We spotted a groundhog in the back yard.
Keeping an eye on her flock.
A family with five adolescents… and more individuals in the front yard. So cute!
Maya smells the groundhogs. They hide in tunnels behind the rocks of the retaining walls.
She watches and waits for them constantly.
She wants to chase them, but we keep our dog close by.
The instinct is too strong… Prey drive. By the time we leave, the groundhog families have lost two of their younger members. RIP!
But, doesn’t Maya look sweet when not hunting prey?
This is my contribution for Wordless Wednesday. Happy hump day!
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July 8, 2020 at 13:44
Cute but pesky critters.
July 9, 2020 at 09:56
Cute and pesky. That certainly is a good description for groundhogs! If we would have them destroying our garden (we were just visitors here), we probably would call them more pesky than cute. 🙂
July 8, 2020 at 13:45
Zo mooi, zowel de bosmarmotten als Maya.
July 9, 2020 at 09:58
Aha, ik had geen idee dat “groundhogs” bosmarmotten zijn in het Nederlands. Bedankt! Altijd leuk om iets nieuws te leren en Nederlands te lezen . 🙂
July 8, 2020 at 15:49
Oh dear. But you’re right, Maya is only following her well-honed instincts. We recently visited my brother in Maryland who owns a nice piece of property connected to woods. I LOVE my brother’s dog, Oliver, a golden/lab mix who is the sweetest dog on Earth (besides, Maya, of course). But every once in a while, Oliver chases and catches a marauding groundhog. My brother finds the groundhog floating in his pool, deceased. Oliver looks proud. ;-(
July 9, 2020 at 10:07
Ooh, Oliver! I believe he is the second sweetest dog on this earth, despite his prey drive. I can just imagine the proud look on his face, when pointing out the floating groundhog. Maya did something similar with the last one she caught (she breaks its neck immediately, no blood and no suffering): proudly holding the dead animal in her mouth and showing it to Mark. Then, she was reprimanded with a stern voice that echoed throughout the valley…
My brother-in-law had a lab mix called Oliver as well. Unfortunately, he passed away from cancer at only five years old. 🙁
July 9, 2020 at 14:48
My bro-in-dog is 12 looking around 8. Hope he’ll be around for at least 4 more years!! xo
July 10, 2020 at 14:12
That would be awesome, Pam. These years, having your dog top 12, let alone 16 is truly fantastic!!
July 8, 2020 at 16:07
They are so cute. They almost look like Yellow Bellied Marmots – which I am currently in love with.
Maya is always adorable!
July 9, 2020 at 10:08
I just saw one of those Yellow Bellied Marmots on your blog. Yes, they look alike. I guess it was cute vs cute in this blog post! 🙂
July 8, 2020 at 16:17
Yes, Maya does look sweet! Oh man, I’d be writing away if I had that porch view!
July 9, 2020 at 10:09
You are a real writer, Jill! I was sanding and staining away with that porch view. Oh, once I read in our hammock as well. Writing? I need a decent desk and chair, no distractions, and definitely no glare. 🙂
July 8, 2020 at 16:48
So cute! I guess you have to get used to a few dead bodies with pets. Our cats used to bring in all sorts of rodents, and some poor baby rabbits too.
July 9, 2020 at 10:20
Hi Anabel! With cats, I wouldn’t think twice about the dead bodies. As a kid growing up with plenty of felines, seeing them drop off a dead mouse or bird was a normal occurrence. With dogs I feel this is somewhat different. Not sure why, as dogs are used for hunting, and stories about dogs chasing – and killing – wildlife are plentiful. I guess both of us never had dogs in the past that were “killers” or that possessed a strong prey drive. Luckily, most animals (like deer and squirrels) are too fast for Maya!
July 9, 2020 at 11:22
Thank goodness! Squirrels might be easier, but dealing with a deer carcass would be quite the challenge 😉😀.
July 10, 2020 at 13:59
🙂
July 8, 2020 at 17:21
A picture is worth a thousand words! Maya is adorable. Can’t blame her for her prey drive.
July 9, 2020 at 10:22
Hi Sherry! Yes, some pictures sure are. Why do I feel that beautiful beings (dogs or people) get away with so much more? Haha. You are right we can’t blame animals for their instincts. Thank you for swinging by and leaving a comment!
July 8, 2020 at 17:48
Yes she does! My Labrador caught a bird once–to our shock! It was the first time in twelve years!
July 9, 2020 at 10:26
Wow, Jacqui, that’s interesting… The first bird in twelve years?? Either, she never managed to catch up with one before and this time her old age beat the bird’s old age, or she is changing some of her behavior as she ages. Even in Maya – though we only have her for a year – I have noticed that she can be “all over the place” and I can’t count on what she’d do in any given moment or situation. For an animal that likes routine, her personality allows for new directions! I’ve also heard from other dog owners that their senior dog did this or that for the first time. Are they telling us something or is this change in behavior just what it is? We will never know. I so wish our dogs could talk. 🙂
July 8, 2020 at 23:40
How cute! I didn’t think I’d ever seen a groundhog in the wild; but a quick internet search just informed me that I have. I didn’t realize that groundhogs, marmots, and woodchucks are all different names for the same critter. I hope they stay away from our place – they’re just a little too fond of garden veggies!
