With so many people at home during the summer, people are always on the lookout for safe new activities. While chalk is always an inexpensive solution, it can get old pretty fast. Paint, on the other hand, can go a long way.
Just ask Brian Stanley. Brian got his family — along with his whole neighborhood — in on a brilliant plan that also involved his two dogs, Ripley and Burger King — known best as Burger. Both dogs enjoy people watching. They especially love spying on their on-the-go neighbors through a hole in their fence. For Burger, it's a big part of his day.
While the neighborhood seems to be OK with the pups spying on them, Brian thought he could make the experience more fun. He created art around the hole. Now when the pups use their dog fence? It's a work of art.
The idea is such a hit that the two dogs have appeared in quite a few pieces of artwork. And it is such innocent fun that the whole community can't wait to see which "masterpiece" will appear next.
And since each piece of art is made out of cardboard, they're simple to swap in and out. The entire dog fence idea is pretty genius.
According to Bored Panda, one of the first ideas was simple enough — a mock-up of the Jaws poster. However, instead of Jaws, it was Paws. The dogs likely don't know any different, but the experience is truly funny for the humans. Plus, who wouldn't want to see Paws, featuring this cutie?
"The whole thing started last August when Burger was just a few months old and started digging under the fence so that he could look at people going by," Brian said to Bored Panda. "To solve this, I cut a hole in the fence to act as a window for him. He immediately started using the window and stopped digging."
Since the response was so good, Brian started making even more. Some of the posters really showcase the artistic skills that Brian and his family have. For example, they even re-created The Scream by Edvard Munch. But their version was titled The Bark.
Pac-Man fans will also get a kick out of the poster that put Ripley and Burger right in the game. Sure, they may be siding with the ghosts, but it's still very cute to see the two of them alongside some of the most recognizable arcade game characters. (And as a bonus, they could very easily turn this into Ms. Pac-Man if they're feeling a little unmotivated one week.)
While it's Burger who enjoys sticking his head through the fence the most, both dogs have used the posters. As you might assume, it was the virus that caused this idea to morph into a full-time project. Since so many people were out and about, it became a great time to gain an audience.
"I found myself out of work and my son home from school," Brian explained. "The two of us noticed an increase in foot and bike traffic on the street side of the fence. I came up with the idea to paint a dog-themed painting to frame the window, which would be brought to life when Burger stuck his head through the fence."
According to The Vindicator, Burger is a husky and golden retriever mix. It didn't take him too long to adapt to the hole, especially with the art hung up on the other side. "Sure enough, I cut the hole and his face was through it," said Brian. His son, Cameron, also helps out with the art installments, making it a family project.
"Everybody likes it," Cameron explained to The Vindicator. "It slows down traffic." And even better, the dogs are likely outside a bunch when the weather is nice. That means that neighbors get plenty of time to see the "living art" in action.
One of the most memorable displays was for the Fourth of July. It resembles the famous Uncle Sam poster, stating, "I Want You For U.S. Army." But instead, it reads, "I Want You For Fetch." And it even specifies the location, like the original. Instead of "Nearest Recruiting Station," it's "Nearest Backyard."
As expected, Burger has gained a wide pool of new friends since the art became popular. People love to see both dogs, but Burger is definitely the pup whom the display — and the original fence hole — was made for. "People give him treats, take selfies," Burger's mom, Mallory, said.
Speaking of Burger, he was actually a rescue. His full given name is Burger King, and he came from a shelter called New Lease on Life in Struthers, Ohio. His whole litter was named after fast food. True to his name, Burger is a big fan of eating burgers.
It seems as if Burger really did get a new lease on life, as many rescue pups do. In almost every photo on Brian's Instagram page, he seems to be smiling. Plus, getting treats from his nearby neighbors just for sticking his head in a fence hole seems to be a pretty good deal. And the good news is, the art is likely going to stick around for a long time — even after a vaccine is found.
"In the beginning, we just thought it would brighten the day in the neighborhood and hopefully bring a few smiles to people's faces," Brian told Bored Panda. "There was an immediate positive response to it. My son and I have no plans to stop putting up new paintings and have enough ideas to keep doing this for years."
While Brian and his family have the original dog fence, it's a great idea for any neighborhood who has a curious, friendly dog and a love of art. It's nice to know that even during these trying times, people are still finding ways to be optimistic and creative. Follow Burger and Ripley on Instagram to see more of their adventures.
