The Lab and I had a new experience this morning. While walking up a very slight rise, the fox in the image above spied us and trotted slowly to a fence line. I could see the fox, but the lab could not. As we came over the rise, the fox sat staring at us about 100 meters off.
The Lab was just sniffing and enjoying the morning, oblivious to the fox. Since the fox was sitting in an opening, I grabbed my camera and started shooting pictures. Then – and this is the new part – the fox laid his ears back and barked at us. Not in a threatening manner- more like “Hey, look, I’m over here”.
This caught the Lab’s attention, but he just stood and stared at the fox. The fox laid his ears back again and barked us again. All while just standing in the open. The Lab looked at me as if to say- “I really have to take this call.” and then started to run off towards the fox- who simply slipped under the fence into the thicket and promptly disappeared.
I call the Lab and he came back to me, and we continued on our way.
I have no doubt that it was the intention of the fox to lure us away from his/her den as s/he likely has pups right now. I’ve seen this sort of behavior in ground nesting birds, but never in a mammal. All in all, it was enjoyable both because it was a new experience and because I knew, as did the fox, that the fox was never in danger from an 8-year old Labrador.
Simply put, Obsidian was out foxed.
Being outside and being present in nature – no earbuds – is something I really do need every day.
Nature, every day. 
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