Baby Dog doesn't do snakes

Last evening I found a nice, good-sized black snake along the edge of the lane near the cabin. I was taking Baby Dog for her evening walk, and the snake was perfectly still. I moved closer to it to make sure it was okay and to get a sense of how big it was.

It was close to four feet long, though not one of those really wide black snakes. I tried to get Baby Dog to look at it, but every time I said “Look!” her head went up. She was looking alright but not at the snake. Then a squirrel ran down a tree, and she was sure that’s what I wanted her to look at.

I moved a little closer. The snake still didn’t move, so I took a twig and touched it gently, figuring that would gets its attention. It did. The snake started to coil up, trying to make itself look fierce. It even vibrated its tail, as though it was a rattlesnake. This would have been a lot more effective if the tail had been vibrating on dry leaves. It wasn’t particularly effective in grass.

Baby Dog’s toes were now only about a foot from the snake’s tail, and she was still looking at that squirrel, so I gave up trying to get her to see the snake right in front of her. Maybe she just didn’t care about the snake, as squirrels are far more exciting since they run around and leap into trees and chitter annoyingly at her. Maybe she just can’t be bothered with snakes that are low to the ground and slow.  Baby Dog just doesn't do snakes.