Trying to Avoid the Stink

That's one goal of those early dawn walks with Border collies.

The walks give me an opportunity to greet the sunrise and plan the day -- and they give the dogs a chance to sprint, to hunt, to sniff, to roll in the grass, to just be dogs.

We have our routines. Early in the walks, I scan the fields, looking for a raccoon or rabbit trying to steal a few more minutes of nighttime. I don't want the dogs giving chase.

Caeli surveys the fields, hoping to find something to chase before I stop her.

Tag watches Caeli, waiting to give chase.

Mickey races to the pond, looking for geese making a stopover visit.

As the walk goes on, the dogs run less and sniff more.

I look for four paws in the air for just a little too long. That usually means a dog is rolling in stink.

After circling the pond and nearing a wooded patch, I always put Caeli on leash. For that's when she likes to bathe in stink.

We never made it that far this morning.

For as we circled the pond, I saw a dark object in the grass about 10 yards from the dogs.

"Lie down," I told Caeli.

"Come here," I told Tag.

Sensing an opportunity for affection, Mickey sidled next to me.

As I snapped leashes on all three, the dark object moved.

As the stinky black and white kitty ambled toward the pine trees, I realized how close I came to a black-and-white dog meets black-and-white skunk encounter.

I forego the asparagus-picking part of the walk.

Avoiding the stink trumps fresh asparagus on any morning.