Five Shepherd Pups Found the Tulip Bed. Nobody Told Them It Wasn't a Bed.

Five fuzzy faces, one tight little pile, and a whole garden of tulips blooming around them. These black and tan German Shepherd puppies have squeezed together in a flower bed beside a weathered house, paws draped over one another like they rehearsed it. One pup in the middle is half buried under his siblings, peeking out with sleepy eyes, while the two in front stare straight ahead with the serious, wrinkled brows that only shepherd babies can pull off. Pink, red and yellow blooms frame the scene, and a fallen petal rests in the dirt by their oversized paws.

Those huge paws and floppy ears are classic for the breed at this age. German Shepherd puppies are often born with ears that flop over, and many owners watch with amusement as the ears go up, fall back down, and tilt in odd directions during teething before standing for good. The dark coat also tends to lighten as tan markings spread with age. Shepherds are intelligent, loyal and eager to work, which means they thrive with early socialization, short positive training sessions and plenty of things to do. A bored shepherd will invent its own projects, and the garden is usually first on the list.

Speaking of gardens, if puppies share your yard with spring flowers, keep an eye on what they chew. Tulip bulbs in particular can upset a dog's stomach, so it is wise to fence off flower beds or supervise outdoor play, and talk to your vet if a pup gets into something questionable.

For now, though, this crew looks perfectly content to be the prettiest thing in the flower bed.