Ducky is a trip. I love this dog. I love her silly goofiness, her boundless energy – even though it makes me feel exhausted at times – her curiosity about everything under the sun, moon and stars, just everything about her. Even her occasional exasperating reactions to people and noises.
Her natural curiosity, though, tends to get her into trouble with the bumblebees that have made their nests in several holes in our backyard. (I can’t remember a summer when the bees have been so prolific in the back yard. I wish they would go back to the front yard and stay there!) I do my best to get her to stay away from those holes; but I can’t watch her 24/7. She just seems drawn to those holes at times.
Well, early yesterday evening, she got into trouble again; but I didn’t realize it. I didn’t see any bees bothering her, didn’t see her anxiously snapping the air around her, or any of the other telltale signs. But when we came inside after her post-dinner yard time, she started in with the reverse sneezing and the obsessive carpet licking, and then wanted to go back outside where she ate more grass than a goat. After she got rid of that mess, she continued the obsessive carpet licking and that’s when it dawned on me. Darn bees! I got out a Benadryl tablet, wrapped it in a piece of peanut butter-flavored pill pocket, and gave it to her. Within minutes, the reverse sneezing and the carpet licking stopped. Literally within minutes. Maybe the pill pocket soothed her throat? I don’t know. I can’t think of another logical reason. Surely the Benadryl didn’t start working THAT fast. (Note to self: next time Ducky starts the obsessive carpet licking, don’t wait. Just give her a Benadryl.)
This morning, my crazy-goofy girl was her calmer, happy self again. And again I had to steer her away from the one bees’-nest hole a few feet away from the oak tree. I brought her inside and gave her some breakfast, and when she finished it we went back outside. After running after a squirrel or two, and running the fence with her little buddy next door (a sweet little senior Shih-tzu girl), she decided to lay down in the grass and relax. Do you want to guess where she finally ended up after trying out several unsuitable spots in the shade? Yup. Right in between two of the four nest holes between the carport and the smaller utility building. Just to be on the safe side, I brought her back inside the house.
Ducky’s curiosity presents me with a conundrum. I don’t want her stung again, obviously. At the same time, I don’t want to harm the bees. The environment – all of nature – needs the bees to do what bees do (when they’re not being bothered by a crazy dog). I’ve tried training her to avoid the nest holes, but that curiosity of hers is her own worst enemy at times. I could block the nest holes, but the bees would just make new ones elsewhere in the yard. At least I know where they are right now. So for now, I’ll just make sure I have plenty of Benadryl in the house. And I’ll hope that next spring/summer, the bees will go back to making their nests out in the front yard instead.
in my heart 4ever 
Ducky, Ducky, Ducky!! What is your Mom going to do with you? 🙂
We’re just glad there were no lasting ill effects. Luke doesn’t like bugs much so I’ve never seen him go after a bee. (knock wood)
I appreciate so much that you care about the environment and will not just kill the bees like many people do. They are really all over the place here this year too, but luckily no nests in Luke’s yard.
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Ducky is incorrigible! I’m glad we’re not the only ones with so many bees; but I’m glad for Luke that there aren’t any nests in his yard.
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Poor Ducky. So sorry. Yeah the noise and movement of those ‘enticing’ things are just too compelling to dogs. Are these really bees and not some sort of wasps? Bees I’d work with, wasps, not so much if they’re burrowing in the dirt. Good luck; I hope you won’t have future encounters.
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They are bumblebees…I did some googling after the first encounter…so not concerned about wasps/hornets. Ducky’s just going to have to continue learning the hard way, I guess. The “leave it” cue isn’t working in this case, so I’ll have to find another cue word/technique.
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There are training techniques that might help. We had to pass snake avoidance when we passed our Canine Good Citizen certification. Maybe some similar exercises inside will help? Good luck, my friend. Would hate to see poor Ducky stung again.
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The old PetSmart “leave it” command is too harsh. I need to try “Doggie Zen” – a technique my friend Janet has on the CCC website. Life’s just been getting in the way. At least today – so far – Ducky’s been staying away from the nest holes. (I’ve been watching like a hawk.)
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It’s also too vague. The buzzing is way too interesting for ‘leave it’ to work.
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Oh my!! Ducky is obsessed with those bees! On the bright side…it’s almost Fall………one good frost and they are GONE!
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Unfortunately, we don’t normally get a good frost until at least Thanksgiving.
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Poor Ducky – she just can’t win at the moment. Can’t ever recall bees forming nests in holes in the ground. This is new to me, I don’t think Benji would be so bright as to keep away from them if they were here. It has to be said though, I don’t have any flowers around here that would attract bees.
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I’m glad for Benji that you don’t have bees. As for Ducky, you would think she’d learn to stay away from the nest holes, despite her curiosity.
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Oh dear, don’t mess with the bees Ducky, that could be worse if you get stung again. Just let them Bee!
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Thankfully, they’re bumble bees, not yellow jackets. (I haven’t seen any yellow jackets at all.)
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