Grandpa Ken Watered the Marigolds. His Boxer Wanted a Job Too.
The flower beds are bursting with color: yellow and orange marigolds, pink and purple blooms spilling over a wooden border. Grandpa Ken tips a brass watering can over them, a gentle shower falling onto the petals while he smiles down at his garden helper. Rocco stands right at his side, head tilted and big brown eyes looking up, as if to ask whether he can help too. Potted herbs, a coiled garden hose, a blue bucket, a basket of laundry, and an open back door fill the cheerful yard behind them.
Gardening is a rewarding way for older adults to stay active outdoors, and dogs often love to tag along. A few precautions make it safer for everyone. Some common garden plants can be toxic to dogs if chewed, so it is worth checking any new plants before adding them to beds a pet can reach. Fertilizers, slug bait, insecticides, and cocoa mulch are also hazards that should be kept away from curious noses. Many dogs enjoy the chance to sniff around while their person works, and a shady spot with a water bowl gives them a comfortable place to settle while the watering gets done.
Rocco may not know a marigold from a weed, but he is clearly committed to supervising every single bed. With a helper like that, Ken's garden is in very good paws.
