Why Does My Human Freak out over Bugs?

A blog post by Clutch, the bugged Yorkie

Today, it’s my turn to ask a question. It’s something that bugs me, and I want to know the answer. Why does my human freak out over bugs?

Miss Janet will be sitting quietly, and all of a sudden, she will jump up and start hitting the wall, or the floor, or the couch cushions.

Or she will be lying in bed, seemingly asleep. Suddenly, she’s up, whipping off blankets, pounding pillows, turning on lights, shaking sheets.

She always tells me, “It was a bug.”

I’ve learned the meaning of that word through frequent repetition. A bug is any kind of insect, whether it crawls, jumps, flies, bites, stings, or just moseys along.

Often, I see the bug before Miss Janet sees it, and I wait to see when she will notice. Her reaction never varies. Miss Janet wishes all bugs would go away. Come on, we live on a farm in the woods. Bugs happen.

What’s the big deal about bugs anyway? They’re very small. One time, the bug she was freaking out about was smaller than the tip of my toenail. Bugs are more afraid of us than we should be of them, and they’re usually just passing through. Why the freak out? And why not ask me first if I was thinking that bug could be a snack?

Now, granted, some bugs are not fun to be around. They bite, they sting. I don’t like that. I’ve had my nose and foot stung before when I was innocently exploring a mound of dirt. But the pain lasts only a few seconds, and I’m off exploring the next patch of ground.

The Day of the Yellowjacket Ambush

However, I will admit there was a moment when I freaked out over bugs. But it wasn’t just an ordinary bug passing through. It was a full-on assault, a traumatic experience for any pup. It was the day of the yellowjacket ambush. I would not want to go through that again.

I was living at my puppyhood farm. Beauregard, my giant doodle brother, was maybe six months old, in other words, a teenager. Miss Janet was doing doggy daycare while the family was out for the day.

We were hanging out by the pool. I was sitting serenely, enjoying the scenery, while Beauregard was romping all over the place. He went running through the yard and then sat down in a clump of ground cover.

Next thing I knew, things went crazy. Beauregard start yelping and jumping around. And I felt a very pronounced and painful sting on my nose.

Miss Janet jumped up to see what was wrong with Beauregard because he wouldn’t stop yelping. Then she yelled and swatted at her shoulder.

When she reached Beauregard, she gasped. His back was covered with squirming yellowjackets, more than she could have counted.

She grabbed the hose and started washing them off, using a stick to knock them out of his hair.

She kept saying, “Oh my gosh, how many are there?” It seemed that no matter how many she washed off, more were surfacing.

Bug Removal

Miss Janet called our pet parents to find out if she needed to do any kind of remedy. As she talked with them, she was still washing yellowjackets off Beauregard.

They suggested she put Beauregard in the swimming pool to drown any remaining yellowjackets, so into the pool they went.

Thankfully, I was only stung that first time and didn’t have those things crawling on me. I let Miss Janet take care of Beauregard without complaint. But I was still shaking with trauma from the assault.

After Miss Janet saw that Beauregard’s hair was free of any stinging bugs, she came and got me. She checked to make sure I was okay, and then she sat at the edge of the pool steps, with me in her lap and Beauregard standing in the water, still in shock.

Our pet parents had looked up possible reactions dogs could have to yellowjacket stings and told her what to watch for. Thankfully, neither Beauregard nor I had any adverse reactions other than pain and trauma.

Miss Janet was stung twice in her shoulder. It’s a good thing she isn’t allergic to stinging bugs. She knew that, which is why she was able to focus on us.

We were all still huddled on the pool steps, traumatized but otherwise okay, when our pet parents came home. They prayed trauma off of us. Miss Janet showed them where the attack happened. There was a yellowjacket nest in a hole beneath the ground cover. Beauregard had sat right on top of it.

Being Prepared for the Bad Bugs

Miss Janet didn’t know yellowjackets could nest in holes in the ground. Our pet parents showed her how the yellowjackets were swarming over the hole. That way, she could recognize that danger in the future. They can nest in holes, trees, shrubs, tree trunks, wall cavities, wood piles, attics, almost anywhere.

Our pet parents got rid of the nest. It took a long while for me to be willing to go near the pool again. To this day, anytime a stinging bug buzzes near Beauregard, he looks quickly at his back to be sure nothing is on him.

To answer my own initial question, I guess I can understand why Miss Janet reacts to bugs and doesn’t want them around. I certainly don’t want to encounter another yellowjacket again. But I do think her reactions go overboard when bugs are harmless or tasty.

Bugs shouldn’t be lumped into one category. All bugs are not the same. Maybe if Miss Janet spent more time observing nature up close, like I do, she would recognize the differences.

Mallard Creek Animal Hospital has compiled a list of insects that can be harmful to pets.

Vets4Pets gives guidelines on what to watch for when a dog is stung by a bee or wasp.

Wishing you and your pup a safe summer, free from harmful pests.

Clutch