Wednesday, January 11, 2017

No Kirby Prints in the Snow

Kirby January 20, 2016
We got a dusting of snow last week. As I looked out the back window into the yard, I felt saddened by the lack of dog prints. Kirby liked the snow as long as there wasn't so much that he got the ice balls between his toes, or he didn't have to walk where some homeowner had thrown down salt. That irritated his feet. Though he could certainly entertain himself when we came back inside by picking off the ice balls! The snow fall with no tracks was just another reminder of what we are missing.

coyote prints?
But the next morning when I opened the blinds, I was shocked to see paw prints on the deck - two different sets, actually. For just a moment I thought, "Kirby must have been chasing a rabbit." But then reality blew in like the north wind, and I realized that could not be the case. I shrugged the prints off as being the neighbor cat sniffing out a rabbit.  I posted the photo on Facebook stating that I didn't know if was harder to not find prints in the snow, or to actually see some prints and think for a moment that our boy was still alive. Several people commented on the post, stating that those were coyote prints. Yikes! That thought didn't cross my mind at all. Can coyotes jump fences? I guess I can be thankful Kirby wasn't out there after all.

1 comment:

Mrs. Wryly said...

Oh, it's a real heartstring tug to hear that you are grieving for his footprints. How do you know Kirby didn't come down from dog heaven and leave those prints just for you?

I suppose the prints could be a coyote; they are supposedly everywhere, including in urban areas. Our wildlife camera took a shot of a creature behind our yard that is likely to be one, and I have been going outside at night with our dog since. Mr. W laughs at me and says, "A coyote would not be so close to our house." However, the footprints in your yard could be proving him wrong.

That darn Kirby was so cute!! I have been paying extra attention to my canine pal in Kirby's honor, always remembering they are temporary gifts.