Yesterday morning it was raining, and my fussy part-IG (toy Italian greyhound) rescue dog, Fergie, acted like there was no way she'd go outside.

This toy breed spent centuries as the favorite lapdog of English noblewomen, and now are delicate..easily become too hot or cold, hate to get wet, don't like to get their feet dirty, and act like doing their business outdoors is barbarous.

I was glad I'd already ordered a tiny yellow raincoat for Fergie, after I read that dogs with IG breeding (toy Italian greyhound) won't go outside in the rain without a raincoat.

Fergie acted excited to see me taking the raincoat out of the box, and when dressed, she cheerfully did her business outside. Then she pranced along happily on our 1.5-mile hiking loop down the mountain, and up the desert valley.

She didn't mind the rain at all while wearing the coat..weird, since the coat rustles, has a hood, and sleeves for all four legs.
No dogs I've ever owned before have EVER enjoyed wearing clothes, even when they were shivering.

When we passed through the Paradise Meadows Park baffle gate to enter the desert strip, I looked up, and the tricolor juvenile male coyote was standing a few yards away in the sagebrush, just across from the access park back baffle gate.

I stood still, and looked into his eyes in greeting, and he moved a bit to give me a clear view of him, as the coyotes in the pack do when they want me to see them.

I was transfixed by his beauty -the crystal yellow eyes, the colors of his fluffy coat, and we just stood there gazing into each others eyes.

But I also remembered when the juvenile male Cooper's hawk hadn't recognized Fergie as a dog when she was wearing her new purple winter coat, and tried to snatch her, only two weeks ago.

In defense of potential predators, Fergie did look remarkably like a mustard hotdog in her yellow raincoat and hood.

The coyote glanced at Fergie curiously, then at me, so I sent him a "mind zing" that the raincoat covering was temporary and that it was only my dog, who is "with" me.

Coyotes seem to give a free pass to friends of friends. At least they have, so far, ignored Fergie when she is with me, and on a leash.

The coyote didn't pay Fergie any more attention, but issued an invitation to me to join him by turning slightly as though to go, then stopping, looking back over his shoulder and waiting expectantly, but I regretfully "thought" him my love, and declined.

Then I hurried off with Fergie before some desert predator thought I was bringing it a food offering.

After all, only two hours ago, while I was climbing a cliff near my house, one of the Chihuahua raven babies, now grown, flew very low over my head and greeted me, offering to share the chunk of meat it was carrying.

Just as generous as its dad, I see, except its voice isn't as low and gravely yet.

Photo: juvenile tricolor male coyote in desert valley near my housing division, Albuquerque, New Mexico.8-18-19