Browse ›
A smiling older man in a sweater vest bends toward a happy black German Shepherd with an open mouth in a warm kitchen. 9 / 22

Grandpa Ken Put On His Favorite Song in the Kitchen. Shadow Wanted In on the Dance.

AI imagegerman shepherdkitchen dancehappy dog

Somebody turned on a good song, and the kitchen became a dance floor. Grandpa Ken sways and bends toward Shadow with a wide, crinkly smile, his brown sweater vest over a light blue shirt, one hand held out as if inviting her to join. Shadow is all in. Her mouth is open in a big happy grin, her tail is swinging behind her, and her ears are turned toward him like she does not want to miss a beat. A bowl of lemons and apples sits on the wooden counter, a dish towel hangs over the edge, and family photos cover the fridge.

Dogs tend to mirror the energy of the people around them. When we are cheerful and playful, many dogs respond with wiggles, play bows, and soft open mouths, which is often what a relaxed, happy dog looks like. German Shepherds can be serious and watchful by reputation, but with the people they love, many are big goofballs. Short, upbeat play sessions like this also count as enrichment. A few minutes of silly bonding at home can be just as valuable to a dog as a long outing, especially on days when the weather or the knees say stay inside.

Ken may not win any dance contests, and Shadow certainly will not. But judging by those two smiles, nobody in this kitchen cares about technique. The song is good, the company is better, and the dance goes on.

More from this collection

All 22 →
An older man scatters grain from a scoop to brown and white chickens while a black German Shepherd stands calmly behind them.Three Hungry Hens, One Scoop of Grain, and a German Shepherd Who Knows the RulesAn older man in a jacket and sweater vest shovels a snowy driveway while a black German Shepherd lies in the snowbank beside him.Grandpa Ken Had a Whole Driveway to Shovel. Shadow Found a Better Use for the Snow.
A smiling older man in a gray sweater vest stands among orange pumpkins in a garden beside a happy black German Shepherd.Grandpa Ken Finally Harvested His Pumpkins. Shadow Thought It Was All for Her.An older man in a brown cardigan paints a landscape at a wooden easel in a dusky backyard while a black German Shepherd lies nearby.Grandpa Ken Kept Painting After the Sun Went Down. Someone Stayed With Him the Whole Time.An older man in a cream cable-knit sweater holds a sandwich out to a black German Shepherd sniffing it on a wooden bench.Grandpa Ken Only Packed One Sandwich. Shadow Had a Polite Way of Asking.An older man in a beige sweater vest hangs laundry on a clothesline as a black and tan German Shepherd leaps past the sheets.Grandpa Ken Hung Up Fresh White Sheets. Shadow Saw an Agility Course.