12/21/24
February 15, 2022
Most NHL Teams Have a Dog: The Seattle Kraken have adopted a team dog, a four-month-old husky mix named Davy Jones. He joins the pack of 25-28 team dogs across the NHL. The Dallas Stars have a team calf named Mike Moodano.
I've seen Border Collies used to clear geese off of golf courses and airport runways as well, beaverboard. I had a Border/Lab mix that was pretty much a dead serious goofball, but that dog never slowed down a tick. Current kiddo is a Metro East Mutt (dna test says German Shepherd, Pit Bull, Chow, Lab, Rottweiler, Beagle, Staffy and about 15% unknown) who is a bit more even-keeled and generally content to lay on the couch and grumble at squirrels so long as we get a couple of decent walks in a day.
That Kraken pup is ridiculously adorable.
posted by Ufez Jones at 09:23 PM on February 15, 2022
Howard, if you have a goose problem
I have been umpiring for a long time, and I haven't been goosed yet. OK, actually very few of the fields I work are in places that attract geese. There is one field that had a resident flock -- the local bird watchers were all over it because of a rare Greater White Fronted Goose that was hanging out with the Canadian Geese-- but I haven't worked it for years. If you have Canadian Geese using a field, it can be worse than having a large pack of dogs with bowel problems.
Geese can be a real problem for aircraft in flight. The US Air A-320 that had to ditch in the Hudson River is an example. Airports use many methods to keep them away. Boston's Logan Airport often has a Snowy Owl take up residence in the winter. It seems to like the location, and just shows up some years. This is a good thing because it keeps the smaller birds away.
posted by Howard_T at 11:01 PM on February 15, 2022
Great topic. I checked out related NHL dog articles as well.
Being the human of an adopted Australian Shepherd mix, I tend to favor the herding types.
I'm always looking for new jobs for the dog to do, who likes to be on task. Among other things, we clear the geese off the local playing fields. There's usually a body of water nearby and we drive them toward that. It reduces the amount of persuasion involved. Up, over the trees, back down and splash. Oh, the honking. It sounds like Tonya Harding tearfully pleading her case to the judges.
Recently I found out that the Patriots have a full time dog assigned to goose clearance who is an integral member of the grounds crew. I think the Pats have more of a goose problem than we do.
Here's a feature. Cool pro sports team dog.
Howard, if you have a goose problem in the leagues you work with, we might consider working out of state. Just call 1-800-GET-GONE.