[Dailydrool] Onslow is 3 --- and baths!

[Sue Stevens]

We missed posting on Onslow's third birthday (May11) - we've been a 
bit busy and I'm waaaaay behind in my drools... when it gets this 
deep in the Daily Drool mailbox, I have to just delete some of the 
older digests and just concentrate on the most recent.

Much drool and prayer to all in need - especially for Blueberry and 
others... especially for their people who miss them so....

On the subject of bathing, I have to tell two bathing stories about Onslow....

First we live in a 2 story house, but upstairs is traditionally off 
limits to Onslow so he really has never learned to do stairs - well, 
steps up into the house and at the vet, but not a whole flight of 
stairs. Onslow needs a bath and my hubbie Brian says... you wanna put 
him in the tub? yes, let's do it. So he get's his leash on him for 
control and starts to urge him up the stairs. I'm already up getting 
the water a good temperature. Onslow goes about 3 steps and then 
stops... huh? how's this work? Can I hop up like a bunny rabbit? 
let's try that... hilarious, not climbing the stairs more hopping up 
them. But he finally gets up and I'm madly closing all the bedroom 
doors so he doesn't get too distracted. Brian hauls him into the 
tub... he's shedding like crazy so when we're all done (he is so 
mortifed and so deeply offended by the process he just stands there 
mute in his dismay) the entire bathroom is coated in the dog hair. It 
took a couple of Drano treatments to get that tub drain to work at a 
reasonable pace again!

Second story: After relating this story to my mother-in-law, Sally 
takes it upon herself to investigate options. Now I have to say, in 
the summer time, we bath Onslow on the driveway with the hose.... it 
ain't glamorous but it gets the job done... So mother-in-law (read: 
Onslow's grandma) finds this nifty dog shampooer thing... it's called 
HydroSurge RapidBath. You put a shampoo cartridge in (Sally found 
they have hypoallergenic shampoo for allergy dogs like Ons), attach 
the gun type thing to either where the shower nozzle goes or the 
garden hose and away you go. Much faster than either previous 
method... of course, outside the water is still terribly cold. Our 
shower nozzles are not coming off anytime soon, so the garden hose 
was our best answer - plus it was really nice this weekend. But the 
water is still pretty darn cold. Terribly undignified... put Onslow 
puts up with it... He waits until afterwards to make his displeasure 
known. He barks at us - He lays down on his side and "harrumphs" 
around a bit - he barks more at us - he sulks. He is really put out. 
He is looking at me right now with a decidedly put out expression....

Oh well - at least he's clean and it's good for his allergy-ridden 
belly and groin area!

That's all for now - best to all !

Sue Stevens and Onslow (I cannot believe the indignities I am forced 
to tolerate!)