Here at our new homestead we are trying our best to adapt to our new surroundings.  No one has had a more difficult time than Rascal, our 8 year old beagle.

Since moving the poor boy has had anxiety issues that take after my own in large crowds.

After the spring thaw he seems to have found his stride and determined that this is home. 

He makes his daily perimeter checks for the entire property.  Then makes them again, chases a squirrel, says hello to the cat and perimeter checks again.  He never stops moving! 

Once in the house he eats his food and promptly falls fast asleep.  He has quite the set up.

Last week Tractor Man and Tag Along threw a big wrench in his daily life.

While out doing some garden work Rascal found something.  Much to our shock it was a burrow of baby rabbits. 

Our boys are huge Peter Rabbit fans so this was horrible in their eyes.  Trying to explain that this what what Rascal is made to do, ie keep critters out of the yard and garden, just was not going to reach them.

Trying to make a hunting dog understand not to hunt in front of the boys wasn’t going to get is anywhere either.

So, like any good mom, I ran over and stopped the dog.  After we put him in his kennel, we shooed the baby bunnies back to their burrow. 

Peter hiding under the tree branch. Can you see him?

How about now? Good hiding right!

This was late in the day so my hope was that overnight they would venture else where and the problem would be solved.

Two days later I see Tractor Man through the front yard window as he tricks the dog to chase something he threw so he can grab the baby bunny Rascal had found AGAIN. 

Tractor Man grabs up the bunny holds it high above his four year old head and comes running as fast as he can in his rubber boots up the driveway. It was a sight to see.

“I saved Peter Rabbit.” he stated proudly. What a little man.

Not wanting to break his heart we put it in a cage, but everyone who knows rabbits knows once they are wild they always will be. 

It took me five days to convince the boys Peter Rabbit needed to go back to his family.  What a sad day it was to release that cute little critter.

Taking Peter Rabbit to be released.

The boys tried to follow him back to his home but he was just to fast.

Now I just hope that all of the tasty veggies we gave him does not encourage him to come back to my garden…

Happy homesteading everyone.