I've got a new dog! (1 Viewer)

[Stan]

Well it was bath time today for Kylie the black lab. Wow, what a chore. Normally wait until the weather is warmer so she can shake it off outside, but it was time, just getting a little to "doggy" in the odor department. Reading through this thread just got me in the mood.

She's actually really clean, just like a cat she takes care of herself, but once in a while, needs a little boost.

Absolutely incredible how much she sheds, the tub was filled with fur. Actually clogged the drain and I had to lift out a big clump of dog fur.

Trying to lift a 70 lb. dog into the tub with a still healing broken wrist was not fun. I got her in but gave up trying to get her out of the tub. Figured if she wanted to out, she could do it on her own.

But now she's all clean and pretty, smells like whatever hotel shampoo I used on her

 

[Mike Frezon]

No DIY dog bath places around you, Stan?

We have a chain around me called Shampoodle. We just washed our two dogs for $25 a week or so ago. Worth every penny. Easy to get them into the tub, no cleanup, no towels that need washing/drying. They have nice garden hose attachments connected to coiled hoses and slipo-leashes to keep the dogs in place. They have a canister vac to blow-dry the dogs afterwards. They supply the hypo-allergenic shampoo and conditioner.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Here's some pix of the dog bathing place:

(One of the great things about these places is that the tubs are raised (no bending over and kneeling on hard floors). And there are solid steps up which the dogs walk into the tubs.

 

[Stan]

No DIY dog bath places around you, Stan?

We have a chain around me called Shampoodle. We just washed our two dogs for $25 a week or so ago. Worth every penny. Easy to get them into the tub, no cleanup, no towels that need washing/drying. They have nice garden hose attachments connected to coiled hoses and slipo-leashes to keep the dogs in place. They have a canister vac to blow-dry the dogs afterwards. They supply the hypo-allergenic shampoo and conditioner.

We do have a couple of similar places, I'm just temporarily without a car, broke the rear axle when I slid off an icy road.

She'd probably love a Shampoodle place. Very social, thoroughly enjoys meeting new people and other dogs.

Kind of scary. I think she'd go home with anybody she came across, just leave me behind as she went to a new home. "See you later".

 

[Kevin Hewell]

Mike, that is one beautiful dog.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Mike, that is one beautiful dog.

Well...that sorta sparks the question, Kevin...which one do you think is the handsome one?
Don't worry. I won't tell.

Stately old Ernest (left)...or perky Puppy Pete (right)?
They're each looking a bit ragged here...just after their baths the other day.

Or...maybe you were talking about that picture I posted of Moses!

 

[Robert Crawford]

Pete almost the same size as Ernest. How are they getting along now that Pete has grown so much?

 

[Johnny Angell]

Well...that sorta sparks the question, Kevin...which one do you think is the handsome one?
Don't worry. I won't tell.

Stately old Ernest (left)...or perky Puppy Pete (right)?
They're each looking a bit ragged here...just after their baths the other day.

Or...maybe you were talking about that picture I posted of Moses!

I like the mature dignity of Ernest. Not there’s anything wrong with being a puppy.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Pete almost the same size as Ernest. How are they getting along now that Pete has grown so much?

They're very close. The major problem is that Pete is just so damn overenthusiastic and full of life and Ernest is a laid back old guy (one of the things we love so much about rescuing older dogs). But they go in and out in the yard together, walk well together and enjoy being together. When Ernest had his cancer surgery, the two dogs had to be separated so that Petey didn't disturb his stitches, etc. So we used a kennel divider to separate them in different rooms of the house. Of course, they ended up laying right next to each other on opposite sides of the divider!

I like the mature dignity of Ernest. Not there’s anything wrong with being a puppy.

Isn't that true for all of us old guys!!! I sometimes like being the mature old guy in a group...but wish my body felt more like a puppy's!

 

[Stan]

Isn't that true for all of us old guys!!! I sometimes like being the mature old guy in a group...but wish my body felt more like a puppy's!

