Zip had another run-in with his new nemesis, Alvin the chipmunk. Zip is a brilliant animal, has a big ego, and seems generally very pleased with himself. Every day, he and Alvin confront and teach each other, and so far, it’s Alvin 11 and Zip 0.

The challenge began when Zip left my lap (above )and spotted Alvin walking on the stone wall, then popping in and out of his hole and tunnel in the grass. I could see it was some plan.

First, Alvin drew Zip from the stone wall and returned to his hole. Zip responded by pouncing on the hole (photo below) and sticking his paw down. He thought he had something, but no luck. Alvin, it turns out, is one clever chipmunk; he has holes and passages all over the place and takes warning the other chipmunks seriously.

He seems to anticipate Zip’s every move, even taunting and teasing him to get close. He also knows just when to disappear and when Zip will charge.

Zip seems confused and frustrated.

Alvin’s hole connects to a tunnel that goes under the pasture fence. Zip looked excited when he stuck his head down as if he had trapped something. We saw a chipmunk race out from behind the wall, demonstrating Alvin’s cunning escape tactics, running under the fence and into the other pasture.

Alvin popped up on the other side of the fence, sounding the alarm through a series of loud squeaks and urgent sounds. I saw chipmunks on the other side of the wall, ducking for cover. Alvin popped up on the wall again when they were all safe – I could almost hear him saying nyaaaa, nyaaa,  you lose again.

And he then disappeared. Zip rarely fails in his hunts.

He might be teaching Zip to be humble.