Leaf piles look like a dog magazine cover. They also hide what the wind blew in.
Before they dive
- Scan for sticks that can splinterbroken glass, and food trash.
- Skip piles near the street where cars drip fluids.
- If a lawn service just treated the yard, keep walking, do not use that pile as a playground.
On the walk
Shorter leash near busy leaf corners until you know what is underneath. Wipe paws at the door; fall debris sticks to everything and then your couch.
Aftercare
Check ears and paws for seeds and foxtails if you have them in your area. If your dog ate something unknown from a pile, call your vet, do not wait for “maybe it was fine.”
For general pet toxin questions, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control page is a solid bookmark. Cute photos can wait until the walk is actually safe.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons, Dog_walking_at_Tewkesbury_-_geograph.org.uk_-_611204.jpg. Beautifully Chaotic Life does not claim ownership of this image.
