- that’s a take -
Ciara and Chinn Oir, two of our Irish Wolfhounds, were about a year old when this incident occurred. It was about seven a.m., and the three of us were enjoying our usual early morning ramble. The two wolfhounds were roaming the field some distance when they became very interested, almost agitated, by what appeared to be a large brown paper bag. Better investigate I thought.
As I approached, their activity became even more animated. They were very definitely being playful and not in the least aggressive and I suddenly realized they were stalking, not a paper bag, but a fox!!
My plan was to corral the dogs and put them on lead. Even thinking I could accomplish this was wildly optimistic on my part. For starters, two dogs, one leash, and one me.
Encumbered with one dog on lead my attempts to catch Chinn Oir became even more comical. Holding one dog, running after the other with my belt, trying to keep my pants in place, keep myself between both dogs and fox and keep my feet. After fifteen minutes of skidding across the hayfield I managed at last to loop my belt around Chinn Oir.
The fox had remained on his haunches all this time, changing the direction he was facing as the dogs raced around. Once both dogs were on lead Mister Fox must have realized this was his chance to escape. He dashed toward the woods and safety leaving me on my back with both arms stretched in different directions holding the excited dogs as they watched their would be playmate desert them.
Mister Fox didn't give one backward glance. Once he was in the woods he was gone. Needless to say, it was a very weary me that trudged back to the house. My pants, still struggling to remain decent, were a mess of grass stains. Buttons were gone from my shirt and my jacket had had its zipper rearranged. My face was muddy and my hair was streaked with green. Believe it or not my glasses remained intact. It was some time before I saw Mister Fox again and when I did, never, was it when the dogs were with me.