At our previous home we were blessed with three Bernese Mountain Dogs – Bosley, and two “rescues,” Fenway and Bailey, all neutered males and very individual.One spring day my husband said, “I’ve closed the others in and shut the doors, but Fenway has something and I don’t know what, but bring your camera.
We very and softly walked to the base of a massive Douglas Fir tree where Fenway had his paw crooked around a baby squirrel. We had seen this protective behavior previously
so approached Fenway quietly. He looked up at us and seemed to know we approved of his rescue mission, so he returned his gaze toward the stunned baby squirrel. We think it had probably fallen from a nest at a great height. There was no Momma squirrel within sight or sound.
Fenway was gently licking the baby squirrel’s head and the baby didn’t show any signs of distress. We gradually withdrew and called Fenway to come back into the house. He stayed a few moments longer, then came to us whilst we all watched through the tall glass windows.
The baby squirrel seemed to get over its fall with nothing apparently broken, and scampered quite agilely back up the tree. Fenway regularly sat at the base of that same tree gazing upward, seemingly looking for his little buddy.
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From Adrienne in Canada