Monday, May 21, 2012

Snakes!!

Fear. Every creature possesses it. People have fear. So do dogs. It can be of minuscule, eight-legged spiders. Or seemingly harmless loud noises. Seemingly harmless to us, but not canines!! That is what my local dog newsletter calls "Noise Phobia". Many canines suffer from this common physiological and pathological fear. Rose does. She is afraid of several things, in fact. Fireworks. Cords. Thunder and lightning. The smell of smoke. Hailstorms. The list goes on. Last week, while hiking, I learned of something else that Rose is terrified of: garden snakes!! Yep!! Garden snakes!! During a hike, we were trekking along this lengthy boardwalk. Beneath it is shallow green-colored marshy water. We have witnessed tadpoles, beautiful birds, insects and frogs along this boardwalk. Last week, there was an occasional garden snake!! I have always loved this reptile, and marveled at them!! Their slender scaly bodies. Split tongues. Pretty designs. My fingers have even touched a snake's rough body!! For this reptile, I have zero fear!! But, apparently, Rose does!! This was news to me!! We were hiking along, just Rose and I, everybody else far ahead of us. When this slender garden snake slithered gracefully through a crack on the boardwalk, like someone's lips sucking up red-orange colored tomato sauce-covered spaghetti noodles. "He" peered "his" tiny head out to greet us, then dove back under. I froze. I was in awe, completely mesmerized by this creature!! Our garden snake reemerged, his head and tail slithering through the boardwalk's crack. So smooth, in an almost crafty sort of way!! His mouth opened, and a split tongue poked out. Rose's ears perked, her forehead furrowed. She, too, was watching our garden snake!! Then, as he maneuvered his way through that boardwalk the second time, Rose took, literally, three steps back, like some spooked horse!! I smiled at my little girl. She is terrified of snakes!! I thought. I then spoke to everybody though my walkie-talkie, like some undercover police officer. Rose is afraid of snakes!! Those words repeated themselves within my head over and over again. "We can add snakes to the list of things Rose is terrified of!!" I announced through my walkie-talkie. Rose and Indiana Jones!! Suppose the thought process within my mongrel's mind prior to stepping back was: Snakes. Why'd it have to be snakes? ?

25 comments:

Sketching with Dogs said...

You are a lot braver than I am Raelyn :)
In a way it is a good thing that Rose was wary of the snake, it is probably instinctual in a dog incase the snake happens to be poisonous or bites.
Lynne x

Mary Lou said...

Lynne....
Thank-you for the comment!!
Yeah, I thought of that. After I turned off my computer for the night!! ;-}
I am not sure if garden snakes are poisonous aound here. I should research that!! Nontheless, if our garden snake's mouth were to have even come anywhere remotely near Rose, I would have pulled her away!! Then checked Rose for any signs of possible bite. ;-O
I may be fearless when it comes to snakes, but my protective "maternal" instict is very, very strong!! ;op

Finn said...

She's in good company, because like you said, Indiana Jones is too! And we love Harrison Ford! :)

Mary Lou said...

Lynne....
(Sorry about the above typos and misspellings!! I do not know how to delete my replies back!!) ;-}
Thank-you for the comment!!
Yeah, I thought of that. After I turned off my computer for the night!! ;-}
I am not sure if garden snakes are poisonous around here. I should research that!! Nonetheless, if our garden snake's mouth were to have even come anywhere remotely near Rose, I would have pulled her away!! Then checked Rose for any signs of possible bite. ;-O
I may be fearless when it comes to snakes, but my protective "maternal" instinct is very, very strong!! ;op

Mary Lou said...

Finn....
Thank-you for the comment!!
Yeah, gotta love Harrison Ford!! ;op

Suka said...

It's O.K. Rosie, Suka also jumps back when a snake makes a move. I suppose it is a good instinctive reaction to snakes, just in case it turns out to be a poisonous one.

Sounds like you had a lovely hike!

K

lifewithmydogs said...

Ewwww, I am terrified of snakes! But I guess that's probably because there's the type that will either kill you or eat your pets where I am...
I think Rose's phobias are similar to Jock's. Jock hates storms and snakes, too. But Lucy tries to go for the snakes! Dusty hasn't encountered one yet, so I'll just have to wait and see...
I think it's normal for dogs to be scared of snakes!

Stacey said...

aw, poor little Rose! Snakes are scary! We don't have them over here (not where I am anyway) but I bet my girls will be the same too!

Mary Lou said...

