Grandma June Picked Up a Hammer to Fix the Fence. Her Crew Reported for Work.
The old picket fence has a few loose boards, and Grandma June has rolled up her cardigan sleeves to fix them. She leans in with a hammer, glasses hanging on a cord around her neck, a look of quiet concentration on her face as she taps a nail into a weathered slat. Her crew is standing by. Pip, the scruffy little terrier mix, sits proudly beside the fence with a stick clamped crosswise in his mouth, looking like an apprentice holding a tool. Behind him, Domino the harlequin Great Dane towers over the scene, ears up and head tilted, watching every swing of the hammer. A bicycle wheel, a potted plant, and the house siding fill the background.
Dogs love to be involved in whatever their people are doing, and carrying sticks is a classic way for them to join in. Still, sticks can be surprisingly risky. They can splinter and cause cuts in the mouth or throat, and a dog running with a stick can be injured if one end hits the ground. Safer alternatives include sturdy rubber chew toys or rope toys made for dogs. Home repair projects bring their own hazards: dropped nails, screws, and sharp tools should be cleaned up promptly, and power tools can frighten sensitive dogs. Keeping dogs at a safe distance, perhaps on a long line or in another part of the yard, protects both the helpers and the hard-working human.
The fence may take a little longer with this crew, but Grandma June clearly would not trade her assistants for anyone else.
