Sunday, June 25, 2006
The Invincible Lemon TreesThe dogs don't like trees. Or rather they love trees to death. They fertilize the trees, they sharpen their teeth on them, and they use them for tug-o-war games. Once two or three years ago, I brought home a very elegant Japanese maple tree. I was still digging a hole to plant it when I noticed the huskies were already salivating and taking bets on how long they would need to take the tree down. Someone at the pet store recommended to spread a bitter apple paste on the trunk to discourage the dogs. I tried a taste and sure enough, it was sour and disgusting. Normally I don't go for dog food (except in Korean restaurants -- just kidding. Really, don't send me any more hate mail), but this was the anti-dog food so it was OK. It worked. The dogs put their teeth on the tree but quickly recoiled. They looked again at the tree in horror. Here was a tree that fought back.
Alas it didn't work long. Five minutes later I was in the house and looked out the window. The dogs were furiously licking the tree trunk, all the while grimacing, like kids trying to swallow their broccoli just to earn their dessert. It became a battle of wills between humans and canines. The only thing that eventually stopped them was a wire fence I built around the maple, five feet tall and with sharp edges at the top to prevent the dogs from reaching at the branches or climbing over the fence.
I did a similar thing with two lemon trees I planted last fall. Same battle with the huskies that ended with the same type of fence. But then I got complaints that the trees looked ugly -- not the trees themselves, but what was the point of planting something nice and then surrounding it with unsightly barbed wire? I reasoned that a tree with barbed wire was better than no tree at all, but I knew I was only stalling. Last week I thought that the lemon trees were big enough and strong enough that I could take the fence down. at least around one tree as an experiment. The dogs watched with more than passing interest. They were already scratching the dirt to decide where they would bury the lemon loot they were about to harvest. They went on the web searching for a lemon meringue pie recipe. After the fence was removed, I retreated to the house and waited.
The huskies attacked with a vengeance. Nine months of pent-up frustration went into every bite. The lemon tree mounted a vigorous defense. It had low enough branches that the dogs couldn't get to the tree trunk. And unlike the bitter apple paste which could be licked away, it looked like the lemon branches were bitter to the core, outside and in, so the dog lick strategy no longer worked. The canines circled the tree looking for a weak spot but found none. After an hour of assault, they finally gave up and rested, after drinking down a large bowl of water to wash off the sour taste of lemon, and probably of defeat. Yesterday I triumphantly freed the second lemon tree from its enclosure, and all the dogs could give me was a bored look of resignation.
I don't know what devious schemes are still going on in the dog heads, but for now it's Lemon Trees 2 - Huskies 0, and Humans 3 - Huskies 0. Muahahaha!
- posted by Woofwoof @ 8:39 AM
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Beautiful story, and too funny. I hope they don't turn around and attack YOU instead of the trees.
# posted by 
: 25 June, 2006 14:19
: 25 June, 2006 14:19
Yay, Woof! Now if I could only do the same thing with electrical cords, lawnmowers, 2x4, tires, tanks.
"Are you going to eat that?"
My human grew up eating artichokes, and when their humans friends come to dinner, I’d invariably be asked that question. Artichokes, strange looking green things, are an extremely tasty, though perhaps unusual, vegetable.
I'm not sure about the Lemon Trees I will have to woof around .
My human grew up eating artichokes, and when their humans friends come to dinner, I’d invariably be asked that question. Artichokes, strange looking green things, are an extremely tasty, though perhaps unusual, vegetable.
I'm not sure about the Lemon Trees I will have to woof around .
Connecticut,
The people are just starting to get even with the dogs. I think they still have a 50-1 advantage.
Turbo's human,
The dogs here are sure of that. They'll eat many plants and flowers but won't touch the lemon trees.
John,
You must not have plugged the electrical cord in. I hear that dogs don't like that. Try it on your poodle first.
Sam,
I love artichokes. There is a town about 2 hours from here (Castroville) that calls itself the artichoke capital of the world. You can buy whole artichokes there, with leaves, stems, and stalk.
The people are just starting to get even with the dogs. I think they still have a 50-1 advantage.
Turbo's human,
The dogs here are sure of that. They'll eat many plants and flowers but won't touch the lemon trees.
John,
You must not have plugged the electrical cord in. I hear that dogs don't like that. Try it on your poodle first.
Sam,
I love artichokes. There is a town about 2 hours from here (Castroville) that calls itself the artichoke capital of the world. You can buy whole artichokes there, with leaves, stems, and stalk.
This is Mr Kim from the Korean Dog Friendship Association. I protest. No more soju for you.
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# posted by : 02 July, 2006 13:57
: 02 July, 2006 13:57<< Home
