Calling Our Bluff and Paybacks

I took the dogs out to a beautiful and remote spot in the Gold Country on a Dog Adventure. You can imagine the beauty of green rolling hills with cows grazing, trickling streams and hill after hill of well kept vineyards in the shadow of the Rancho Seco nuclear power plant. Makes you kind of want to give up wine, and beef, and water, and air! I'm just kidding ... it's been decommissioned for years, but the towers stand as an idiotic testament to man's stupidity.

Anyway, we were enjoying this early March day in California with temps of 65 degrees, sunny and clear and still. The dogs tore around the grassy areas I'm sure are crammed with people barbecuing in summer, enjoyed a dog snack, when all of a sudden they noticed a flock of geese on the other side of the grass.

BAM! Just like that, Sophie the boxer took off pell mell towards them, her leash flying behind, obviously intent on a good, old fashioned chase. She loves to chase - cats, squirrels, laser lights...

So why was this flock of geese casually milling about, seemingly unconcerned about the fast approach of a 60 pound muscular animal? They obviously knew something we did not.

And so they did. The largest goose stepped forward, fully extended his enormous wings and flapped vigorously while making a loud, sharp honking sound. And just as quickly as it began, with gravel flying in all directions, fearless bulletdog skidded to an abrupt halt. Wise choice!

Sophie was clearly embarrassed: big ol' tough house dog being bested out by a kept goose at the lake. But then she began vigorously sniffing the ground about 25 feet from them, maintaining the distance but not giving up ground. She had one eye on them and one on the ground, acting aloof, but her body moved in a clipped and deliberate way. She had an IDEA.

She sniffed at some very interesting prairie dog holes and had some very satisfying tree sniffs, as she quietly closed the gap between herself and the flock of about twenty birds.

They were not amused. They postured, flapped and made noise, let her know she was encroaching on their turf, but she kept her nose to the ground, ignoring them completely. As her circles began to tighten, the flock began to move, slowly and gently until every last goose had been herded into the lake.

She pranced back to me for a long satisfying drink of water. Sweet!