Partners in Crime

After feeding the horses this afternoon I returned to our fenced in back yard where my dogs were nowhere to be seen.  Usually they wait by the gate for me.  I walked toward the other end of our large yard to see Chamois, our yellow lab peeking out from behind a group of large pine trees.  She looked back behind the pines, then slowly headed toward me with a slight and unsure tail wag.  “Where’s Lola?” I asked.  Like a bolt of lightning, Lola and her terrier speed shot across the yard to greet me.  Normally she then stays by my side.  Not today.  She turned around and sped back over toward the pines, stopping before she arrived.  She turned around toward me again, “C’mon!  Look what we found!”  Clearly she wanted me to follow her.  Chamois stuck close to my heels as we followed Lola.  Tucked nicely between the fence and a pine tree was a ten-inch deep hole that was perfectly dug by some crafty dog feet.  There was nothing in it.  I looked in the yard where Lola now stood with something resembling noodles dangling from her lips.  “Lola, Leave it.” I stated firmly.  Completely obedient, she dropped the delicacy on the grass. She must be more terrier than she is beagle.  A beagle doesn't drop anything.  Both dogs wagged their tails as they watched me scoop up a hunk of intestines and other organs into my glove.  I hurled them over the fence and took a closer look at my dogs.  Lola’s front feet and legs were plastered in mud, as was her entire muzzle and forehead.  She must have done the digging while Chamois served as look-out.   Clearly they were working together on this project.  The best part of the whole thing was their joy in including me in their adventure.  Being one of the pack is pretty cool.  They had no idea they were headed to the bathtub.

Lola and Chamois