On our first hike of 2016, Bailey, Chloe and I headed into the Walnut Creek Open Space south of the city. 90 minutes into the hike and on our way back to the Jeep, Bailey and Chloe headed up a hill and came across something in the grass. Bailey at first jumped back. "Snake?" I wondered. As I got closer, I thought, "injured bird?" and then "Skunk?" It wasn't until I got within 10 feet that I saw it was a full grown badger.
For the next five minutes it was a circus for the folks walking along the trail below. Bailey was going to catch this badger and try to kill it. Chloe circled the animal opposite Bailey and barked constantly. I took the leashes that I carry and swung the buckle end at Bailey when he tried to go in on the badger. A few times the badger would charge me and I'd tell it to "back off!, don't you know I'm trying to save you?" Bailey did mange to grab the badger a couple times and throw it in the air. The badger in return was able to bite Bailey under the chin. I tried and tried to grab Bailey but he is too fast and he was too determined otherwise to listen. Finally the badger found a pipe to crawl into and the "game" was over. As you can see from the picture above from yesterday, Bailey was not wearing his e-collar.
This morning we headed out again into the hills, this time to the west of town up in the hills of Lafayette. Bailey wore his e-collar and will for our off-leash adventures. He has gotten a bit too "free" and I need to have a way to control that incredible prey drive he has when it is dangerous for him or the protected animals in the hills where we hike.
This is a link to a badger and Rhodesian Ridgeback going at it in2009.
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