Roadie and Bob, the squirrel

Yet, it seems it is not enough. He is courting Bob, the squirrel who lives in the trees in our backyard.

At first, I use to worry that Roadie, who is part lab and part Springer spaniel, would actually catch Bob on the ground. He sees Bob and goes into his pointer stance, paw up, tail straight out, eyes glued to the target.

But, somehow that is as far as it ever goes. It seems our dog lacks the killer instinct. Instead, he has begun making friendly overtures with Bob.

I think that means he has given up on being friends with Sunny our cat, who has no use for this 90 lb. invader who eats his food, chases him around the house and has usurped his lap position with his masters.

Bob lives in one of the many large pine trees that are spread across the hillside in our backyard. He makes out like a bandit with the two oak trees next door and has several hidden reserves of acorns.

Bob is fat and sassy and doesn't hesitate to chatter at us if we are in his way. This includes Roadie, who is usually in his way.

While Roadie is a housedog, he enjoys several romps around the backyard every day and has figured out when Bob is about. Bob sits on a branch directly across from our backdoor and begins his chatter. Roadie hears him and begins his special routine to go outside.

He comes to one side of my chair and lays his head on my leg. If I don't respond right away, he goes to the other side of my chair and repeats his moves.

If I still don't respond he will prance around to the back of my chair and start bumping my elbow, first on one side then on the other.

He doesn't do this to my husband or son. Just me. It's like I am the only one he trusts to let him go outside. If I don't get up right away, he begins to run back and forth and grumble at me.

Once I open the back door, he heads straight for the pine trees and Bob. After Bob is sure Roadie is outside he begins to perform running from tree to tree to wire to wire all the time looking down at Roadie and chattering at him.

Roadie plays along, moving from tree to tree and occasionally going into his pointer poise. This game can go on for twenty or thirty minutes before one or the other of them tires of it.

Sunny usually just sits at the backdoor and disdainfully watches the two of them.

Once Roadie comes to the door ready to come back inside. Sunny waits until he is safely in the kitchen, then meows to go out.

When Sunny goes out, Bob disappears. I think he knows Sunny would gladly climb a tree and rob Bob of his life. He would do it, just to get even with Roadie for living in his house.

Yesterday, I found several acorns hidden under Sunny's chair. I think he has figured out a way to get rid of Bob and not get caught.