treats

Autumn camouflage

Photo of Chuck the dog by Heather B. Armstrong for dooce.com

When raking leaves, be careful not to lose the mutt whose coat perfectly matches the season.

Also, super fun trick: rake leaves into a huge pile and then toss a few treats into the mound. The mental energy your dog will use to find those treats saves you the work of having to take him on a walk am I your best friend or what.