Damn Dogs

I gave up many years ago on keeping pets, essentially because they are pains in the ass. In the case of dogs they dug in the garden, bothered the neighbors, or chased the sheep I used to keep. In the case of cats they tend to scratch things, like the woodwork. Additionally, having either requires that provisions be made for their care if one goes away for more than a day or two.

Even when I had pets, and for many years I had a very nice, well mannered, obedient dog I adopted from the Portland, Oregon pound, I did not allow them,or their passengers and detritus in the house.

So here I am living in an apartment in Merida and I’m having to live with dogs. Yes, that’s right, dogs. My neighbor has acquired another Miniature Pinscher, a female puppy named Yucca. Don’t get me wrong, both Dusty and Yucca are very sweet dogs. None-the-less, they are pains in the ass.

Yesterday upon my return from my language class I found Yucca crying, trapped inside my garden fence, where Dusty had taken her; and where they both had spent time cavorting through my garlic and onions, breaking the tops from perhaps 80 % of the plants. Dusty also spent a bit of time digging up the small lettuce plants and the carrots seeds, for the second time in two weeks.

I accepted that the tomato plants contracted Tomato Mosaic Virus and ordered resistant seeds. I accepted that the Cantaloupe contracted Downey Mildew and ordered resistant seeds. I have accepted that the Iguanas don’t mind the garlic and hot pepper infusion I sprayed on the cantaloupe and watermelon plant leaves and relocated my plantings. Determining that the garlic, hot pepper infusion did not dissuade the Iguana, I planted watermelon, cantaloupe, and cucumber seeds in an existing garden bed closer to my apartment. Not more than five minutes after I had planted the seeds and returned to my apartment, Dusty dug up the seeds and laid down in the cool, wet soil in which I had planted the watermelon seeds.

I can accept the challenges to gardening posed by natural factors, such as disease and wildlife. I cannot, however, accept the challenges posed by pets, whose presence here is a choice, and not one of mine.

So my opinion that pets are a pain in the ass, and not worth keeping, has been reinforced. I have basically given up on trying to garden here. I will wait until I am living elsewhere and free of damn dogs, not to mention their inconsiderate owner, to resume gardening. Hopefully it will be soon.