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An older man in a cream sweater knits while a black German Shepherd sits beside him tangled in loops of white yarn. 20 / 22

Grandpa Ken Was Knitting a Scarf. Shadow Decided She Should Wear the Yarn First.

AI imagegerman shepherdknittingyarn

One ball of yarn started on the table. Now it is mostly on the dog. Grandpa Ken sits with his knitting needles in hand, concentrating on a small cream-colored project, his patterned sweater layered over a blue collared shirt. Meanwhile, Shadow sits right beside him, happily wound up in long loops of white yarn that drape over her head, around her neck, and down her front legs. She looks thrilled with herself, mouth open in a grin. A basket of yarn balls, a cup of tea, reading glasses, tissue boxes, and crumpled paper fill the table, and a green sofa waits across the cozy room.

Yarn looks like harmless fun, but it is one of the more common household dangers for pets. If a dog or cat swallows string or yarn, it can wrap around the intestines and cause a serious blockage that may need surgery. Supervised play is fine for some dogs, but it is best to put yarn and knitting projects away when you are done. Signs like vomiting, loss of appetite, or straining after a pet may have eaten string are reasons to call the vet promptly. Offering a sturdy rope toy instead often satisfies the urge to tug.

For now, Ken seems to be taking it all in stride, carefully working his stitches around the tangle. The scarf may take a little longer this week, but Shadow clearly thinks she is helping.

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