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Rant: My neighborhood squirrels changed their whole routine after we got a new neighbor with a dog
For like 3 years, the squirrels in my backyard would start raiding the bird feeder at 7am sharp every single day. Then this guy Mike moved in next door last August with a black lab that sits in the window for hours. Now the squirrels wait until like 11am when he takes the dog for a walk, then they go nuts on the feeder for exactly 30 minutes before the dog comes back. I watched this unfold for a full week before I realized the pattern, and I swear they're communicating about his schedule somehow. Has anyone else noticed local wildlife adapting to a new pet's routine this fast?
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graytorres1mo ago
Nah, you're overthinking this. Dogs spook squirrels, it's that simple.
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jason_fisher41mo ago
Man, I don't know, I think there's something to it. In my experience, dogs totally change the whole dynamic of a walk, not just with squirrels but with everything. It's like they're walking around with this giant sign that says "I'm here, I'm loud, and I'm gonna chase whatever moves." Squirrels are just reacting to that, same way people do when someone blares music in a quiet neighborhood. Your mileage may vary, but I've noticed that small dogs seem to spook squirrels way more than big ones, which is funny. Take that with a grain of salt though, I've only got my own backyard to go on.
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