February 04, 2012
An Officer and a Gentledog
Life isn't all about chasing and eating squirrels. An officer of the Squirrel Patrol needs to be a well rounded dog, with a variety of skills and hobbies. You never know what an activity might teach you that will be useful on patrol.
Flyball is an excellent pursuit for the patrol dog. In flyball, you have two teams of four dogs that race down a line of four jumps to a spring-loaded box that will fling out a ball when the dog hits it, at which point the dog brings the ball back over the jumps to their handler. The first team that has all four dogs correctly complete the course wins. The course is 51 feet from start line to box, and the jumps are set between 7 and 14 inches high depending on the height of the smallest dog on the team. The world record for the NAFA sanctioning body is currently 15.158 seconds. Just think about that. Dogs running 51 feet, stopping to grab a ball, then running back 51 feet to their handler, and all four of them do it in series in 15.158 seconds! That takes speed, agility, focus, and reliability. All good traits for a member of the Squirrel Patrol.
Karma started her first flyball class in October of 2009, and has been a member of the Portland Tailblazers flyball team since the summer of 2010. Currently she has a Flyball Dog Champion - Silver title. Running the course in around 4.3 seconds, she's got a good solid turn of speed, though she's certainly not going to set any records.
Quasar is learning the basics of flyball, but puppy bones shouldn't be going over big jumps or smashing into boxes, so he's going to be stuck on fundamentals for some months yet. But once he's ready, NAFA region 7 better look out!
Lure Coursing is another good activity for the Squirrel Patrol officer. This one is pretty obvious. A course is set up with either 300 or 600 yards of cable strung around pulleys and pulled by a powerful motor, with a plastic bag tied to the cable as a lure. Dogs chase the bag around the course. Some dogs don't seem to understand the concept, but any dog that wants to be a member of the Squirrel Patrol will surely feel the desire to chase and kill that bag deep in the very fiber of their being. Karma certainly does, the mere sight of a lure coursing field turns her into a barkscreaming frothing furball of bag chasing fury.
Canine Nosework is the last activity we'll discuss tonight. A cotton swab scented with birch, anise, or clove seed oil is hidden somewhere, and the dog has to find it, and let the human handler know where it is, within the time limit. The utility of this for the Squirrel Patrol dog is obvious, the well practiced nose will detect and localize a squirrel much faster, and there are circumstances where it might be useful to let your owner know where a squirrel or other rodent is. Karma has passed an Odor Recognition Test for Birch, and is scheduled to test against Anise next weekend. Quasar will be taking his first classes later this month, but he's already shown talent in some introductory practice sessions around the house.
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09:40 PM
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Are You Squirrel Patrol Material?
So you think you might want to join the Squirrel Patrol. Good for you! But do you have the right stuff?
You must have the discipline to stand your guard rounds, even in inclement weather!
You must always be alert for intruders, even in the face of overwhelming distractions!
When you encounter a new and scary situation:
you must confront your fear:
and rise above it, conquering it and making it your own.
A good candidate for the Squirrel Patrol must be inquisitive, with a desire to explore new places and strange environs. Wherever a squirrel might lurk, you must be willing to go!
It is handy to have abilities that the enemy might not suspect.
And of course it never hurts to look good.
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Know Your Enemy
The wise canine needs to be knowledgeable about the enemy he faces. One should be able to quickly identify the intruders that might present themselves in your yard. This way you know the appropriate reaction, and can avoid unpleasant surprises or dangerous situations.
The Western Grey squirrel is the main native squirrel species here in Portland. Like all squirrels, they like to cluck annoyingly, flirt their tail offensively, and drop nuts on your head. They are also quite tasty.
The Eastern Grey squirrel is also present in large numbers. They are very similar to their western cousins, but a bit smaller.
The Fox squirrel is not native to Portland, but is actually the most common squirrel you're likely to run into.
The California Ground squirrel is another invasive species. Like their human brethren from California, many of them have fled North from their decaying home state and now live in Oregon.
The Northern Flying squirrel is a challenging foe. If you manage to defeat one of these, count it as a good day's work!
Townsend's Chipmunk is not very common, but you might find one in your yard. Just because it calls itself a chipmunk, do not be fooled! It's just trying confuse you, chipmunk is just a name, it's still a member of the squirrel family.
The Striped Skunk is NOT a squirrel. It may look much like our favorite furry snack, but you do not want to try it! Karma assures us from personal experience that this is one animal you do not want to interact with! Unfortunately is happens that our house is right in the middle of their prime habitat, and our city has one of the highest concentrations of these guys in several states. If you think one of these guys is in the yard, it's best to just relax on the couch and patrol another day.
The Raccoon is also not someone we want to mess with. They can be rather large, have sharp claws, and also tend to carry rabies.
Last, occasionally the Bobcat is sighted in our neighborhood. This is not the neighbor's kitty. We want to stay far away from this fellow.
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February 03, 2012
Welcome
Congratulations! You've found the blog of the Squirrel Patrol. Herein lies chronicled the never-ending battle of Canis lupus familiaris (Dog) vs. Sciurus griseus (Western Grey Squirrel). We, the Squirrel Patrol, are always here, steadfast in our duty to protect the yards of our human friends from the predation of our foes. We hope that you will enjoy our story.
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