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A smiling white-haired woman in glasses holds a sandwich on a wooden bench while a white Bichon Frise sits beside her. 28 / 39

Grandma Ruth Packed One Sandwich for the Bench. She Should Have Packed Two.

AI imagebichon frisegardenpicnic

Dusk is settling over the garden, and a little lantern has flickered on by the fence. Ruth sits on a weathered wooden bench with a hearty sandwich in hand, layered with greens and fillings, and she is grinning at her lunch companion. Cotton sits right beside her on the bench, mouth open in a cheerful pant, eyes locked on the sandwich with polite but unmistakable interest. Potted herbs, a watering can, and lush shrubs fill the yard around them, making it feel like a peaceful little picnic at the end of the day.

It is tempting to share a sandwich with a hopeful dog, but it pays to know what is inside first. Common sandwich ingredients like onions, garlic, grapes, raisins, and some spreads can be harmful to dogs. Processed deli meats and cheeses are often very salty and fatty, which can upset a dog's stomach. If you want to share, a small piece of plain cooked chicken or turkey without seasoning is a safer option. Better yet, carry a few dog treats on outings so your pup has something of their own to enjoy. Teaching a dog to sit and wait calmly, rather than begging, makes mealtime more relaxing for everyone.

Cotton may or may not get a nibble, but he has already scored a seat beside his favorite person and the best view in the garden. For a dog, that might be the tastiest part of the evening.

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A white-haired woman in a green quilted vest kneels on a patterned rug holding the raised paw of a white Bichon Frise.Grandma Ruth Spent All Week Teaching Cotton a New Trick. Today Was the Test.A white-haired woman in a green vest and jeans walks a smiling white Bichon Frise on a leash down a dirt country road.The Sun Was Setting Over the Old Country Road. Cotton Was Leading the Way.
A smiling white-haired woman in a navy vest holds a fishing rod on a wooden dock while a white Bichon Frise sits beside her.Grandma Ruth Cast Her Line Off the Old Dock. Cotton Was More Interested in Her.A white-haired woman in a beige quilted vest plants a tomato seedling as a white Bichon Frise digs in the soil beside her.Grandma Ruth Was Planting Tomatoes. Cotton Decided the Garden Needed More Holes.A smiling white-haired woman in a navy vest offers grain to ducks at a pond while a white Bichon Frise sits nearby.The Ducks Came Paddling Over for Grandma's Grain. Cotton Had to Make a Choice.A smiling white-haired woman in glasses and a navy vest sits on a wooden bench hugging a happy white Bichon Frise.Grandma Ruth Just Wanted to Rest on the Boardwalk Bench. Cotton Had Other Plans.