Both really cute stories about the innocence of young pups. Cats don't dare cross through my backyard, but the squirrels feel it's their playground. Before I had Buffy, the squirrels loved to tease Mila. When she came out of the house and into the yard, they would scamper to the nearest tree and fence. Then, they would sit and chatter at her and tease her by running back and forth on the fence. She has had an encounter or two with possums - they stand their ground and she has to back off because they are always ready for a fight. This, of course, happens if she goes out at night or early in the morning. I usually watch her closely at those times; the possums are bigger than she is and would dispose of her in the blink of an eye. Haven't seen any in a while and the squirrels are still reassessing the situation since Buffy arrived on the scene.