Outdoor Enemy Number One

Overall, I'm a very tolerant pup.  I get along splendidly with most dogs and I'm fabulous with people (especially if they have food).  Sure, I have a bit of a history with lizards, squirrels, and stupid little bunny rabbits with their fluffy little white tails, but I consider them interlopers; creatures who did not ask my permission to co-exist with me in my backyard--trespassers.  But there is one animal that I've never gotten along with regardless of where our paths convene.  My outdoor enemy number one is none other than the robin.

Now, allow me to clarify for a moment.  I do not have a problem with birds.  Sure, I've been known to chase a mourning dove or two out of my yard from time to time (trespassing), but, by and large, I pretty much ignore all other birds including sparrows, cardinals, orioles, and finches.  But robins?  I just can't stand them.

Why can't I stand them?  Well, there are three reasons:

Reason One: 
They don't act like other birds.  When you cross paths with any other species of birds they take off and fly away (and I don't necessarily mean far away...just out of my way).  When you cross paths with a robin, however, they just jump and skip a couple inches away from where they initially were standing.  And when you match their movement by taking another step toward them, all they do is jump a few inches further away.  So annoying!

Reason Two:  
They have beady little eyes.  After jumping and skipping away, they turn and look at you with their shiny button eyes as if to say "I'm not afraid of you!"

Reason Three: 
They can't take a hint.  I can't tell you the number of times I've chased an individual or a pack of robins out of my backyard only to have them return a minute later.  And when you have to repeatedly chase them out of a large yard like the one I have out east, well, let me tell you, it is a thoroughly exhausting experience.

So, to summarize:  Robins are obnoxious little jumping creatures with beady eyes just daring you to chase them (and chase them I do) again and again and again.

As a matter of fact, I've never been able to ignore robins.  When I was a little puppy, I actually used to try to chase them when I was out walking with my family (much to the dismay of whoever was holding my leash--apparently human arms are not cut out for the sudden jerking motion of me lunging for a bouncy little bird).  But for some reason, no one else in my family ever showed any sign of exhibiting the same level of hatred for robins as I did.  Frankly, that made me hate them even more.  Not only are they evil, but they also managed to trick my humans into believing that they were innocent little birds.  What fiends!