Dog in the Hen House

Well, we did it! An all day hike across the Kinsol Trestle and then heading about 15 kilometres toward Lake Cowichan before turning back.

All went very well. While not challenging, the hike was fun - well more for Abby than for me. About three hours into the hike we crossed a road and Abby's nose went into the air. Her tail began to flail in that way it does when she smells something on the air - something I probably wish she didn't.

The last time her tail wagged that rapidly was New Year's Even day when P had put a bowl of red Jello on the patio to cool and set. Abby picked up the entire bowl and tore off with it across the lawn - me in hot pursuit. By the time I caught up with her she had the plastic wrap of it and her muzzle deep in cherry pudding. When I bore down on her, she hastily swallowed the plastic wrap and tried to make a getaway - spilling Jello all over the lawn - and herself.

By the time I wrestled the bowl from her, there was jello everywhere but in said bowl.

Today her nose led her and her quivering tail to the fence surrounding a farmyard. Before I could grab her, she slipped through the fence and found - yup - the chicken coop - with the door propped open. And no, it's now what you think, She wasn't even remotely interested in chickens - what she dived for were the bread crusts and vegetable scraps scattered on the ground.

I opened the front gate of the farmyard, tore past the house (ducking below the windows) and rushed into the coop. The only time the hens got alarmed was when I showed up. They seemed to think Abby was fine (which thankfully she was). It took some smart moves on my part to finally corner her and grab her by the collar. By then she'd gone through a goodly portion of hen food.

I then dashed back past the house (doubled over) and back out through the gate. I'm sure that when the farmers eventually go into the coop again they'll think, "My - those hens must have been really hungry - they devoured the scraps today!"

The rest of the hike was uneventful in comparison - and very pleasant.

more photos: