Everyone knows by now that
"We like our Beardies just a little on the trashy side!"
Well today, Scooch decided to get in on the act!
Today is Monday (10/11/04), and we do pet therapy visits with Scooch and Boogie every Tuesday afternoon. Since their beards were a little stinky, they all had bits of pine sap here and there in their coats, and the weather was pretty nice, I decided today should be bath day for all 3 dogs.
I started by putting all of them in their kennels since Shadow won't leave anyone else alone during grooming sessions. He doesn't want to be brushed, he just doesn't want anyone else to get all that attention!
I collected towels, shampoo and conditioner, closed the door from the basement to the upstairs, and closed the gate from the dog run into the yard.
I started with Boogie since he's the most agreeable. I brushed him, I bathed him, I dried him with a towel, then I gave him a treat, opened the bathroom door and let him run around for a few minutes rolling on the carpet and rubbing his face on the fence, the desks, the grandkids' toybox, etc. When he settled down, I put him in his kennel to dry for a bit while I bathed the other two.
Scooch was next since she takes the longest to dry and she's a bit more compliant than Shadow. Notice I said "a bit" more compliant. First, I tried to lure her out of her kennel with a treat. No luck. I finally had to attach a leash to her collar and drag her out of her kennel. Our normally obedient girl forgets every command she knows when she sees the grooming kit, so I had to force her to lie down to be brushed. After brushing her, I tried to lead her into the bathroom for bathing. "Stubborn mule" doesn't even come close! With a favorite treat directly in front of her nose, I still had to half-drag her into the shower. Once there, she does settle down and actually seems to enjoy the massage while being bathed & the warm water spraying to rinse her.
OK, whew! Scooch was bathed and rinsed. I dried her with a towel, gave her a treat and opened the bathroom door to let her run around the basement. Big mistake! The little princess who doesn't like to get dirty flew out the doggie door. I didn't think much of it until she came back in through the doggie door a few minutes later and . . . well, I just had to share . . .
What do you mean "another bath"????? You can't be serious!
Oh, no, I think she really means it!
This is cruel and unusual punishment! Someone call the SPCA!
But Boogie's brown and Shadow's black . . . how come that doesn't bother you?
Well, I guess there's something to be said for being "wheaten-colored" too.
I don't know whether Scooch relayed a message to Shadow, but for the first time ever, he lay quietly without objection while I brushed him then went quietly to the shower and allowed me to bathe him without any argument at all! When we were done, he went happily into his kennel and lay down to dry. Thank goodness! Of course, I did close the doggie door before bathing him . . . I don't think my back would have taken a 5th dog-bath today!