Peach and I hear the birds chirping today, signaling the start of warm afternoons filled with green grass and sunshine. The birds always know before pugs when it shifts to warm days. Even though we haven’t seen any squirrels in our yard for a long time, we start searching for signs. I detect a faint whiff of squirrel lingering in the backyard, but no sign of any recent visits.
Without squirrels to hunt, Peach and I chase each other through the yard. We create our own trails in the snow, and over the course of a few days, the grass is visible again. I see birds hanging out in the trees high above us; the squirrels will be returning soon.
Inside the house, Hannah brings home a new toy for us—a squeaky squirrel. The squirrel looks real, and the squeak is louder than the owl’s! We play with the squirrel for hours each day. Peach even tries to bring it outside with us, but Hannah doesn’t let her.
A few days after the fake squirrel comes home, the scent is back. Our squirrel nemesis has returned. I find the scent in one corner, and Peach traces it along the fence to the other side of the yard. The smell is fresh; we probably just missed him. The squirrel scent excites us. Peach runs full speed at me with crazy eyes. I duck out of her way in the nick of time, and she sails past me. I turn and chase her through the yard. We run full speed to all corners of the yard three times before we take a break. We eat several mouthfuls of snow and cool off.
Squeak. Squeak. Squeak.
Our heads turn in unison to the source of the squeak. A squirrel is sitting in a tree in our neighbor’s yard, looking down on us.
He is back!
Peach and I look at each other and then dash to the fence. The squirrel squeaks at us for a few minutes. We bark back, baiting the squirrel to come down. He moves down the tree, and in one solid leap he is on the fence running to the other side. We give chase to the squirrel, putting our plan in action.
Peach runs to the other side of the yard. I keep running with the squirrel. He runs up the tree in our yard and stops high above me.
Squeak. Squeak. Squeak.
The squirrel is taunting me, and I play his game. I bark at him, jumping as high as I can, knowing there is no way I will reach him. The squirrel leaps from one branch to another, lower and lower. I have to admit that it’s an impressive feat. He jumps on the fence and runs to where he started.
I follow him for a few pug lengths and stop so I don’t get in the way. Peach is barreling along the fence line toward me. When she is a few pug lengths away, she leaps into the air. I have never seen Peach jump this high; her head is above the fence! The squirrel is coming straight at her. Everything is moving in slow motion. At the last instant, the squirrel tries to turn, but it is too late. Peach grabs hold of his tail, and she sails to the ground with the squirrel.
Peach and the squirrel crash in the snowy grass. The impact causes Peach to lose her grip on the squirrel. But the squirrel is stunned. He doesn’t move. I approach slowly as Peach rolls over, shakes off, and stands up. I can tell she is stunned.
I am less than a pug length away when the squirrel awakens from his daze. He looks at Peach and me and then bolts to the front yard. I chase after him, but he runs under the fence on the side of the yard.
I can’t believe what just happened. I thought our plan was perfect. Peach was magnificent, flying through the air and grabbing the squirrel. But we forgot the landing would be tough.
We were so close! Those pesky squirrels.