Bud is quite the character, he amazes me all the time. Every morning he heads out into the pasture to do battle with a feisty, scheming chipmunk who reminds me very much of Chip in the Chip N’Dale.

Bud thinks he is a lion, not a small dog, and he is never deterred by failure. He chases Chip every single morning of every day, sometimes twice, and although I’ve never been able to get a picture of Chip, he always pops up the second Bud appears and squeaks at him.

Bud charges, digging and sticking his nose into the crevices of the stone wall, where Chip lives. I swear Chip is taunting him, popping up here, then there, disappearing into the web of tunnels and holes he’s dug.

Bud is smart, but so is Chip, they seem an even match for each other, their battles rage for a half-hour or so until I call Bud off. I’m not sure he would ever give up, I’m pretty sure he will never catch Chip.

As soon as Bud sticks his nose in the hole Chip dove into, he pops up in another one, a few yards away, squeaking in a way that looks suspiciously like taunting and teasing.

I named him Chip rather than Dale because of the two, Chip was wily, focused and was an unabashed schemer.

Dale was calm, dim-witted, and impulsive, and with a better sense of humor. I think Dale was the chipmunk the barn cats get from time to time, Chip is the chipmunk they never get.

I tried to tell Bud this is a battle he will never win, but there’s no point. Bud was a great addition to the mix at Bedlam Farm, I’ve never had a dog like him, and he is a much larger personality than his awkward little body would suggest.

I love the split personality within Bud. He’ll chase Chip all day, then hop up on my lap for a cuddle every chance he gets. Quite a recipe: affection and entitlement, the core of the Small Dog Experience.

Bud’s a compassionate thug, incredibly affectionate, a terror and cuddler, a  fiesty and quite brave spirit for such a small creature. He and Fate and Zinnia will make an almost perfect mix, I think. Impulsive, calm and bristling with personality.

I think I’ll bring out some walnuts for Chip and pour them down his hole.