Close call
Riley's self-appointed mission in life is to keep the backyard free of birds and squirrels. When they dare to enter his domain, my usually slow pup becomes a furry black streak, tearing across the yard to chase them out of sight or into the nearest tree. If they choose a tree, he sits below it, awaiting the offender's next move. (I love that he sits, the same way he does when he thinks I'm going to give him a treat. It's like he expects a giant, magical hand to reach down and give him the animal as a reward for being so good.) Squirrels will usually meander off into another yard via other trees or the fence, but when birds fly away, he chases them to the edge of the yard and gives a "yeah, that's right, you better run" bark as they disappear. Luna is fairly interested in these goings-on, but her obsession rarely matches Riley's.
This morning I let both dogs out, and they tore after a squirrel who was about midway back in the yard near the far side fence. This squirrel was pretty close to a tree so it reached safety almost before the dogs got out the door, and their interest in it delayed their noticing another squirrel who was more out in the open and closer to the back fence. When they did run after him, he - oddly - ran for the tree the other squirrel had taken, rather than the much closer fence. This actually required him to run *past* both dogs, and I'm pretty sure if they'd made their turn just a little bit faster, they'd have had him. As it was, they were at most two feet behind him all the way to the tree. Luna is super-fast anyway - I seriously think if she'd had a bit more space, she'd have caught up - but I couldn't believe Riley was right there with her! Usually he's insanely slow, but I guess with the right killer motivation....
Happy spring, everybody!
This morning I let both dogs out, and they tore after a squirrel who was about midway back in the yard near the far side fence. This squirrel was pretty close to a tree so it reached safety almost before the dogs got out the door, and their interest in it delayed their noticing another squirrel who was more out in the open and closer to the back fence. When they did run after him, he - oddly - ran for the tree the other squirrel had taken, rather than the much closer fence. This actually required him to run *past* both dogs, and I'm pretty sure if they'd made their turn just a little bit faster, they'd have had him. As it was, they were at most two feet behind him all the way to the tree. Luna is super-fast anyway - I seriously think if she'd had a bit more space, she'd have caught up - but I couldn't believe Riley was right there with her! Usually he's insanely slow, but I guess with the right killer motivation....
Happy spring, everybody!