Browse ›
A curly chocolate Poodle and a white lamb sleep side by side on a rug in front of a cast iron wood stove with a lit fire. 26 / 37

The Wood Stove Was Crackling and Two Sleepyheads Gave Up Completely

AI imagepoodlelambwood stove

Behind the glass door of a black cast iron stove, logs glow orange and crackle softly, and on the rug just in front of it, two sleepyheads have surrendered completely. A chocolate Poodle with a mop of tight brown curls lies with her chin on the floor, eyes shut, while a white lamb has curled up beside her with its face resting gently on the rug. The scene is quiet and lived-in: a pair of boots and a folded sweater by the wall, a slipper near the edge of the rug, and pale winter light washing over the whitewashed room.

Wood stoves are wonderfully cozy, and pets seem to know it instantly. But the stove's iron body, door, and glass get extremely hot, hot enough to burn a curious nose or a wagging tail. A hearth gate or freestanding barrier can keep animals at a safe distance while still letting them enjoy the warmth. It is also wise to keep a working carbon monoxide detector in any room with a fuel-burning appliance, to have the chimney inspected regularly, and to make sure pets always have a cooler spot to move to if they get too warm.

With a safe gap between them and the fire, these two have found the sweet spot where the warmth reaches but the heat does not. The fire hums, the house is still, and two very different coats rise and fall in matching, contented rhythm.

More from this collection

All 37 →
A tall white Great Dane with black patches walks next to a small white lamb beside a weathered wooden rail fence.A Harlequin Great Dane Walked the Fence Line With a Friend Who Fits Under His ChinA red and white Corgi sits upright beside a resting white lamb on worn wooden porch steps with a misty garden behind them.A Corgi Sat Up Tall on the Porch Step. His Neighbor Looked Right Back.
A smooth-coated white and tan Jack Russell Terrier sniffs noses with a young white lamb on a sunny backyard lawn.Every Friendship Starts Somewhere. For This Jack Russell, It Was One Sniff.A black and white Boston Terrier in a blue denim vest and a white lamb drink side by side from one ceramic water bowl.A Boston Terrier in a Denim Vest Went for a Drink and Found CompanyA black and tan Rottweiler and a white lamb peek out from inside a rumpled beige quilt on a wooden floor in the morning.A Rottweiler Woke Up in a Quilt Burrito. He Wasn't in There Alone.A massive fluffy black Newfoundland sleeps on a woven rug spread on the grass, with a small white lamb dozing against it.The Newfoundland Fell Asleep in the Yard. A Little Lamb Found the Perfect Spot.