Browse ›
An older man in a brown cardigan fills in a crossword at a kitchen table while a red merle Aussie watches closely. 18 / 32

Kenji Was Stuck on Seventeen Down. His Aussie Leaned In to Take a Look.

AI imageaustralian shepherdcrosswordbreakfast table

Pen poised over the grid, Kenji studies the crossword with the deep concentration of a man stuck on a tricky clue. He sits at the breakfast table in a brown cable-knit cardigan and blue collared shirt, a plate of toast at his elbow, a glass of water nearby, and his keys and spare glasses tossed beside the puzzle. Maple has rested her chin right at the table's edge, nose nearly touching the newspaper, and her amber eyes are trained on the pen as though she might know the answer to seventeen down. Family photos hang on the green kitchen wall behind them.

Puzzles like crosswords are a popular way for older adults to keep the mind engaged, and plenty of people enjoy them simply because they are fun. Dogs benefit from puzzles too. Food-dispensing toys, snuffle mats, and short training games give smart, busy breeds like Australian Shepherds an outlet for their brainpower. A dog who has had a little mental exercise in the morning is often calmer for the rest of the day. As for toast at the table, plain bread is not toxic to most dogs, but buttery or seasoned bits add up, and toppings like raisins or chocolate spreads are off-limits. A treat from the dog's own jar is the safer reward for good table manners.

Kenji may finish the puzzle before lunch, or he may not. Either way, he has a very dedicated assistant sitting right beside him, ready to help at a moment's notice.

More from this collection

All 32 →
An older man in a green sweater holds out a vanilla ice cream cone as a red merle Australian Shepherd licks it in the sun.Kenji Bought One Ice Cream Cone on the Hottest Day of the Year. Just One.An older man in a gray cardigan holds a bowl of popcorn on a couch while a red merle Aussie gazes at it hopefully.Movie Night Started With a Full Bowl of Popcorn and One Silent Request
An older man in a green sweater kneels on a patterned rug holding the raised paw of a red merle Australian Shepherd.Kenji Knelt Down for Maple's First Shake Lesson. She Was Way Ahead of Him.An older man in a brown argyle vest on a wooden bench offers a sandwich to a red merle Aussie with its paw raised.Kenji Made Himself a Sandwich. Maple Put One Paw on the Bench.An older man in a navy sweater vest sips coffee from a mug on porch steps beside a red merle Australian Shepherd at dawn.Kenji Never Drinks His First Coffee of the Day AloneAn older man in a cream sweater sits on an open pickup tailgate by a field, petting a red merle Australian Shepherd.The Tailgate Came Down, the Field Went Quiet, and Maple Looked Up