My Dogs Do Yard Care and Gardening

 Are you a dog lover? Then prepare to be awed.

My dogs, Ember and Tuli, do yard work. Incredible, but true. When I am weeding, planting, or harvesting, they clamor to join me so they can lend a helping hand, er, paw.

For instance, just this week* they helped me eliminate the dandelion flowers in my lawn. Ember and Tuli know that those cute, yellow flowers are megalomaniacs with visions of taking over my yard, infesting every square inch with stringy stems and white-headed poofs. Or maybe they’ve read up on the nutritional value of dandelion flowers, which (according to LiveStrong.com) are rich in beta-carotene, vitamin C, iron, and other nutrients. Or maybe they just think the flowers are tasty—those blossoms purportedly have a honey-like flavor. Regardless, my dogs’ help saved me at least twenty minutes of work this week.

Impressed? You should be. And there’s more! Take a gander at this:

Last fall I told Ember that I’d appreciate him even more if he’d actually pull the weeds for me. Evidently, he took it to heart. Yesterday as I was uprooting snapweed from my flower beds, Ember joined me. He grabbed a weed with his teeth and pulled, ripping the plant—roots and all—from the soil. He then proceeded to eat it. (Of course, you’d expect that last part if you knew Ember as I do.) Just think of the excellent service he is providing: He is not only saving me time, he’s saving me money on dog food. How lucky can I be?

Ember checking out the strawberries just before he pulled my weeds.

Tuli is not to be outdone in caring for my flower gardens. Two weeks ago he somehow sensed that Mother’s Day is just around the corner. Knowing that my family gives me a flat or two of flowers to transplant each year, he’s already prepared my flower beds by digging holes for me. I’m pretty sure I can plant a five-foot flowering shrub in at least one of those craters.

Speaking of gardens, Ember and Tuli are masters in the vegetable garden. As our family plants each spring, they closely inspect our work, making sure we’ve buried the seeds properly. As our produce grows and ripens, they sniff each item, judging the ripeness and sweetness of each fruit or veggie. Then, when it is just right, they pluck it from the vine or bush and taste it to be sure it is perfect before sharing with us. Ahhh . . . the blessing of canines who care!

Ember "trimming" the grass.

And then there is the lawn care. Most mornings during the growing season, my dogs act like bovines and graze on the tall grass along the fence line or other spots where the mower missed—thus saving my husband hours of time-consuming, back-breaking trimming.

Tuli and Ember enjoying their fine work.

Ember and Tuli love a luxuriant lawn. For them, there’s nothing better than lying on soft grass and basking in the sun. They know a key component to such grassy bliss is good fertilizer. Thus, they do their part to add nutrients to our sod. In fact, everywhere they “go,” the grass is lusher and greener.

I couldn’t ask for better pets! If you’re feeling even a tiny bit jealous, please don’t be. I’m happy to bring them for a visit so they can help you with your yard and garden.

* This piece was written May 5, 2013.