Browse ›
An older man in overalls smiles from the driver's seat of an old pickup while a blue merle Border Collie sits beside him. 14 / 39

Grandpa Earl Grabbed the Keys to the Old Pickup. Skye Beat Him to the Front Seat.

AI imageborder colliepickup truckroad trip

The old pickup has seen decades of errands, and it has never had a more enthusiastic copilot. Grandpa Earl sits behind the big steering wheel in his olive shirt and overalls, smiling sideways at his passenger. Skye sits tall in the front seat, mouth open in a happy pant, ears up, looking straight ahead as if she is ready to give directions. The paint on the door frame is chipped and the dashboard is dusty, and through the windows a white house with a porch and flower pots waits in the background. It looks like they are about to head out, or just pulled back in from town.

Dogs love truck rides, but safety matters every time. A dog loose in the front seat can be hurt by a sudden stop, and passenger-side airbags can be dangerous to them. Many experts recommend a crash-tested harness attached to a seat belt, or a secured crate, ideally in the back seat when possible. Riding loose in an open truck bed is especially risky, since dogs can be thrown out or jump. Never leave a dog in a parked vehicle on a warm day, even with the windows cracked, because the inside can heat up dangerously fast.

Skye does not care about the details, of course. To her, the sound of keys and the creak of the truck door mean adventure, and adventure means being right next to Earl.

Wherever they are going, the radio is probably playing old country songs, and someone is definitely getting a drive-through treat.

More from this collection

All 39 →
An older man in overalls sits on a pickup tailgate by a misty field, smiling down at a blue merle Border Collie beside him.A Foggy Field, an Old Tailgate, and the Way Skye Looks at Grandpa EarlAn older man whittles wood on a porch step as curled shavings pile up and a blue merle Border Collie watches.Grandpa Earl Is Carving Something on the Porch. Skye Can't Look Away.
An older man holding a fishing rod sits on a weathered wooden dock beside a smiling blue merle Border Collie.The Fish Weren't Biting, but Grandpa Earl Wasn't Alone on the DockAn older man bathes a soapy, wet blue merle Border Collie in a galvanized metal tub in a backyard.Grandpa Earl Filled the Old Metal Tub. Skye Knew Exactly What Was Coming.A smiling older man in overalls bends to scratch the chin of a happy blue merle Border Collie in a warm, sunlit kitchen.Grandpa Earl Bent Down for One Quick Chin Scratch. Skye's Tail Went Into Overdrive.An older man butters toast beside scrambled eggs at a patio table while a blue merle Border Collie watches from his side.Grandpa Earl Set Out Two Plates of Eggs on the Patio. Only One Was His.