Leader of the Pack

Today's hike was full of wildlife encounters.  Usually we just pass birds in the treetops and flying off in the distance, along with some butterflies (which Coco sometimes tries to catch) and other bugs;  About 2 minutes into today's hike, we passed a stag only 15 meters or so off of the trail.  It was standing in tall grass that came all the way up to the trail's edge.  I think the grass blocked Coco's view and the stag must have been standing downwind from us because Coco didn't seem to notice him at all.  Just a short way further, a bird who was hiding in the brush right next to the trail decided to hop out and take flight right as Coco passed - giving her a good startle that sent her off running for a second!  I called her and she stopped and looked back warily and waited for me to catch up.  Later on, a little lizard skittered across the trail right in front of us and Coco chased it up a nearby tree.

At the park, Coco and Rucksack both played with the same dog they had some fun with yesterday.  After that dog left, Coco chewed on Rucksack's ears while I kicked a soccer ball around for him for a little while.  Then a new dog - a black Lab/Border Collie mix named Marvin - showed up and all three of them played a game of keep-away with a rope toy.  Either Rucksack or Marvin had the toy the whole time; Coco was more caught up in chasing the other dogs than the rope.