Browse ›
A yellow Labrador Retriever lies on a tile kitchen floor with cake frosting smeared on both front paws. 30 / 31

The Birthday Cake Was on the Counter and the Lab Was on the Floor

AI imageyellow labradorcake frostingkitchen

A yellow Labrador lies flat on the tile floor, front paws stretched out in front of him and both coated in white frosting. His soft brown eyes look up with a small, hopeful smile. A counter behind him holds bowls, spoons and what remains of a decorated cake, and a tote bag stands near the window. Somebody's birthday dessert has taken a very sudden turn.

Labradors are friendly, loving dogs with an enormous appetite, and they will happily help with any dessert. They are patient and gentle, which makes them popular family pets, but they also gain weight easily, so treats should be small. Cake is not good for dogs because it is full of sugar and fat, and chocolate, raisins or sweeteners like xylitol are poisonous to dogs. If a dog has eaten cake, call your vet to ask what to watch for.

Wiping the paws and face is a good idea, because dogs will lick off the frosting and swallow any decoration. A dog-friendly treat, such as a plain frozen banana or a carrot, offers a safe way to celebrate.

He lies quietly with a face full of hope, like a dog who is confident a second slice might still arrive. The party will go on, only with a few fewer layers. Labs are famous for bouncing back, so the guilt, if any, will be gone by dinnertime.

More from this collection

All 31 →
A black and white Boston Terrier stands on a wooden floor holding a badly chewed gray slipper in its mouth.The Boston Terrier Brought a Slipper to Show EveryoneA brown Newfoundland lies among shredded envelopes and paper scraps on a living room floor, looking to the side.The Mail Arrived Early and the Newfoundland Was Waiting
A small white Maltese sits smiling on a wooden porch beside a torn, chewed navy baseball cap.The Maltese Found a New Chew Toy on the Front PorchA black and tan Rottweiler lies in a thick layer of pink and red tulip petals on the floor, looking away.The Rottweiler Looks Gentle Enough. The Tulips Might Disagree.A tricolor Beagle looks up from inside a ragged, torn cream curtain draped around his shoulders near a window.The Beagle Got a Little Too Interested in the Window CurtainA black and white Havanese with a scruffy beard sits on a wooden floor beside a heap of shredded newspaper strips.Pepper Read the Whole Newspaper. Then She Shredded It.