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An elderly Black woman in a green cardigan walks through a pumpkin patch beside a smiling tricolor Australian Shepherd. 7 / 28

Mae Went Looking for the Perfect Pumpkin. Bandit Stole the Whole Patch.

AI imageaustralian shepherdpumpkin patchautumn

Bright orange pumpkins dot the vines in every direction, and the late-afternoon light makes them glow. Mae strolls between the rows in a long olive cardigan, jeans, and dark-rimmed glasses, smiling down at the dog trotting happily at her side. Bandit looks straight up at the camera with a big open-mouthed grin, his black coat framing a white blaze, and one striking blue eye paired with one brown. Curling vines and dry leaves crunch underfoot, and a little blue clapboard house with mums on the steps sits at the edge of the patch, adding to the cozy fall feeling.

Those mismatched eyes are a well-known Australian Shepherd trait. Aussies can have brown, blue, amber, or even two different colored eyes, and some have marbled or split coloring within one eye. It's simply part of the breed's striking variety. Fall outings like this one are a great chance for a herding dog to stretch his legs and sniff new terrain. Keep an eye out for seasonal hazards, though. Uncooked pumpkin is generally not toxic, but moldy or rotting pumpkin can upset a dog's stomach, and decorative gourds may be treated with chemicals. Plain cooked or canned pumpkin, without spices or sugar, is often offered to dogs in small amounts. Watch for burrs and sticky seeds caught in a feathered coat, and check paws and fur for ticks after walking through tall vegetation.

Mae is browsing for the perfect pumpkin, and Bandit is simply thrilled to be included in the hunt. It's autumn at its most cheerful.

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An elderly Black woman in a plaid shirt washes a soapy tricolor Australian Shepherd in a metal tub in the backyard.Mae Rolled Up Her Sleeves and Filled the Old Washtub. Bandit Knew What Was Coming.An elderly Black woman in a grey jacket feeds ducks at a small pond while a tricolor Australian Shepherd sits watching.The Ducks Swam Right Up to Mae. Bandit, a Born Herder, Had to Decide What to Do.
A tricolor Australian Shepherd lies in a snowbank with snow on its face as an elderly woman shovels the driveway behind.Mae Bundled Up to Shovel the Driveway. Bandit Had His Own Plans for the Snow.An elderly Black woman in a grey cardigan holds a bowl of popcorn on a couch while a tricolor Australian Shepherd sniffs it.Mae Made a Big Bowl of Popcorn for Movie Night. Bandit Got Very Close.An elderly Black woman in a blue apron bakes cookies as a tricolor Australian Shepherd with flour on its nose watches.Mae Was Baking Cookies When She Noticed the Flour on Bandit's NoseAn elderly Black woman in a green cardigan reads an old letter on a sofa as a tricolor Australian Shepherd leans on her.Mae Found an Old Letter Tucked Away. Bandit Knew She Needed Company.