Last evening my lovely evening with my man-friend and chocolate martinis was interrupted by the dog somehow catching a rat and shaking him to death IN THE BACKYARD. We don't think he could have contracted anything as there was no blood shed during the altercation, but we hope that the rat's violent death will serve as a warning to others of his kind to STAY THE HELL OUT OF OUR BACKYARD. Andrew quickly got rid of the evidence...it's nice having a man around the house.