This Morning in Dogs

[summer_jackel]

1. The housefoxes' newest toy is this stuffed bone with a rope through it, knotted on either side. This morning, I found the thing on the deck with the knots untied. Any normal dog would use this toy to tug or chew on. My dog? Likes to figure out how to untie knots.

2. I planted stinging nettles a few weeks ago for a number of reasons: nettle greens, attractive native plant, a certain perverse amusement in deliberately nurturing vegetation that bites, (strange and unusual!) and the hope that they might be useful in training dogs and cats...of which you may have noted I host several...to stay out of the planters.

While brusing my teeth, I look out the window and notice Jezzie sniffing the nettles. I wince as she licks them and pulls back with a funny expression on her face, but assume with some satisfaction that they worked. At least until she starts licking and nosing at them again.

At that point I call her off and just assume what I already knew, namely, that my pets are all just weird.

Comments

[skorzy.livejournal.com]

Don't stinging nettles leave microscopic needles in your skin? Wouldn't this be problematic to a pet that has these in their nose? I have no idea if these needles can be removed by simply rubbing the area.

I have experienced nettle stings before as a child, and I don't recall enjoying it. :)

[kynekh-amagire.livejournal.com]

There's an Aesop's fable I read as a young kid that concerns nettles: the story is that if you brush against a nettle, you get stung, but if you grab it as hard as you can, you don't. "Whatever you do, do with all your might" is the lesson there, but the first time I encountered a stinging nettle, I wanted to see if it was actually true.

Either it was the wrong kind of nettle, or Aesop was being metaphorical and/or full of bollocks. Owie ow.

[summer-jackel.livejournal.com]

Ow! /laughs/ that's a great story, and very "you." :D

[summer-jackel.livejournal.com]

According to Wikipedia, they have stinging hairs, which apparently deliver an acid cocktail which irritates the skin. In my experience, which I did not enjoy, I was rashy for awhile, and rubbing certainly didn't help. It wasn't too bad, though; I knew a girl who actually took scars from nettles.

Jezzie's nose seems fine, but, well, she's a wolf. Dogs are tougher in so many ways. It cracks me up to see Coba chewing on poison oak, which seems like his favorite plant to chew on.