A Dog's Life

Dogs are a big part of my life, and always have been. I relate to animals much better than to people, probably because there is no ego to deal with.
The daily walks taken with our companions are always enjoyed, particularly because we live just blocks from open desert. We explore a dry arroyo over and over, each season bringing new things to investigate. Big tree roots uncovered by the last monsoon rains, a new batch of baby hawks, and occasionally a rattlesnake hiding in the shade (we stay out of the arroyo during their migration periods, to avoid any confrontations).
When winter brings a little moisture, the colorful fallen leaves and grasses are sometimes artfully outlined with frost. No big deal when you live in a colder climate, but for us it is a rare experience.
Even the simplest things like a pile of coyote poo generate fascination. In the scatological realm however, nothing beats  fresh horse manure! The first time we encountered some, I nearly fell over laughing as both dogs gleefully dropped and rolled in it. They proceeded to try and eat it as well, as they find the fragrance to be somewhere near ambrosia. However similar we are to animals, our sense of smell has very different ideas. 
Our younger dog has a very strong predatory instinct, which was discovered after the first of many dirt-surfing incidents (being knocked over and dragged face-first through rocks and cacti in pursuit of a jackrabbit). Despite being quite obedient around the house, her penchant for chasing anything that moves necessitated help from the Dog Whisperer. We have since achieved greater control over our walks, much to our relief.
Still, she remains adept at keeping our neighborhood pigeon population under control. Our home is the tallest house in the area, and as such attracts the birds during nesting season. Unfortunately for the fledglings nearest our backyard, she keeps a sharp eye on them. I had to laugh at her keen interest in even the shadows of pigeons, as a kabuki presentation of a pair building a nest caught her eye through the back door of the house one day.
She is also much more aware of her surroundings than I would have given her credit for. As our home is continually under construction, the interior landscape changes a bit from month to month. There was a space into which the dogs had not been allowed for some time, until subfloors were laid and walls were in place. When they were finally allowed in, our pup  entered with a look of awe on her face, as she slowly eyed the new structures. She looked the walls up and down, moving from one side of the room to the other, seemingly to piece together what had transpired here in her absence. She appeared as a visitor to a grand museum, studying the contents thoughtfully. Never in my life have I witnessed such attention to static objects by an animal. Perhaps, in a former life she was an architect.................