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A laughing older man rakes autumn leaves in a yard while a blue merle Border Collie leaps through the leaf pile. 34 / 39

Grandpa Earl Finally Raked All the Leaves Into One Neat Pile. Then Skye Saw It.

AI imageborder collieautumn leavesyard work

Raking leaves is a losing battle when a Border Collie is on the job. Grandpa Earl stands in the yard with a bamboo rake, glasses on and a huge laugh spreading across his face, as Skye comes bounding straight through the pile he has just gathered. Her front paws are mid-leap, ears flying, and a few orange leaves are still fluttering in the air around her. The ground is carpeted in rust, gold, and brown, a watering can sits by the steps, pots of mums brighten the porch, and the low autumn sun glows through the trees.

Leaf piles are a classic fall joy for dogs, and they can be great fun with a few precautions. Before letting a dog dive in, rake through the pile to check for sticks, rocks, or anything sharp hidden underneath. Damp, decaying leaves can grow mold, which some dogs may react to if they eat it, so discourage leaf snacking. Ticks can also be active in autumn and like to hide in leaf litter, so a quick check of ears, armpits, and between the toes after playtime is a good habit. And if you use lawn treatments or fertilizers, keep pets off the area as the product label directs.

Earl clearly is not upset that his tidy pile is now a scattered mess. His laugh says he expected this, and maybe even raked it into one big pile on purpose.

The yard will take a little longer to clean up today, but some chores are better with a few interruptions.

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