Squirrel Hunters

The dogs were so funny this morning I just had to share, although probably no one except me really finds this amusing. They were hanging out in our bedroom while I was getting ready for work, and suddenly they both made a mad dash for the back door. When I went to let them out, I saw what had piqued their interest--there was a squirrel sitting smack in the middle of the backyard (which doesn't happen that often since we have only one not very mature tree in back). I reluctantly opened the door (one of the dogs at the shelter was recently bitten by a squirrel, so maybe I'm a little paranoid) and they sped outside after the little rodent, who scampered up the back fence to get away. However, since Celtic loves to track his prey, he immediately started sprinting around the yard with his nose to the ground, trying to figure out the exact course the squirrel had taken, maybe thinking that if he can find the source, then there would be more squirrels to follow. This has always been one of Celtic's favorite games; he and Steeler would spend hours tracking scents around the yard any time a rabbit or cat made it under or over the fence. However, Hope apparently didn't understand the purpose of chasing the scent of something that had clearly left her property, so as Celtic ran around excitedly, she thought he was playing chase with her instead of the non-existent squirrel. She started baying loudly in his face and at his heels, trying to pounce on him and engage him in a wrestling match. Celtic quickly got fed up with her intrusions, so he lashed out at her in what I always refer to as his ninja move (he makes viscous noises and crazy moves, but he doesn't actually do anything to hurt anyone, kind of like when martial artists in the movies go "WOHAAAAA" and don't actually do anything but strike an imposing pose). Apparently she got the drift that he wasn't interested in playing though, because after that she mostly just stood around and stared at him, apparently wondering what in the world he was hunting for, since the squirrel was obviously gone. It's funny to me that she is also a scenthound, yet unlike Celtic, she has no interest in scents if there isn't prey involved. It makes me wonder if she wasn't trained specifically to scent only raccoons and nothing else. Maybe she just isn't a very good hunter, which might explain why she was dumped at the shelter with her puppies in the first place. Regardless, we love her so much and are so thankful that she's Celtic's new partner in crime, even if she is just a confused observer. :)