Old Dog, Old Tricks
by William Crisp
I remember watching my family’s hunting dogs react to a groundhog that would show up in the field behind the house. The dog would see the hog and charge the door, even if closed. When let out, he’d charge straight up the hill barking at the groundhog. When the young, exuberant dog got within five feet of its quarry-the groundhog would dash into a nearby hole. Each time the drama played out the same way and each time the young dogs’ “aunt” would watch with seeming disinterest and apparent disdain.
Eventually, at some quiet time, she would politely ask to be let outside and assuming she needed to relieve herself, she was let out at the door she requested, the front door, and was quickly forgotten about. A little while later, the young male dog began going nuts barking to go out the backdoor because the groundhog was out back flaunting his stuff again.