I share Anne's dislike of snakes.

Our heeler dog, Red Dawg, got into it with a rattlesnake recently. We didn't see the snake, but it was crystal clear what happened. The red heeler's head swelled up to twice its size. I could see two neat fang marks on her nose, as she came to me apparently right after the fact, whimpering, her muzzle marked with two neat little beads of blood.

We've been through this before, with Dennis' very old and very sweet dobermans (rest their souls). So I've already freaked out over rattlesnakes biting dogs. It's fair to say that I've had some practice in this department, thank you very much. Both dobermans got snake bit, and upon discovering from the vet that dogs of their size (80 pounds) would require two doses of rattlesnake anti-venom at $300 a pop, for a grand total of $1,200, we took his good advice and gave them each a Benadryl. And it worked just fine.

So I gave Red Dawg Benadryl, and in two days, after looking like a popover from the neck up, she recovered quite nicely. I suspect it has something to do with her zaftig condition.

A dachshund or a little terrier (or the apparently very expensive Portuguese Water Dog brought over once by the parents of Cole's friends without forewarning and without a collar and leash and whom Lila Jane and Red Dawg tag teamed without mercy and the first-time dog owners from NYC got put out at me and even god himself couldn't have helped us if a friendly, dog-loving draft horse had even looked in that pedigreed prince's direction) wouldn't have fared as well.

I'm not sure Red Dawg is quite bright enough to not repeat this adventure.

I've had enough experiences with rattlers now, that I know they really don't want to bite me. But they will to protect themselves. If one's on the property, he gets shot or guillotined with the business end of a shovel, and while no one around here enjoys doing that, we can't risk having a kid get bitten.

While rattlers scare me, I am rather partial to bull snakes. In fact, my neighbor who works at the animal shelter has them come in sometimes, and she said she'll bring them to me. They are very efficient rodent controllers.

Now my crafty old heeler Matilda. She knew what to do with rattlers. I don't suspect she would have given any slack to the Portguese Water Dog either.