Come out and play?

So I was trying to get dinner ready around 7ish, when Kodo started bumping the bell with his nose over and over. I knew he had just been 'out', but I figured maybe he wanted to romp and enjoy the weather. So I go over to open the door for him... and then movement on the steps down to the patio caught my eye. There, sitting on the top step right by the back door bold as you please, was this guy:












I guess he was hanging out waiting for Kodo to come out and play! I scooted him off the steps with a couple stems of grass, and he squiggled along the wall of the patio and down into the hole cut in the patio for access to the sump pump pipe.. Then we let Kodo out and he kept sniffing around the patio all disappointed that we had kicked his friend out.. :)

I think he is a Butler's garter snake. I don't think he could really hurt the pup even if Kodo did manage to get close- I am more worried that Kodo would think he was a toy and pick him up and try to play with him... I don't think the snake would survive that... :(