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A tan and white mixed-breed dog lies on a wooden porch at dusk beside a navy baseball cap with chewed holes. 19 / 32

A Favorite Hat Was Left on the Porch. The Mutt Found It.

AI imagemixed breed dogcaught in the actporch

Evening settles over the porch, and a tan and white mutt lies on the boards with his ears pulled back, his soft brown eyes glancing up. Right beside his paws lies a navy baseball cap that has seen better days. The brim is chewed, the fabric is full of tiny holes, and bits of fuzzy lining stick out in all directions. A lantern glows on the wall in the background, and a plant sits in a pot by the railing. We'll call him Rusty, and he's trying to look as small as possible.

Chewing is normal dog behavior, and it serves several purposes. Puppies chew while teething, and adult dogs chew to relieve boredom, stress or simply because something tastes interesting, like a hat that smells like a favorite person. Hats, shoes and clothing are tempting because of that scent. Keeping personal items out of reach and offering a durable chew toy with a similar texture can help. Avoid giving a dog a worn-out item to play with, since it teaches him that all hats are fair game. Check with your vet if chewing seems constant or sudden.

Rusty seems to know the hat wasn't meant to be a toy. His whole body says sorry, and he is waiting patiently to see how the evening will go. A fresh hat is probably in the future, but a long belly rub might smooth things over first.

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