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April 10, 2013

April Showers

Spring is in the air.  As are the seagulls Penny chases up and down the beach But spring is also on the ground and it’s a total mess. Melting snow and wet sand make for a dirty mix that’s a magnet for pups
Spring is in the air. Rhodesian Ridgeback, puppy, montrose beach, chicago, adventure,  marking our territory

As are the seagulls Penny chases up and down the beach

But spring is also on the ground and it’s a total mess.

Rhodesian Ridgeback, puppy, montrose beach, chicago, adventure,  marking our territory

Melting snow and wet sand make for a dirty mix that’s a magnet for pups

Rhodesian Ridgeback, puppy, montrose beach, chicago, adventure,  marking our territory

And with the shoreline open, the dogs kick up plenty of brackish water

Rhodesian Ridgeback, puppy, montrose beach, chicago, adventure,  marking our territory

In sum, spring gets Eko and Penny dirty from tail to nose. And sometimes even inside their noses too

Luckily, Ridgebacks are “wash and wear” dogs. Their short hair and thin coat makes washing out dirt relatively easy. Provided you can get them in the tub.

Rhodesian Ridgeback, puppy, montrose beach, chicago, adventure,  marking our territory

After trial and error, I’ve found a curry comb with these Virbac products the best combination for my pups. The shampoo/conditioner is more expensive than most, but I dilute them slightly and find they work exceptionally well

While the pups get their spring cleanings, so do their blankets. Like I said, Ridgebacks don’t have much hair but they do shed more in the spring. Enough where I have to stop my dryer a couple times to clean up the lint monster.

Rhodesian Ridgeback, puppy, montrose beach, chicago, adventure,  marking our territory

The joys of dog blankets

Eko and Penny may not love april showers in the tub, but they certainly enjoy the pampering afterwards.

Rhodesian Ridgeback, puppy, montrose beach, chicago, adventure,  marking our territory

 Their favorite thing is to bury their heads in a dry towel while I pat them down

Rhodesian Ridgeback, puppy, montrose beach, chicago, adventure,  marking our territory

And their laundered bedding gets intense scrutiny to make sure it passes muster

Then, for one beautiful moment, I have a clean apartment and clean dogs. But life’s messy and so are pups, so the cycle begins again. Wouldn’t change it for the world. More baths is a price worth paying if it means this warmer weather sticks around!

Comments for April Showers

  1. Ogee says:

    Hide and seek. Ours “stay” in one room while the object is hidden elsewhere in the house. “Find it!” usually results in a good 10 minute search. Three of these – and they are pooped. If all else fails, re-runs of the “Puppy Bowl”. 🙂

  2. I sometimes play hide and seek with Boomer and Dottie. Every night not matter what the weather my hubby will play fetch and wrestle with Boomer in the house while Dottie chews on her latest toy.

  3. Mustang.Koji says:

    Bring in a wild cat… That should entertain the both of you. 🙂 lol

  4. emma says:

    I don’t mind rain at all since I enjoy being a mess, but I have to say that I am getting tired of hopping through snow. We got some more last night and are expecting a huge load again tonight. I want to romp in the grass and go swimming finally! Doesn’t Eko make a mess with the filled treats or does he keep them in a certain place while eating them?

  5. He does dejected so well! Love the food groups.

  6. Sage says:

    I’m with you, Eko. Rainy days aren’t my faves either. Mom will play ball with me sometimes though.

  7. Zena says:

    We’re facing a rainy start to our day and whilst I (Zena) are more than happy to stay indoors when the rain comes, the thick-skinned, hunting dog Raffles loves going out in the rain and doesn’t understand why his usual playtime with the poodles isn’t happening. He is being bribed with some of the items you mention above as we speak!

  8. kdkh says:

    We’re getting April snow rather than rain. And yes, my cat gripes me out about it. The dogs don’t seem to mind!

  9. Nylabone wishbones. They love ’em.

  10. harrispen says:

    Millie got a fresh elk antler today to help wear her out a bit and there was a game of fetch in the house too. It’s been raining all day and the yard is a mess so only enough time outside to get the business done.

    Cindy

  11. Eko’s just so gorgeous with that treat-laden bone on his nose 😀 Cheyne and Popper don’t really mind the rain too much but we struggle to get Putney through the door when it’s wet . When we ARE finally out, he slopes along really slowly, with his head down and his “Woe is me!” look on, so everyone can see what a cruel owner I am for making him go out in the rain 😆 Popper’s favourite toy that keeps her (and Putney, when he can get a look in!) entertained for ages, rain or shine, is the Goughnuts puzzle.

