Temptations and Tantrums

When we go walking in any meadow, Baloo is always hunting for ground squirrels.

I'm always trying to keep him from pouncing on them and he's usually pretty good natured about not getting to have his way, even though they're a mighty temptation. 

He is, however, always reluctant to end the walk and when he realizes that we're on the final, homeward leg of our journey, he frequently throws a little tantrum.

He plops down on the ground to snort and roll and kick for a little while.

So, I stand there and wait for him to finish expressing his discontent.

Finally, he'll reach the stage of resignation, whereupon I tell him, "Protest duly noted. Let's go home." 

Then, he gets up and we finish our walk - even though sometimes, he tends to lag behind, rather than beside me or exploring ahead. On particularly draggy days, I've taken to playing games with him on the way down the road back to the house, up the driveway and to the front door to keep him moving in the right direction with more enthusiasm. It works as a bonus training session, so it's a win-win!