Who needs a cat when you have a Woof?

We got home yesterday afternoon after a rough week away. We were both looking forward to an early night in our own bed and in our own home. We started unloading the truck; let the dogs in the house. Woof was bouncing around a little more kooky than normal, we ignored him anyways “it’s Woof”. After unloading and getting everything put away we couldn’t find him, the first thought that crossed my mind was he’d slipped out the door but no he was right beside me monitoring my cookie eating abilities as my husband shut the door. It’s not a big house; it’s quite cozy so he couldn’t be far. We find him in the bathroom staring at the floor vent intently.

Oh great, do we have some squatter living in the vent? Is it Chucky? Some gruesome evil creature ready to eat my brains? Can you tell I’ve watched a few too many Halloween horror movies lately? I try to drag him away but no way will he go, he was going bug eyed at the vent and it was really weird but again we wrote it off as “it’s Woof”. Then Boone started acting funny at the wall vent in the porch. I looked down to see him and was surprised as he never goes into the porch unless we’re there. He too is staring at the vent and pawing at it. By now we notice a weird smell wafting through the house, like a dirty hamster cage type smell. Then we hear Woof, digging and doing his high pitched shriek of excitement when he sees something that he wants but can’t reach. Holy smokes what is in that vent!?

I call Boone upstairs, my husband brushes off the smell to not having lit the wood stove in a week and we continue to ignore Woof. Woof ends up in the porch and after a loud bang husband goes to see what his problem is. He’s got the wall vent half pulled off and is fully intent on getting the rest of it off and getting in the vent. Husband grabs his axe figuring if there is something in there he’ll be ready, removes the rest of the vent cover and before he can stop him Woof is up to his shoulders in the vent and comes out shaking a rat! It clearly hadn’t been dead long, either the heat in the vent got to it or Woof did when he grabbed it. What a way to go either way, but good boy Woofy! The house smelt like a dirty hamster cage for the rest of the night and Woof spent it going from vent to vent in the house making sure the house was clear. He’s really building his reputation as a rodent hunter that’s for sure. Guess we’ll be paying more attention to him from now on, our bad.