We were outside walking the dogs the other night about 11:30 or so, and suddenly we heard a coyote howl from not too far away. Well, the dogs got all excited, and Merlin (Queensland Heeler (part dingo?) mix – smart, but more ‘instinctual’ than our other dog, who’s bred more as a pet, a Labrador Retriever) started howling back at them. This just got Pepper MORE excited, and she started barking, but never howled. Merlin had a continuing conversation with the other coyotes – by the sounds of things we were pretty much surrounded at that point, although we never saw one, and then they just stopped, like they were done. Rather a haunting thing on a dark and misty night – cool!