Browse ›
A grandma hammers a weathered wooden fence while a Golden Retriever sits beside her holding a long stick in his mouth. 12 / 29

Grandma Grabbed Her Hammer to Fix the Fence. Rusty Showed Up With Supplies.

AI imagegolden retrieverbackyarddiy

The old fence has a loose post, and Ruth has decided today is the day it gets fixed. With her sunglasses pushed up on her head and her braid swinging, she grips the hammer and lines up a nail on the gray, weathered rails. The yard around her is a working yard: split logs stacked by the house, a blue bucket, a tangle of green hose, and a row of shovels leaning on the siding. Right beside the fence sits Rusty, holding a long stick crosswise in his mouth with enormous pride. He looks straight ahead, waiting for someone to notice that he, too, has brought building materials.

Carrying things is deeply wired into retrievers. The breed was developed to bring back birds with a soft mouth, and many Goldens are happiest with something in their jaws, whether it is a toy, a shoe, or a branch. Sticks are the classic choice, but they can splinter and cause cuts in the mouth or throat, and running with a stick can lead to painful injuries. Sturdy rubber fetch toys or rope toys are a safer outlet for that urge. Around home repair projects, it also helps to keep nails, screws, and tools picked up, since a curious dog may try to carry those, too.

Ruth will probably thank her helper with a pat once the post is steady. Rusty, for his part, will keep his stick, just in case the fence needs a second opinion.

More from this collection

All 29 →
A grandma with a silver braid hugs a red-gold Golden Retriever as they both gaze out a window at snowy pine trees.It Snowed Overnight, and Grandma Wanted Rusty to See It FirstA smiling grandma sits at a lace-covered tea table with a scone and butter while a red-gold Golden Retriever stares ahead.Grandma Set Out Scones on Her Best Lace Tablecloth. One Guest Wasn't Invited.
A laughing grandma holds a rake as a red-gold Golden Retriever leaps into a pile of orange and brown autumn leaves.Thirty Minutes of Raking Leaves, Undone by One Red-Gold Retriever in Two SecondsA grandma in glasses waters orange and purple pansies with a metal can while a dark red Golden Retriever sits close by.Grandma Was Watering the Pansies, but She Wasn't Smiling at the FlowersA grandma with a silver braid holds the raised paw of a dark red Golden Retriever on a patterned living room rug.Grandma Held Out Her Hand and Said One Word. Rusty Was Ready.A grandma sips a glass of iced lemonade on a shady porch while a happy red-gold Golden Retriever pants beside her.Grandma Poured One Glass of Lemonade. Rusty Found the Coolest Spot on the Porch.