of Ray bonking into things but truthfully, it is painful to watch.
DeleteAbout 22s in :0)
ReplyDeletehttp://bit.ly/11t034W
Oh poor Ray! That kind of reaction (without the hound dog howl of course) is what I am used to from the blind trio. Once you know they are okay, it is kinda funny to watch.
ReplyDeleteYour comment to Anne in FL is so true. Even now that Hiker has had her eyes removed, there are still times when people ask if she can see because she gets around so well. Then - bonk! She proves she can't see!
Jean I haven't read the blog for awhile.. what a great to begin!! Full disclosure: I love snakes!! I keep hoping I'll find one in our backyard. Basically there is one "bad" snake in NOVA: copperheads and they live near water. Jean, you are welcome to bring any others to my yard! I know, I weird :)
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