The Nose Knows

If there is one thing I have learned with pointers is never underestimate the power of the nose.  Never.  And there are very few times I will say "never" in association with a dog of mine.  

The nose rules.  It's king.  It's precise and finely honed.  Here is a good example.

Mick and Layla are ruthlessly pursuing a smell.  Ruthlessly.  Behind the lawn mower. Or maybe between the logs stacked by the lawn mower.  Something is there. They reach, stretch, nose, poke, dig, press, prod.  It's there they tell me.  

So to end their agony.  We move the lawn mower.  Nothing. Move the logs. Nothing.  Remove the bag off the mower.  Nothing.  Reno says it's gone guys, give it up.  They look at us aghast!  What???  Give up the hunt??  So we turn the mower over....nothing.  They insist that all three brain cells in each head are firing in perfect harmony.  

So Reno starts the mower. More to chase the dogs off than anything.  A couple clean revolutions and there it is.  A tell tale thunk.  A spray of blood shoots over Reno's leg and the mouse fly's out the side.  I can only imagine the mouse hanging on for dear life.  First the threat of the nose and the battle of the blade.  Sad as it is for the mouse, it proved once again, that yes, the nose knows.