Fridays are Golden

Several people commented on my last post about bath day.  Apparently some groomers sedate the dogs.  Be assured that our groomer does not do that.  She has a small number of clients and does the bathing and grooming in a converted porch in her own home.  We were delighted and surprised at how inexpensive her services are.  Once when I went to pick up the girls there was a woman picking up her little Maltese.  She asked the groomer, "forty-five dollars, right?"  After she left, I told the groomer that I hadn't know she had increased her rates and that I had only a check plus tip but I would come back with the remainder.  She then told me she had not raised her rates but that she charges based on how difficult the grooming is.  I was quite proud when she told me that our girls never have any matting, their ears are always clean and they behave so well that she can do both of them more easily than the little Maltese.

So the zombie conditions have nothing to do with sedation.  The other time we have zombie girls is following a visit to the veterinarian and that is usually a rather short visit.  When we start out in the 4x4, they are happy and assume we are going for a hike or a run along the dam.  They are alert to the turns and there is a set point where Lucy realizes...hey...this is not the way!  Stop!  This route goes to the groomer or the vet!  She starts what we call 'stress whining' as if she is trying to tell us something.  Ellie would otherwise be fine but she is attuned to Lucy's distress and while she doesn't whine she is clearly affected.  Thus both dogs are exhausted by the time we reach the groomer or the vet.

We have a lot of fun with our dogs.  And sometimes we have fun even when they are not moving around.  We often laugh at them and the places they choose to sleep.

Lucy loves a pillow.  If none is available she will use Ellie, or a pair of shoes, or the chair rung.

 I cannot imagine that could be comfortable but it must be since she fell sound asleep.

 Lying parallel in the sunshine, Lucy half on and half off the bed.

 The same Lucy who usually wants a pillow is also content to lie with her head lower and her body on the bed.  You figure.

This is proving to be our county's second warmest March since temperatures were recorded; second only to March 1945.  We have truly enjoyed the awakening spring.  We spend a lot of time outdoors and the dogs love the early morning and late afternoon romps.

It's only reasonable that today's quotes  are about dogs.  This one is from Dave Barry:

"You can say any fool thing to a dog, and the dog will give you this look that says, 'My God, you're RIGHT!  I NEVER would have thought of that.'"

And a similar one from Samuel Butler:

"The great pleasure of a dog is that you may make a fool of yourself with him and not only will he not scold you, but he will make a fool of himself too."

And in today's troubled world it is nice to occasionally make a fool of oneself in front of a non-judgmental pet.

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND, EVERYONE!  WATCH OUT FOR THOSE APRIL FOOL PRANKS FROM THE TALKING HEADS ON SUNDAY.  DON'T FALL FOR A THING THEY OR THEIR GUESTS TELL YOU.