Chima's Epic Rodent Hunt

Chima is very much a working terrier in temperament. She's independent, not sure human are worth her time, and nothing in her life could ever be as amazing as hunting small critters. I've had terriers before who barked and made a racket when they scented the trail of a rodent but Chima doesn't bark, she screams. A scream that sounds a bit like a dog being tortured and makes neighbors wonder (aloud) if you are beating your dog.

When not actively hunting, Chima loves to patrol for critters who dare to invade her lair 

But as much as she finds me mostly useless since I can't help her catch critters, I love her enough for both of us. She makes me laugh daily and definitely gives me plenty of interesting stories. Ever since the bathroom trash cans have been locked out of Frodo's reach we've had a deficit of funny stories in this house so it's nice to have some fresh material.

A couple days ago after I came home from work I let the dogs out like I usually do. We had an hour between getting home from work and leaving for Chima's Nose Work class and I try to spend most of it as a playtime for the dogs. Chima tore down to the woodpile as per usual for a cursory check for any rodents who might have returned and that was when the screaming began. Bamboo quaked, logs flew through the air and then through the hedge shot Chima mouth wide open in the song of her people.

She launched herself through 3' tall Western sword ferns and then scrambled on her belly under our 14" tall deck. That was when an epic battle began. It lasted 50 minutes and involved a long stretch of landscaping tube. Apparently, some unlucky rodent parents had chosen a smart place to build a house - nice, dry, and dark - but you know the saying, "location, location, location." They really shouldn't have chosen Terrier Ghetto as their neighborhood.

Under the deck I could hear what sounded like Chewbacca battling a 6' long monster. Much groaning and moaning was heard with the occasional screech of anger and every once in awhile a length of tube would whip out from under the deck and back under before I could grab it.

I gave up and the other dogs and I went inside and every couple minutes I stuck my head out the sliding door to listen if the battle continued. It did.

Finally, 10 minutes before we had to leave for Nose Work class, I tricked her into poking her head out from under the deck and the look on her face was priceless. Utter joy and amazement like she was saying "OMG! YOU WON'T BELIEVE WHAT I FOUND UNDER THERE!"  In a true show of progress thanks to training, I was able to get her collar and then using copious amounts of freeze dried tripe so she wouldn't freak out about me holding onto her collar, got her in the house.

She was dirty, grass stained and stinky but, dang, she was happy and off to Nose Work we went so she could ignore me some more while she hunted, this time with me paying for the privilege. That evening my husband managed to drag the evil tube out from under the deck and he left it in the middle of the yard, planning on disposing of it over the weekend. Yesterday this led to much merriment as Chima continued to work on the tube. I got some great photos and then the tube went bye-bye before Chima injured herself in her excitement.

Chima and Salinas wait it out on either end

Remnants of the nest and a couple peanut shells - you can see she had attempted chewing  the tube open under the deck

First she tried scratching it out with her paw

Then she tried poking her nose into it

Then she tried to shove her head into while walking. Alas, the nest stayed just out of reach.