Heart Like a Dog

The Good, the Bad, and the Oh My God of living with dogs!

Oh Delilah…(Day Ninety Three)

By

Tonight was a frustrating night for me at obedience class.  During the “potty” break, Delilah decided she was going to join a group of dogs that were playing, trouble is she didn’t tell me.  She took off and was so fast and powerful that she completely pulled me about twenty feet before I got her under control.  I’m sure I don’t have to tell you what that did to my shoulder.

I was so ticked off that I pulled her back and immediately placed her in a down, which naturally she fought; but I stood my ground and held her down until she gave a big sigh indicating she had relaxed.  She stayed in that down position for a good few minutes by herself after I let her up.  I thought, maybe she has turned a corner, but that remains to be seen.

Chillin

Sampson of course hates the class and would do anything possible to avoid it.  While on the way home I told him pretty soon the weather will be nicer and you won’t have to go to class, you and daddy can go somewhere else and walk.  He licked my face.

Calgon, anybody...take me away!

I still really hate the way some people man-handle the dogs and it takes everything I have not to scream at them, what the hell is wrong with you?  But this is acceptable behavior for dog training, I think there is a better way, trouble is I just haven’t found it yet, but I will.

Pictures pictures everywhere and not a one to post! (Day Ninety Two)

By

Are you organized with your pictures?  If you are like me you have pictures everywhere!  Not only do I have three huge photo boxes full of pictures, I also have them saved on discs all over the place!  I have folders and folders on my computer with pictures, the problem is that some of this pictures are duplicates, triplicates and whatever comes next.  So here I sit still looking for the picture that I really wanted to post!

I just spent the last half hour looking through pictures, trying to think of what this blog should be about today and I haven’t come up with a topic.  So I fall back to posting a few of my favorite pictures.

Sampson drinking from a water bottle.

Chet was so mad that I taught Sampson to drink from my water bottle, because he thought for some reason that a dog shouldn’t do that.  I figured if he drinks from the bottle, I never have to worry about having a bowl with me.  And yes, that is Chet in the picture giving Sampson a drink, apparently he changed his mind. 🙂  Sampson likes drinking from the bottle so much, that most times when we are pouring his water he drinks from the bottle.

What's going to come out?

This picture was in North Carolina when we stayed at Steve’s parents house, Chet wanted to fish and since Sampson loves spending time with his Dad, he sat beside him and watched.  A man walked by while we were on the beach and that is the first and only time that Sampson ever growled at a person; he looked like a mean man too!

Now what did you go and do that for?

Sampson has never been one for fetching, he will chase and retrieve a ball a couple of times and then he lies on it as if to say, “try throwing it now.”  It’s just not his thing, but we decided we would try with the frisbee on the beach anyway.  Look at his expression…as if he’s saying, well you threw it now go get it.

Not the pictures I was looking for, but they still bring back good memories.

Of Baths and Backs… (Day Ninety One)

By

Getting ready for our bath.

Do you give your dog(s) baths at home; take them to a groomers or use a self-wash? 

If you are bathing your dog at home it is important to have all the items you will need BEFORE you put the dog in the tub.  Items you probably need include towels, wash clothes, shampoo, and a plastic container for rinsing.  Once the dog is in the bathroom you will want to shut the bathroom door and also doors to any other rooms you may not want them in once they are out of the tub.

Usually I bath the dogs at home, Sampson is very good and loves the tub and his bath; Delilah not so much.  We had a real dilemma three years ago when Chet tried to bathe Delilah while I was gone, the bathroom is quite small and Delilah fights the bath.  Chet threw his back out so bad that he was incapacitated for an entire week!  I came home and with a little Yankee ingenuity coaxed Delilah into the tub.

Delilah climbing into the tub.

I started by placing a few treats in the dry tub and I walked away.  She climbed in the tub and back out, I repeated the process until she was comfortable with the tub.  Then I put the stopper in and began filling it; I washed her as the tub was filling. Once she was cleaned and rinsed, I pulled the plug and toweled her off as best I could.  I make her wait in the tub and then I put the towel down on the floor and let her out, trying to dry off her feet, legs and underside.  Usually the dogs shake and that makes a huge water mess on all over the bathroom, but that is why you bring more than one towel.  I usually close off any rooms that I don’t want them going into while they are wet (Sampson loves to jump on the bed while he is all wet and rub himself all over it!)  Be extra careful because it is easy to slip on the wet floor.

We have also tried the self-wash, lots of daycares and training centers are offering the self-wash.  Julie use to take care of Sampson and Delilah at daycare until she left to open her own shop, luckily for us she let us use her facility  Julie’s Barks and Bubbles and was kind enough to allow me to take pictures.

The Professional Tub

There are steps leading up to the tub so you do not have to lift your dog.

Delilah in the tub

Sorry about her eyes, but as you can see in the picture, there is a place to tie the dog off, so she cannot escape and hurt herself.  A good self-wash should have everything you need to wash your dog, including the shampoo and towels; they will even have drying systems.

Sampson didn't mind the dryer at all!

I think he is even smiling in this shot.

 I think the self-washes run about $15 per dog and if you have the extra cash, it saves a lot of wear and tear on yourself, the dog and your home.

Whichever way you choose to bathe your dog, be safe and happy washing.

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...