Last night, just before dusk, I was sitting putting on my runners, talking to my DH, and saying that a friend had suggested I should get an Ipod for dog walking, but I lived in the city for too many years to feel comfortable about wearing something that makes a person oblivious to their surroundings, and anyway, the sounds are all part of the walk itself. On windy days, I like the music of the wind in the tall trees, birds, dogs, and even chirping insects in the grass.
So I got ready, got the dogs ready, and off I went, to walk the dike. I was about halfway around, when I heard my bigger male dog, Zeus (bigger, 17 lbs, ha!) give a very serious-sounding growl, and just as he was finishing it, up out of the trees, sauntering up the bank not twenty feet away from us, came a young black bear! He was so close, I was transfixed for a second, stopped walking and froze, then said to the dogs, "WHO'S THAT?" I've always taught my dogs this command, it's said in the same tone you'd use if you thought someone was out in your yard after dark, accusing and fast and tough, and it means "Bark your heads off NOW!" Dogs love this command for some reason, and will just go nuts, barking and growling and lunging...it was obvious from his reaction that Mr. Bear had had no idea we were even there, he spun around so fast, flew down that bank, crashed through the bushes, and shot off upstream, I could hear him splashing away at top speed.
I rewarded the dogs with lots of love and affection and praise, and then we continued, with them strutting along as if they had gone ten rounds with the bear, instead of just exercising their vocal cords, they were proud.
I was laughing to myself, thinking of a newspaper headline: "Miniature Dachshunds Scare Off Bear!"
Here's Mr. Z - my DH says he has two main joys in life, barking and de-barking, which is what he's doing in this picture. Once he's peeled all the bark off, he quickly loses interest. Weird.
