Frank and Dolores Dipped Their Toes in the Lake. Pepper Took a Different Job.
The lake is calm and glassy, reflecting the last warm light of the day, and Frank and Dolores have rolled up their pant legs to dip their bare toes in the water. They sit shoulder to shoulder at the end of the weathered dock, Frank in his green cap and plaid shirt, Dolores in a soft cardigan with her hair pinned up, both smiling at some shared joke. Pepper isn't interested in getting his feet wet. He's planted himself right beside them on the boards, tongue out, scruffy face turned toward the camera like a dock-side lifeguard on duty.
Plenty of dogs love water, but not all of them are natural swimmers, and lakes bring their own risks. Docks often have steep drops with no easy way back out, so it's wise to show a dog where the shore or a ramp is, or to use a dog life jacket for boating and deep water. Still water in warm months can sometimes grow harmful algae blooms, which may look like scum, foam, or paint on the surface; dogs should be kept out of water like that, and local advisories are worth checking. Afterward, rinsing off lake water and drying ears helps prevent irritation.
Pepper seems perfectly happy on dry land anyway. The water is for toes, the dock is for dogs, and the evening belongs to all three of them.
