Billy Goat's Ruff

There have been more than a couple of occasions in the past year-and-a-half that I've been all but certain that although we believed ourselves to have have purchased a Golden Retriever, we came a away with some hybrid creature that is half dog-half mountain goat.

Never have I beheld a creature more determined to crawl, scramble, leap, or climb on any object that requires such an action, inclusive of boulders, fallen trees, and picnic tables.

Of course there may also be some billy goat mixed into the breed as well, because I have lost count of the myriad foreign substances (some of which were unidentifiable) which Darby has ingested, and somehow managed to survive.

So between now and the time that she does something truly harmful, I will continue to be in awe, horror, dread, and bemusement at her curious ways, sometimes experiencing all of those things concurrently.

This and other photos of Darby and her escapades can be found on her Gallery, here.

Why Darby Might Be Part Billy Goat

At the time of purchasing, I was certain we were getting a full-blood Golden Retriever in Darby. The paperwork was there. The breeder seemed reputable. I saw Darby's mother and father. But somewhere along the way, some billy goat blood got in those lines. Among the many things that Darby loves (including chasing ice and chomping bees), she seems to be particularly passionate about cropping grass. And we're not talking about grazing like cattle, but really reaching deep and tearing out of the ground by the roots, resulting in a yard that suffers from patchy baldness and a generally mangy look. But far be it from me to deprive a creature of a part of her day that seems so overwhelmingly joyous.

Canon Rebel T2i, EF 135mm f/2.8 SF, 1/3200s @ f/2.8, ISO 200

Further evidence of this behavior is evidenced below, in a photograph taken almost three months ago when the pup was only ten weeks old. I offer this as proof that the above photograph is not some sort of anomalous aberration from her normal behavior.

Canon Rebel T2i, EF 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5 @ 85mm, 1/500s @ f/4.5, ISO 100

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