Everyone with bird feeders has had experience with these devious
critters, but on the other hand ...
After many years of throwing out seed, bread and other treats for
the squirrels, they always run when I open the patio door!
Unlike other critters like groundhogs and chipmunks who "beg" at
the door, and only back up a few steps when food is thrown out,
the squirrels run for the nearest tree.

Just an observation,
Dick in MN

Unlike other critters like groundhogs and chipmunks who "beg" at
the door, and only back up a few steps when food is thrown out,
the squirrels run for the nearest tree.

The squirrels in my
father's yard would take peanuts from his hand.
There was one in our yard that used to play tag with our dog. It was
quite obvious that it was a game and that they both enjoyed it.

On Oct 20, 6:55 am, "3Putt in Coastal SC" <bo... at (no spam) theswamp.com> wrote:
"Lee" <rarrebi... at (no spam) verizon.net> wrote in message

news:kt-dnfMKEvGMvkDXnZ2dnUVZ_vWdnZ2d at (no spam) giganews.com...

On Mon, 19 Oct 2009 18:54:08 -0400, dickr2 wrote
(in article <l66Dm.26894$cL1.13... at (no spam) newsfe20.iad>):

Everyone with bird feeders has had experience with these devious
critters, but on the other hand ...
After many years of throwing out seed, bread and other treats for
the squirrels, they always run when I open the patio door!
Unlike other critters like groundhogs and chipmunks who "beg" at
the door, and only back up a few steps when food is thrown out,
the squirrels run for the nearest tree.

Just an observation,
Dick in MN

I've never met a squirrel that didn't like to jump into a golf cart.  They
know where the food is.  Up close and sometimes personal.



In golf carts they'd be after drinks, too.

"Hey duffer! Let's not bogart those brewskies!"


J. Del Col

maryann kolb wrote:

The squirrels in my
father's yard would take peanuts from his hand.
There was one in our yard that used to play tag with our dog. It was
quite obvious that it was a game and that they both enjoyed it.

The platform here is a full story above the ground below--the squirrels
commute across the two decks and the bridge between from the trees to my
right and the platform slightly to my left.

The pause on the bridge to peer into the windows to see if the dog is
watching and wait until she notices and barks.

This mornings scenario was typical.

My wife let the dog out the front door (after the meetandgreet described
above)--dog charged out the door to the north side of the house, down
the slope and started bloodhounding around under the platform, with the
squirrels peering over the edge of the platform to watch.

I don't know if the dog spotted the squirrels or not, she charged up the
stairway between the decks and ran over to the platform (which is below
her head-level when she is on the deck) where upon the squirrels dived
into the tree behind the platform and down, out of sight.

Dog charged off the bridge to the left and down to the base of the tree
(about halfway down the slope). Squirrels charge back up the tree,
across to the other deck, launch into space and take off for the trees
down-slope; dog charges down the stairs and off to the trees
sorta-kinda-in-a-way-up-slope (where she first tracked them some long
time ago). (That makes the dog crossing the path the squirrels took.)

My guess is the dog may eventually figure out that they run down-slope,
not up-slope and chase that way, at which time they will return to the
first path.

So, yeah. I think the squirrels are smarter.