Maybe it’s because she successfully evaded all dogs chasing her, and particularly the very large white dog who has chased her repeatedly in the past. I saw her follow that dog at a distance this morning to make sure the dog was headed away from her. Did this contribute to her happiness, or are coyotes just plain happy critters — just happy to be alive??
Anyway, after rolling on a deliciously smelly piece of wood, she exuberantly battled dried brambles — Doña Quijote fashion, and finally turned her attention to a ball. She knew I was watching and peeked over at me now and then, smiling — yes, smiling — and then continued her play. *Performing* and *showing off* indeed are coyote behaviors, no different from your dog’s, or for that matter, your children’s!
The photos alone are worth a million words, why say more? I’ve divided them into the smelly piece of wood, battling the brambles, and then rolling on the ball — all within the space of 15 minutes! If you click on the first photo of each section, you will be able to see the photos enlarged as a slideshow. Enjoy!
First, wallowing joyfully on the deliciously smelly piece of wood:
Second, battling dried brambles as Doña Quijote (Doña Coyote?), and winning! This is a game this coyote plays often.
And finally, so much fun with a found ball:
Coyote Yipps 
