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An elderly man reaches up to pick a red apple while a red and white husky sniffs apples on the ground near a wicker basket. 3 / 32

Grandpa Kenji Picked From the Tree. Maple Had Her Own System for the Apples.

AI imagesiberian huskyapple orchardautumn

Up goes Grandpa Kenji's hand toward a shiny red apple dangling just within reach, while down below Maple has found her own harvest. The red and white husky has her nose buried among the windfalls scattered across the grass, sniffing each one as if she's grading them for quality. A wicker basket already holds a small pile of fruit, the orchard rows stretch back into a soft autumn haze, and Grandpa Kenji's brown sweater and glasses give him the look of a man who has done this every fall for decades.

Orchards are wonderful places for dogs to explore, but fallen fruit deserves a little caution. A bite of plain apple flesh is generally considered a safe, crunchy treat for most dogs in small amounts. The seeds and core are a different story, since apple seeds contain compounds that shouldn't be eaten, and cores can be a choking hazard. Fermenting fruit on the ground is another concern, because rotting apples can upset a dog's stomach. The simple approach is to let your dog sniff all she likes, gently redirect her when she tries to chomp the old windfalls, and offer a few fresh, cored slices at home instead. If your dog eats a lot of fallen fruit and seems unwell, talk to your vet.

Huskies have strong noses and boundless curiosity, so an orchard is basically a giant scent library for them. Keeping a long leash handy is smart, too, since this breed loves to wander off after an interesting smell.

By the end of the afternoon, the basket will be full and Maple will have personally inspected every apple in the row. Teamwork, orchard style.

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