July 9, 2020 at 10:36
You and research, Diane! Such a curious and investigative (monkey) mind you have. 🙂 You must possess a wealth of information. I knew woodchucks and groundhogs were the same animal, but had no idea they are also marmots! True, you don’t want them in your garden or yard. When we mentioned to some locals that Maya had killed a couple of groundhogs on the property, they wanted to borrow or encourage her to exterminate more!!
July 9, 2020 at 07:14
The hunter instinct is so deeply ingrained! Poor Maya.
I too think groundhogs are adorable. We had one living under our pool deck for a long time. There was nothing we could do to discourage her from staying. She would taunt us by sunbathing on the pool deck 🙂
July 9, 2020 at 10:38
Oh, Joanne, what an adorable and funny groundhog story! I think if it’s just one, it’s like a pet and it probably doesn’t cause too much damage. When they multiply and dig tunnels everywhere, I guess that can become an issue. Did you give your sunbathing groundhog a name?
July 13, 2020 at 07:29
Never even occurred to me to give her a name! We discovered ‘he’ was a ‘her’ when one day she was accompanied by 3 little ones. Cuteness overload!!
July 13, 2020 at 10:01
Haha! Good you don’t name him, as she wouldn’t have appreciated that name! Cute indeed, as long as they didn’t keep multiplying!
July 9, 2020 at 07:35
Here’s another thought, Liesbet. Maybe Maya is guarding you and Mark from the groundhogs? Toby and Austin do the same with us by guarding us from the grey squirrels who frequently raid our garden for homegrown blueberries, strawberries, and vegetables. Fortunately, they’ve never caught one. The squirrels are too smart to get caught.
Such lovely views from that porch.
July 9, 2020 at 10:41
It sounds like the squirrels in the UK are as smart (or fast) as in the US, Hugh! Maya has not been able to catch up with one yet. And, what an interesting perspective about the dogs trying to protect us. There might be merit to that, as Maya was always proud to show us what good of a job she did by killing them. In general, she is not a guard dog, though. She never barks or growls at strangers or disruptions. I’m curious about that with Toby and Austin. Do they bark when the doorbell rings or when strangers approach?
July 10, 2020 at 05:39
Oh, yes. When the doorbell goes off, both Toby and Austin will go running towards the front door while barking. However, when the door is open it’s all wagging tails and signs of joy.
Austin is a rescue dog, and nervous of strangers when we are out and about. We believe the last family he was with did not treat him nicely, so he’s nervous of anyone he’s not met before when outside.
July 10, 2020 at 14:20
I’m so sorry to read about Austin and his not so glorious past, Hugh. Lots of rescue dogs have been through a lot, just like our Maya. I’m glad Austin (and Toby) found such a loving and lovely home for the rest of their lives. Seeing our dogs wag their tales and be happy causes so much joy, doesn’t it? <3
July 11, 2020 at 05:50
Yes, it does, Lisbet. And they give us so much joy and love. Now, I can’t imagine life without having a dog as part of the household.
July 11, 2020 at 11:20
Understood! If we were to live in a house “permanently”, we would always have dogs as well. Being on the road (and the water in the past), having dogs is a tad more challenging. Still worth it, but taking a break in between has worked well for us. 🙂
July 9, 2020 at 12:12
Aw, that’s really too bad about Maya. Groundhogs are so cute. Those poor babies. 🙁
July 10, 2020 at 14:11
You and I find them cute. People whose gardens they destroy think they’re a pest. Maya doesn’t care. She outsmarts and outruns them, when we lose sight of her for ten seconds.
July 9, 2020 at 19:54
Great photos of this groundhog, Liesbet! And the babies. Darn on the RIP. Mother Nature at work. My daughter often adopts some of the still alive ‘prey’ brought in by her cats. It makes me shiver. Maya does look sweet, and innocent.🙂
July 10, 2020 at 14:16
Oh, Maya looks like Miss Innocent herself, Erica. 🙂 And, how can you stay mad at a dog (that had to survive on the streets in her past) following her instincts. Well, we were mad initially, trying to prevent future mortalities…
You know, one of my worst nightmares is finding animals along the side of the road, or Maya’s mouth, that aren’t quite dead and suffering. That would break my heart more than anything. I hope your daughter manages to nurse most of her cat’s deliveries back to health! A very nice thing to do.
July 9, 2020 at 23:00
Hi, Liesbet – When I read your title, I was hoping that the following photos were going to be of Maya. I’m so glad that they were. Gorgeous!
July 10, 2020 at 14:17
Maya is a hit, Donna! 🙂 I initially was going to title this post “Maya on the Hunt”, but thought the current title would evoke more mystery. Are you missing the presence of a dog?
July 10, 2020 at 19:22
Ah, the cycle of nature! My dogs are always hyper-vigilant around rodents, especially the many squirrels that live in our trees! Maya looks ready to chase!