  12. He does look pretty sad! I’m sure you’re reminding him that beach days are just around the corner!

  13. Boomdeeadda says:

    We had a little rain yesterday too and it smelt so yummy. Loved all your photo’s Will but I can’t tell what you’ve spelt out there? Is it a secret?

  14. That face! Your posts! You keep me coming back day after day.

    I hope the sun comes out soon, Will.

  15. Mona Sigal says:

    I have to start doing those balancing acts on SOLOMON’s nose, too! Solomon is 10 m old, and 82 lb, and very strong and energetic: he goes to play group at a private house twice a week, where he enjoys his harem: Piper, Jackie and Abby. On Fridays he goes to doggie camp, where he romps with about 15 dogs. On all other days, mom (I) or dad take him out for 2-hour workouts. Playing inside is just not enough any more.

  16. Hope you get a break in the rain

  17. Eko has the best expressions and activities! We have a treadmill, although since I didn’t look beyond my online sign language dictionary when they didn’t include “treadmill,” Optimus takes a walk on the “trophy.”

  18. Jessica says:

    Man…Eko’s look in the second pic is the EXACT look my parents used to give me whenever I got into trouble! 😉 It’s amazing how expressive a dog’s face can get! And I LOVE your second pic-dog toys, ready for battle!

  19. Emmadog says:

    I’m not a fan of baths. I’m a dirt magnet, but I don’t end up in the tub too often because I just go out and get dirty again. Mom finds it much more efficient to dry me off, wait for the dirt to dry and towel off again. Spring is just a tough time of year to stay clean!

  20. Victoria says:

    My dogs both have super long hair and double coated so bath time usually results in bathroom flood time as well and every towel we have is recruited for drying to two of them and muffin is still wet after all of that

  21. fredrieka says:

    I hate baths and over the weekend momwithoutpaws posted about thin ice and poor BonBon so she got a very cold bath

  22. Kismet says:

    A bath is still a bath and nothing will change that.

  23. meANXIETYme says:

    Our two long haired dogs shed all year round, so that’s fun. And with two very large dogs who hate baths, towels, and blow dryers, bath day is not popular around here.
    Also, it’s so much fun when they smell good for an hour, then go out to play or do their business, and they roll in the grass to try to dry themselves. UGH. They’ve done that in the snow, in the wet/muddy grass, in dry grass…
    Good times!

  24. I use a shampoo for horses too :o) easy has fortunately the same “easy fur”, so I haven’t to use the hair dryer… we just need 3 wrestlers to bring him to the bathtub :o)

  25. Misaki says:

    Mummy knows just what you mean about the constant cycle. She changed the bedsheets and then I jumped in a muddy stinky puddle, came home and made myself comfy on the bed:-)

  26. coastingnz says:

    Our boys LOVE being towel dried too. Outside this morning for breakfast and their toilet stop – raining out so they enjoyed coming in to Mum waiting with the towel. Snuggled down sleeping again now – live is good if you have four legs in our household lol

  27. Elyse says:

    I’m so lucky — dirt doesn’t stick to Duncan and he doesn’t need baths too often. Unless you count his morning swim in the creek in the park. He doesn’t mind that kind of bath!

  28. squeeky clean, mine all got baths too as they go into the open black muck ditches and come running home.

  29. Awww Eko and Penny in a tub!! We use the zoomgroom for Donna too (looks like your comb)… very effective!

  30. Fozziemum says:

    Oh yes..a temporary feeling of clean…i love the lint bunny 🙂 as opposed to a Lindt Bunny hahahhaa and yes it is fur central here as we start the approach to cooler nights..and look forward to the dead stop at the door when they see rain! great pics 🙂 hugs Fozziemum

  31. Cathy & Banjo says:

    Lucky for us California dwellers, we can hose down our wash-n-go dog Banjo in the yard in the springtime… Oddly, though, after a bath he wants nothing better than to squeeze himself against the jade plant next to the house. Jade flower fragments all over his wet fur kind of defeats the purpose of a bath!

  32. Cupcake says:

    You have a clean, dog-hair-free apartment for a WHOLE, ENTIRE MOMENT???? Gah! Mom is jealous.

    Love and licks,
    Cupcake

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