Will we have strawberries this year?

We have a pretty good sized strawberry patch in our yard; it was here when we moved to this place. Even though the patch produces lots of fruit, we never get much because something always eats it before we can.

This year is different--I hope.

The reason for hope is that we have a dog which runs around in the back yard. We keep her indoors at night, but maybe her daily presence will keep the strawberry thieves away. Time will tell. There are almost ripe berries on the plants now.

Of course, the dog might eat the strawberries. This would still represent an improvement of sorts: Better for our strawberry thief to eat her fill, than for some strange, probably disease-harboring creature to do so.

Update: My wife caught our puppy eating a green strawberry this morning. D'Oh!