July 11, 2020 at 11:19
Did Aero or Brody ever catch a squirrel yet, Terri? Maya can be super fast, but hasn’t succeeded yet and probably will never be able to do so. It appears like the groundhogs were “easy prey” as they don’t run very fast. We are training Maya to “ignore” wildlife (and super playful dogs) to avoid disasters in the future…
July 11, 2020 at 14:39
Aero caught a mouse once! Suburbia has problems with rats and other rodents and sadly people put out poison that kills them. Secondary poisoning can occur when dogs bite into a dying rat or squirrel, same with birds of prey. We had a close call with Brodie last week. They had cornered a large rat that clearly was dying. Brodie kept “biting” it and tossing it into the air. Suddenly, Brodie threw up his food and I immediately grabbed the rat and put it in a plastic bag to suffocate it and put it out of its misery. Later I looked to see if the rat’s skin had been broken by Brodie’s teeth and it was all clear. I was close to calling the emergency vet (happened at 7am on a Saturday of course), but Brodie seemed fine within the hour. Very scary, so be warned. Glad you are teaching Maya to ignore wildlife!
July 11, 2020 at 10:14
Thank you for the wonderful pics. I have a dachshund who constantly has to be touching me. Keeps me just uncomfortable enough to stay typing. Ha. Thank you for co-hosting this month. Happy IWSG!
July 11, 2020 at 11:23
Oh Adrienne, your dachshund sounds really sweet and lovey! Cuddling dogs is one of my favorite pastimes, but our Maya can be quite independent – she loves to be around us and distribute kisses, but is not into cuddling too much. She never walks up to me for pets, for example. Thanks for the comment and have a great weekend!
July 11, 2020 at 15:53
She does look sweet and oh so very innocent. We just had to intercept Esco from almost killing a neighbor’s chicken. That would NOT have been good. As you say, the instinct is very strong haha.
Peta
July 12, 2020 at 12:21
Oh no, Peta. I’m so glad you managed to intercept Esco right in time. Maya also shows curiosity in chickens (her previous adopters mentioned her killing some in the report they left), but luckily, she’s only able to sniff them from the other side of the fence so far. 🙂
When I grew up, we had a dog that once got into a chicken coop and returned with one she killed. Dogs will be dogs, I guess.
July 12, 2020 at 11:47
What is a dog to do after all? It sounds like with those kinds of numbers a little of nature at work will keep the population under control.
July 12, 2020 at 12:59
I like your outlook on the balance of nature in this comment, Sue. Many people see groundhogs as a pest. I do believe in the rule of nature and wasn’t as mad at Maya as Mark was, but at the same time, we are training her to keep innocent casualties like these under control. 🙂
July 13, 2020 at 19:16
Lol, those were a lot of words for a Wordless Wednesday. So cute! <3
July 15, 2020 at 09:57
I figure photo captions don’t count. 🙂
Funny you mention this, Debby, as I’d written and created a completely different post (the one about Scientology) for this Wordless Wednesday. But, I got carried away, feeling that I had to explain a few things about this cult, and before I knew it, there was nothing “wordless” about that post anymore. So, I turned that one into a Six Word Saturday post as my title had exactly six words. 🙂
July 16, 2020 at 08:21
I totally get that the subject deserved a bit of explanation 🙂
July 16, 2020 at 14:07
Until recently, I had heard of the term Scientology and picked up a few things through documentaries, but getting face-to-face with it opened our eyes even more! I have one of L.Ron’s Sci-fi books here, but am pretty sure I won’t like it, While I’m curious, on principle, I shouldn’t even touch it. Or, put it into a little free library as I don’t want to encourage anyone else to follow the Scientology path!
July 17, 2020 at 09:15
I don’t blame you. I felt the same way about a Ouija board I had as a child and felt compelled to throw it away lol 🙂 x
July 18, 2020 at 12:00
Well done! I do enjoy getting rid of things – whether it’s food in my belly or material goods piling up. It always feels liberating and uncluttered. Yet, I enjoy filling the fridge again and shopping for food just as much. 🙂
August 13, 2020 at 13:12
While reading this post, I looked at the photos with curiosity as I haven’t seen a groundhog before (but, of course, am familiar with the story of the groundhog seeing it’s shadow and bringing six weeks more of winter). The groundhogs in your photos looked a lot like the marmots I’ve encountered hiking in the mountains. So I was interested to read Diane’s comment that “groundhog” and “woodchuck” are other names for marmots. So I guess I have seen groundhogs — but I knew them as marmots.
Jude
August 13, 2020 at 15:43
To be honest, Jude, I had no idea that groundhogs and woodchucks are the same. And, apparently, they are a species of the marmot family. I think in most parts of the world, they are all called marmots, even in Belgium: marmotten! 🙂
August 13, 2020 at 15:47
By the way, this comment of yours was the 13,000th comment on my blog. 🙂
August 22, 2020 at 13:24
Wow, a milestone comment! I feel lucky.
Jude
August 23, 2020 at 11:16
🙂 Let’s see you can do it twice in a row… 929 more comments to go before we reach the next milestone, haha.