Skunk!

Mark and I were headed down the trail with Gretchen milling about. Violet had gone a ways ahead of us.

At one point I looked up and saw a third dog. I thought, “Huh, there’s another person out here hiking in the pre-dawn light with their dog.”

Then I realized it was no dog. It was a skunk.

Violet got all excited and started to chase after it. Luckily she was a little unsure at times and would stop, then chase again. The tail would go up, the skunk would run off, and Violet would follow.

Gretchen was close enough for me to grab and leash, and I could tell she wanted to chase too.

Finally Violet came back and/or Mark caught up to her. He leashed her and we went the opposite way.

No skunking. She smelled just as puppy-like as before.

Close call.

Not much you can do about the “other dogs” in the woods.

A little while later Gretchen caught the scent of something and took off through the woods. Violet was in hot pursuit. There was a large downed tree Gretchen either cleared or went around. Violet – not so much. She went to jump it with beautiful form, but bad timing. She fell short and crashed her chest into the bough. It startled her. Not at all what she expected.

That’s ok. She’ll figure it out and jump trees with the best of ’em. I’m sure.

– b