Took the dogs out (all four of them) as usual this morning. It's a dark and clear night, moonless, with the Milky Way arcing from the north to the southeast. We went through the usual ritual at the door – all four of them clamoring to get outside, me trying to get the leashes on the three brown dogs while they're wiggling and cavorting. Race goes out naked – we sort of gave up on leashing him, as he's too darned hard to control with all that rocket-like energy.
All of this was completely normal. However, once we got outside things changed. Well, at least for the three field spaniels: they went on full alert. Everything about their body language said “I'm really interested in this!” Of course, I had no idea what “this” was – could have been anything at all!
I walked the group down our driveway, alongside the line of pine trees we have planted there. As we got closer to the end of the pine trees, the brown dogs started acting very interested in the trunk of the last pine tree. Race was off chasing pine cones, as usual; he was paying absolutely no attention to whatever it was that had the three brown dogs riveted. I walked (really, the three brown dogs dragged me) toward that last pine, when suddenly a shape detached itself from the pine tree's trunk and scooted just as fast as it could go down our driveway and out the gate. It was a fox; the silhouette of its tail and head a dead giveaway. The three brown dogs never made a sound, but they sure wanted to chase it – they dragged me 10 or 15 feet down the driveway before I managed to regain control.
Race chased his pine cone. I don't believe he ever smelled or saw that fox...
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