Crabapples

The constitutionals the dog and I take first thing in the morning and last thing at night are usually just down the driveway.  I don't go all the way to the end because I'd rather she not get used to going to the roadway.  Instead we stop at a boxelder tree about 3/4ths of the way down.  It's quite a pretty view there and the time it takes to get that far has both awoken and warmed us up.  Whip uses both walks to relieve herself somewhere along the way - often at or near the boxelder tree. This marks not only the edge of her territory but is a form of animal ¿Quién es más macho?.  I know that's what it is because often there is scat left on the driveway near the boxelder tree.  Usually I can figure out what animal left their mark but there are two 'poop piles' there currently that have me stumped.  Whip just gave them a sniff and immediately put her 'mark' atop them.  I'd like to think humans have a more civilized mode of setting boundaries but then I listen to the news and I'm not so sure.