Grandpa Reached for the Best Apple. Pepper Inspected the Ground
Walt kneels in the grass with one arm stretched up toward a red apple hanging from a branch, his glasses perched on his nose and his eyes fixed on the fruit. Down by his knees, Pepper sniffs through a scatter of fallen apples with his gray beard brushing the grass. The orchard around them is bathed in warm evening light, with a wooden fence in the distance and more red apples sprinkled through the leaves.
Orchards are wonderful places to walk a dog, but fruit deserves a few careful rules. Apple flesh is generally fine for dogs in small bites, but the seeds and core should be avoided, and fruit lying on the ground may be rotting or fermenting, which can upset the stomach. Wasps and bees also love fallen fruit, so watch for stings. A Miniature Schnauzer's nose is always on the hunt, so a short leash or a long line helps keep him from gobbling windfalls. Bring fresh water and check his paws and beard for burrs after the walk. If your dog eats something questionable, call your vet.
Walt will fill his basket soon enough, and Pepper will no doubt continue inspecting every apple on the ground. It is a slow, sweet-smelling kind of afternoon, and both of them are in no rush. Fall is for slow baskets and small discoveries.
