A Bearded Schnauzer Followed Five Kittens Through the Vegetable Patch
A salt-and-pepper Miniature Schnauzer stands in a garden bed with his bushy eyebrows and beard framing a thoughtful face, while at his feet five tiny kittens wander between young carrots and lettuce. One is ginger, one gray tabby, one white, one calico and one black, and each explores in a different direction. A watering can and a few garden tools lean against a wooden fence in the background. Morning light makes the leaves glow, and the soil looks freshly turned.
We can call the Schnauzer Walter. He walks as though in charge of the whole garden, and each time a kitten wanders too far, he turns his head to keep it in sight. It is a fine example of gentle supervision.
Miniature Schnauzers are smart, alert dogs that were originally bred to hunt rats on farms. They are energetic and loyal, with wiry coats that need regular grooming. If you have kittens exploring a garden, check carefully for toxic plants first, because lilies are especially dangerous to cats, and fertilizers, slug bait and certain mulches can also be poisonous. Kittens that are old enough to explore outdoors should be supervised and have had vet-recommended vaccines and parasite prevention. A fenced yard is a safer place for exploration than an open one.
Walter seems to take his job as garden guard very seriously, and the kittens are happy with the arrangement.
