Baths

I asked Deb about preparing Dusty for her show this week - and got some useful tips. I didn't want to turn up au naturale when everyone else had worked cornflour through their dogs coat, added eyeliner and boot-polished their noses. Deb suggested just neatening her appearance, but basically leaving her pretty much wash and wear. So Dusty will get a bath this week.

I bought a dog wash mit (it was on sale, how could I resist), and we have been playing wash, wash, wash with it, which they both enjoy enormously. See how they feel when I add water and shampoo. A petstore nearby has hydrobaths that you can use that streamlines the process. I use the Fido range of shampoos and rinses. Thommo has the Tea Tree Oil, and I picked up some of the Puppy Shampoo for Dusty. I also got some of the Herbal Rinse from the bargin bin.

Thommo would be bathed three or four times a year, but he swims almost daily. Thommo 'suffers' his baths. He'll come, and stand still, but he looks at you the whole time with a look that says "I thought you loved me. How could you torture me like this?" and then he will avoid me for the rest of the day as though I woke up with an overwhelming urge to bath things and will continue to do so all day until the urge subsides.