A Beautiful Day in the Yard 4-12

[Bduck]

Decided to take advantage of tilling the garden beds just before next storm arrives. Whenever I'm out in the yard our Yorkie likes to rummage around but then he always has access to the backyard whenever he wants. As I'm working garden beds, I noticed he was pouncing around at something, thinking he caught a bird since Magpies and Robins are always in the yard. Immediately I stop my chore to go see what he was raising havoc with. Found that he caught a Garter snake basking in the sun in his backyard territory. We have had this dog for 7yrs now, he keeps his yard clear of pesky critters, mice, voles, snakes, birds, occasionally large hoppers as a snack. After a while that evening I noticed the dog wasn't feeling too well as he was lethargic. Garters have venom but not poison to us or dogs when bitten. I have caught several every year in the yard always taking them to be released in a field, I won't harm them. I have had my share of snake strikes on my hands. The other thing is Garters emit an odor thru its skin which I think is what made my dog sick. This is the first time he has gotten sick.


There are a couple wet spots on this snake
from the attack of my dog, an early
B-Day gift for mama. This is an adult Garter


This pic was taken on my wife's B-Day 4-25-2018,
Our dog was just 4mos. old then.