ZEKE AND THE PATIO POND

A few weeks ago I dug a hole next to the patio and eventually ended up with a cool little pond complete with plants and fish. It turned out great and I was well pleased with the whole thing. Montgomery and Brogie liked it but Zeke REALLY liked it. He sat on the patio and watched every move that I made............it took me three afternoons and Zeke was there every minute. When I started putting the water in he seemed to get a little anxious but that passed and we all enjoyed the little pond and loved the sound of the water. All was well for a few days and then I started putting water plants in and around the pond and of course ..........some koi and a few fancy goldfish.

Zeke was mildly curious about the fish.............but the plants were what he got excited about. His first order of business was to attempt to pee on each and every one. It was a little tricky hiking a leg up on the edge of the pond and aiming out.............thought he was going to fall in on two attempts but he kept it together until the job was done. Having marked HIS pond and plants he laid down on the patio to relax.............and then he spotted it..............a floating plant that was slowly meandering in his pond. It must have looked menacing to him with it's long stems and random movements because he jumped up and started growling............yes, Mr. Scared of His Own Shadow Zeke, was growling. Montgomery ran to his side and started barking and that got Brogie on the scene as well. Brogie helped with the barking but neither one of them could figure out what they were all excited about ............so they went back inside leaving Zeke to defend the pond alone. And defend it he did.............he jumped up and down, he growled, he went all around the edge and barked and he kept looking at me.

So I took the plant out and put it on the patio...........Zeke backed up as fast as he could, I like to call it moonwalking but in this case it would be moontrotting, and he growled some more. I knew he had to work this out for himself so I just watched..........it took him 10 minutes but he finally got close enough to sniff and touch................and YES, pee on it. Now the little plant floats around the pond unnoticed ...........but there is no question who it belongs to.