Langlois Photo Pippin tackles his Christmas squirrel (before he pulled the stuffing out). A Treeing Walker Coonhound mix, Pippin resides with his humans, the Langlois, on their hobby farm in Graham, Wash. |
Hey, fellow farm dogs—January 21 is Squirrel Appreciation Day!
I don’t know about you, but I plan to show my local squirrels how much I appreciate them by encouraging each one to scamper up the nearest tree, where they’ll be nice and safe.
Don’t you just love it when those nutty critters scold you and twitch their fluffy tails? Makes me want to bark my brains out.
Now, as we know, our humans often seem unappreciative of our squirrel friends, whining that they take over attics, chew through electrical cords, steal birdseed and corn, blah blah blah.
I say, tell them to get over it–and show them these cool, squirrel facts:
- Over 250 species of squirrels exist worldwide (dogs, that’s a whole lot of squirrels to chase).
- They range in size from the 5-inch long African Pygmy Squirrel to the 3-foot long Indian Giant Squirrel (yikes!).
- As members of the rodent order, squirrels have four, sharp front teeth that grow throughout their lives (dogs, that means chase, don’t catch).
- Squirrels are omnivorous: dining on nuts, seeds, plants, fruit, even eggs and nestlings (but not dogs).
- Squirrels are important prey for many predatory mammals and birds (dogs, remember those nasty, pointy teeth: Chase, don’t catch).
- The Arctic Ground Squirrel is the only warm-blooded mammal known to survive below freezing body temperatures when hibernating (you’re right: BOR-ing).
- Squirrels can run 20 mph (And I can run 19 mph. Perfect!)
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