Wood Chip Heaven

One of the dog parks I use has a deal with the local tree services.  They bring in 5 yard loads of wood chips to the park, which are then spread by volunteers to make a nice soft surface for the dogs to run and play on.  It also keeps down the mud somewhat.  These piles often remain for a couple of weeks before they are spread on a "work day" at the park. 

Most of the dogs ignore the piles, or look at them as obstacles to race around.  Ollie, on the other hand, loves to roll in them.  The more moist and steamy the pile, the better from his point of view.  He'll summit the pile as if he were the victor in King of the Mountain, then practically bury himself in the goodness.  He rolls and wriggles and rubs until he is completely covered in wood chips.  I cannot say, because I have not tried it myself, but to me it looks like he is in absolute ecstasy while occupied with his pile of fresh chips.

Now Ollie is a handsome boy, and has some spectacular tail feathers.  And, through his actions I just mentioned, has a tendency to take about half of the chip pile with him when he is done enjoying its pleasures.  Of course it bothers him to have all of these little sticks and twigs attached to his hind end.  So after his roll in the pile you find him pulling the offending matter out of his tail...in a not entirely proper body position.  And once that is accomplished?  Of course he is back to the chip pile. 

Somehow I am not sure he sees the correlation between the two activities, but I certainly enjoy watching the show.