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An elderly Asian American man does a crossword at a breakfast table while a fawn Boxer rests its chin on the table. 8 / 33

Ken Was Stuck on 14 Across When a Wrinkly Chin Appeared on the Table

AI imageboxercrosswordbreakfast

Breakfast is spread across the table: coffee, a halved avocado, a boiled egg, toast, strawberries and blueberries, and a tall glass of water. Grandpa Ken, in a gray knit sweater vest and plaid shirt, leans over the morning crossword with pencil in hand, glasses on, completely absorbed. He isn't the only one at the table, though. Duke has rested his big wrinkled chin right on the edge, brown eyes looking up with that soulful Boxer stare that says he would very much like to help with breakfast, if not the puzzle. Keys, reading glasses, a fruit bowl, and a bright kitchen window complete the morning scene.

Begging at the table is a habit many dogs pick up quickly, especially when it occasionally pays off. The kindest approach is consistency: if no one shares food from the table, most dogs learn to relax instead. Some breakfast foods can also be risky. Avocado skin and pit can be dangerous, grapes and raisins are toxic to dogs, and buttered toast or fatty foods may upset their stomach. If you'd like to include your dog in the routine, try giving it a puzzle toy or a few pieces of its own food at the same time you sit down to eat.

Ken may need a few more minutes to fill in those last squares. Until then, Duke will keep his chin parked on the table, hoping the answer to 'good boy' is somewhere on that plate.

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