Howl, little pup

You're heard the phrase "walk the walk"? Well, my 4.5-pound pup can bark the bark.

Most of the daylight hours he guards our home as seriously as a 45-pound dog. Sure, when he tucks his nose under the covers, his little body relaxes. Then he begins to snore. But I've noticed he always keeps one ear alert. Some nights, when the coyotes edge close to our house, he'll go from a snore to a guard dog stance in a nanosecond. He'll ruff under his breath as if to say, "Who dares enter my domain and disturb my nap?" As the coyote pack transitions to a howl, he can't help but join in, clueless that it is their attempt to lure in their prey. A windowpane spares him from being dinner. Here's a poem I wrote after one especially entertaining howling spree.

Howl

Under the moon, night creatures speak

Gruff and low

signaling to another — gather for the chase.

A small pup howls in reply

from his window lookout

Unaware of his circumstance