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A white-haired grandpa sits on a beach boardwalk bench with his arm around a red and white Border Collie. 18 / 20

The Boardwalk Was Windy and Nearly Empty. Grandpa and Copper Didn't Mind at All.

AI imageborder colliebeach boardwalkocean

Sea breeze, gray skies, and the long wooden boardwalk stretching away toward the beach houses. Harold sits on a weathered bench in his red buffalo-check flannel, his white hair ruffled by the wind, his arm wrapped around Copper's shoulders. He smiles down with his eyes almost closed, as if this were the most peaceful moment of the week. Copper sits pressed against his knees with his white paws on the bench, nose lifted to catch the salty air, ears soft and amber eyes half shut. A pier reaches out into the ocean in the distance, and dune grass bends along the rail.

Beach trips can be a joy for active dogs like Border Collies, and cooler, overcast days are often the most comfortable for them. Bringing fresh drinking water is important, since drinking seawater can cause vomiting and dehydration. Sand can get hot enough to burn paw pads on sunny days, and boardwalk boards can splinter, so checking surfaces and paws is wise. Many beaches have seasonal rules about dogs, so it helps to check before you go. Afterward, rinsing salt and sand out of a thick double coat and drying it well helps prevent skin irritation.

There is no rush to go anywhere. The waves roll in, the wind picks up, and Harold and Copper sit shoulder to shoulder, watching the ocean together as if they have all the time in the world.

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