Tags
When a possum wandered into the backyard this weekend, I learned something about Bowdu’s prey drive.
Specifically, his prey drive doesn’t kick in if the creature doesn’t dart and just huddles in place, hissing and making ugly faces. The worst that Bowdu did to the hapless opossum was bark and “play” bow, occasionally starting forward — but he did not make physical contact.
After a while of the same expression from an otherwise motionless creature, he lost interest.
Or maybe he was confused, especially when I brought out the camera. He kept staring back at me, as if wondering why I want to take a picture of that ugly ol’ thing?
Better than cleaning up bloody possum shreds!
The House of Two Bows 雙寶之屋 
Amazing! I’m impressed with his restraint; Pyrrha would probably try to kill it, resulting in a lot of blood for both parties, I’m sure; but I think Eden would also try a play bow.
I also take this as an indication that he could keep his prey drive in check with a savvy cat that knows not to bolt! Which is sort of a relief.
I was eventually able to just get him inside with me and leave the creature alone. I doubt it would’ve been so easy in his younger, scrappier days. A raccoon fell over a different corner of the fence once when we first moved in, and THAT raised a barking, chasing furor — luckily, neither was hurt and the raccoon eventually launched himself back over the fence. Bowdu still rushes over to check that corner of the fence first thing in the morning. Except today, when he hurried to this corner where the possum was, first.
I am still so amazed by this.
Smart dog! Possums are fairly nasty, dirty critters. (Carry a lot of diseases.)
Yuck~! I have yet to see a decent looking possum. *shudders* Good boy Bowdu!
Possums are vicious creatures when they have no choice. I’m glad Bowdu didn’t go after it.
Love the fourth and fifth picture. 🙂
My last three dogs found a opossum on their potty break in yard before bed it was crazy. lol
The three went on it, but it played dead and we got them off it and got the dogs inside. We checked on it then left it. Next morning it was gone. Luckily the dogs were OK and left it when it played dead.
Saya seen opossum in trees she just stared up at it whining.
She treed juvenile raccoons, squirrels couple of times. She still checks the pear tree once in awhile to check for them.
She’ll run into the flower garden if I’m watering it in hopes of rabbits.. One time I scared a rabbit out of the flower garden when watering it. Saya had fun chasing it off and coming back all happy. She now thinks hose on garden= rabbit.
ahahaha, that is hilarious. And possums are scary looking, eeps!