K....
Thank-you for the comment!!
You called my dog "Rosie"!! Sweet.... That is sort of her "pet" name around here!! ;-D
Suka is terrified of snakes, too?! Interesting.... Just when you think your dog is the only one.... ;-}
I am not sure if garden snakes are poisonous around here. I should research that!! Nonetheless, if our garden snake's mouth were to have even come anywhere remotely near Rose, I would have pulled her away!! Then checked Rose for any signs of possible bite. ;-O
I may be fearless when it comes to snakes, but my protective "maternal" instinct is very, very strong!! ;op

Mary Lou said...

lifewithmydogs....
Thank-you for the comment!!
Those do not sound like very "nice" snakes!! Oh my.... :-(
Jock is terrified of snakes, too?! Interesting.... Just when you think your canine is the only one.... ;-}
"It's normal for dogs to be scared of snakes!".... Okay. Perhaps because some snakes can prove poisonous?

Mary Lou said...

Stacey....
Thank-you for the comment!!
Yes, chances are if Jess and Molly encountered any snakes, they, too, would be terrified of them.... ;op

Lorenza said...

My mom is with Rose!
She'd be terrified too!
Kisses and hugs
Lorenza

Mary Lou said...

Lorenza....
Thanks for the comment!!
But would you be terrified, Lorenza? Most likely!! ;op

KSO said...

Snakes are definitely scary! Betty is scared of a lot of things...most things actually

Mary Lou said...

KSO....
Thank-you for the comment!!
Oooh, Betty sounds like Rose!! ;op

Remington said...

I think staying away from snakes is a good idea....

3 doxies said...

Hey ya'll!
In my mum's opinion...her says it might be a good thing dat Rose be afraid of snakes, it might save her life. Around hers we has poisonous snakes and some dat ain't. They come in our yard. Brudder has been da only one to find them but he ain't skeered of them but he not mess withs them eithers.
Rose reminds me SOOOOO much of my sissy, her be afraid of much. Her is even afraid of da kitchen faucet and toilet flushin'.

Puddles

Mary Lou said...

Remington....
Thank-you for the comment!!
Yeah. Staying away from snakes is probably a good idea!! Because you never know.... Perhaps I can learn a thing or two about being wary of these creatures from Rose? Although.... I am not sure if garden snakes are poisonous around here. I should research that!! Nonetheless, if our garden snake's mouth were to have even come anywhere remotely near Rose, I would have pulled her away!! Then checked Rose for any signs of possible bite. ;op

Mary Lou said...

Puddles....
Thank-you for the comment!!
Yeah. I am not sure if garden snakes are poisonous around here. I should research that!! Nonetheless, if our garden snake's mouth were to have even come anywhere remotely near Rose, I would have pulled her away!! Then checked Rose for any signs of possible bite. ;-O
"Da kitchen faucet and toilet flushin'"?! Wow.... Your sissy reminds me of Ivy, our former neighbor's miniature Dachshund that I used to walk. Anything under the sun sent her in panicked tremors!! ;op

Dachshund Nola said...

I gotta agree with Rose here! Snakes scare the heck outta me! I'm lucky Nola's not afraid of much, except garbage trucks (no idea why) and long thunder storms make her nervous (and we live in FLorida, poor baby)
Nola's Mom

Mary Lou said...

Nola's Mom....
Thank-you for the comment!! Garbage trucks?! Seriously?! Nola is afraid of garbage trucks? Well, I suppose they are very noisy.... ;op

Alison said...

Ack! I am terrified of snakes. It's probably a good thing that Rose is wary of them. Zoe would probably just try to eat it like she does with frogs.

Mary Lou said...

Alison....
Thank-you for the comment!!
Oh, I am not so sure about that!! Three Blogging Friends who commented on this post stated this: It is most likely instinctive for a dog to be terrified of snakes, in case "he" happens to be poisonous. And two noted this: Their dogs are scared of the slender-bodied reptile, as well!! Interesting.... ;op
However.... I am not sure if garden snakes are poisonous around here. I should research that!! Nonetheless, if our garden snake's mouth were to have even come anywhere remotely near Rose, I would have pulled her away!! Then checked Rose for any signs of possible bite. ;-O
Zoe tries to eat frogs?! That is funny!! ;-}

Ryker said...

Hi, I enjoyed your comments on our long overdue post. I am feeling my energy returning.
I think this is a good fear for a dog to have if you gotta pick one. Fear of fast moving water and traffic too.
The man of the house just bought one of those carbonation things so he can make his own fizzy water and cola. It makes a hissing sound and Ryker is terrified of it...oh, that will make a good blog subject, stay tuned!

Mary Lou said...

RYKER....
Thank-you for the comment!!
I was my pleasure!! I do hope that you are feeling better by the second!! ;)
Oh, I am looking forward to reading this Blog post!! ;-D
I completely agree.... Fast moving water and traffic would be good things for a dog to fear!! ;op