It has been raining a lot lately...I like that. The problem with it is, the dogs get scared, and dirty.
Scared of the thunder. But dirty, is another thing all-together.
When I stole Scardy Dog, she was traumatized by an injury, among other things. No one had ever tried to teach her anything, and in fact, had been horribly cruel to her. As I would try to tend her wound, she would get this catatonic look on her face, and shake.
It made me so sad for her life before us. So...when it came to scaring her, I just wouldn't. She needed to trust us. With all this rain, the dogs were very dirty. The Lad went and got some oatmeal dog shampoo, for dirty, itchy dogs...mostly for Bad Dog. That made last night, bath night. AND...interesting!
Bad Dog has had baths before, and was less than happy about her fate. But being that she is about 60 pounds, not much of a problem to control. The Lad just picked her up and put her in the tub. I shut the bathroom door and gave encouragement to both the bather, and the bathed. It went fast. With a big puddle on the bathroom floor.
That encouraged The Lad, and made him brave. "Let's give Scardy Dog a bath, too. She really needs one." So we prepared for bath number 2, making sure to clean up the floor of water, luckily.
I have to say...it was like...wrestling alligators. She weighs about 90 pounds or more, and is a very Large dog. She was thrashing about trying to break free. It threw The Lad off balance several times before he got her in the tub. We blocked her so she couldn't climb out, and I held her face, whispering loving words to her in a calm voice.
She wasn't sure she liked it, but she must have decided we weren't hurting her, either. I think she liked the warm water, and all the rubbing by the both of us. Then, ultimately, the wonderful feeling of being clean. (She really is a very clean dog, as far as dogs go.)
It wasn't long after the bath that she seemed fully recovered, emotionally. I believe this is the first bath of many to come. Well, not too many, I hope.
Scared of the thunder. But dirty, is another thing all-together.
When I stole Scardy Dog, she was traumatized by an injury, among other things. No one had ever tried to teach her anything, and in fact, had been horribly cruel to her. As I would try to tend her wound, she would get this catatonic look on her face, and shake.
It made me so sad for her life before us. So...when it came to scaring her, I just wouldn't. She needed to trust us. With all this rain, the dogs were very dirty. The Lad went and got some oatmeal dog shampoo, for dirty, itchy dogs...mostly for Bad Dog. That made last night, bath night. AND...interesting!
Bad Dog has had baths before, and was less than happy about her fate. But being that she is about 60 pounds, not much of a problem to control. The Lad just picked her up and put her in the tub. I shut the bathroom door and gave encouragement to both the bather, and the bathed. It went fast. With a big puddle on the bathroom floor.
That encouraged The Lad, and made him brave. "Let's give Scardy Dog a bath, too. She really needs one." So we prepared for bath number 2, making sure to clean up the floor of water, luckily.
I have to say...it was like...wrestling alligators. She weighs about 90 pounds or more, and is a very Large dog. She was thrashing about trying to break free. It threw The Lad off balance several times before he got her in the tub. We blocked her so she couldn't climb out, and I held her face, whispering loving words to her in a calm voice.
She wasn't sure she liked it, but she must have decided we weren't hurting her, either. I think she liked the warm water, and all the rubbing by the both of us. Then, ultimately, the wonderful feeling of being clean. (She really is a very clean dog, as far as dogs go.)
It wasn't long after the bath that she seemed fully recovered, emotionally. I believe this is the first bath of many to come. Well, not too many, I hope.
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