So true. Broken wrist. Bad knee, had three operations, now they want to replace it. Not fair getting old and having your parts start to fail I'm only 57, it's not like I'm 95, then it's more expected.

 

[Kevin Hewell]

"Or...maybe you were talking about that picture I posted of Moses! "

It was Moses, although all three of them are beautiful.

 

[Mike Frezon]

It was Moses, although all three of them are beautiful.

He was a big ol' lug of a dog! But not above some mischief. When he first came into our home, it took him about five seconds to scarf up a stuffed animal off a table surface.

"Is this a dog toy?!?"

That endeared him to us immediately.

But he couldn't co-exist with our bossy little spaniel and had to go. I was heartbroken.

But not too long after we got another senior Golden Retriever, Brooks. We only had him a year, though.

=====================

So my dad loved dogs and had grown strong attachments to both Moses and Brooks (even though we had only had Moses a short time).

Shortly after Brooks died, my dad's health plummeted and we brought him home on hospice. I said to Peg that I wished Brooks was still here to visit my dad. And then the thought struck me to contact Moses' family (we had kept in touch) to ask if he could visit. His owner said, "just tell me when." I said it needed to be quick.

When they arrived (that same day), I didn't expect much. My dad had been pretty unresponsive. But I told him that an old friend of his had come for a visit--Moses.

Amazingly, my dad stirred and opened his eyes. He struggled to sit up and put his hand over to pet Moses. His response to having that big old dog up next to his bed was thrilling. The visit only lasted a few short minutes...but was beautiful. Moses just sat there smiling--happy to see his old friend again. My dad was smiling, too.

My dad was gone the next day.

I can't think of that particular interaction between man and dog and not wonder deeply about the bonds that exist between humans and animals. It is an incredibly strong, beautiful thing.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Here's an image of my dad with Moses the day they met:

They took to each other right away.

 

[Stan]

I thought I was going to lose my lab Kylie. Maybe me giving her a bath caused it?

She almost stopped functioning the past two days. Slept in spots she's never used before, she was just to weak to jump onto the bed or her favorite chair. No eating or drinking water. I'd go to pet her and she wouldn't move, felt kind of cool, thought she was gone. It seemed like she had died.

Was going to take her to the vet today, yet last night she perks up and is totally back to normal. I hadn't changed her diet, nothing dangerous in the house, I'm thinking maybe she found a dead bird or something weird in the back yard.

 

[Johnny Angell]

He was a big ol' lug of a dog! But not above some mischief. When he first came into our home, it took him about five seconds to scarf up a stuffed animal off a table surface.

"Is this a dog toy?!?"

That endeared him to us immediately.

But he couldn't co-exist with our bossy little spaniel and had to go. I was heartbroken.

But not too long after we got another senior Golden Retriever, Brooks. We only had him a year, though.

=====================

So my dad loved dogs and had grown strong attachments to both Moses and Brooks (even though we had only had Moses a short time).

Shortly after Brooks died, my dad's health plummeted and we brought him home on hospice. I said to Peg that I wished Brooks was still here to visit my dad. And then the thought struck me to contact Moses' family (we had kept in touch) to ask if he could visit. His owner said, "just tell me when." I said it needed to be quick.

When they arrived (that same day), I didn't expect much. My dad had been pretty unresponsive. But I told him that an old friend of his had come for a visit--Moses.

Amazingly, my dad stirred and opened his eyes. He struggled to sit up and put his hand over to pet Moses. His response to having that big old dog up next to his bed was thrilling. The visit only lasted a few short minutes...but was beautiful. Moses just sat there smiling--happy to see his old friend again. My dad was smiling, too.

My dad was gone the next day.

I can't think of that particular interaction between man and dog and not wonder deeply about the bonds that exist between humans and animals. It is an incredibly strong, beautiful thing.

That’s a beautiful, heartwarming, and heartbreaking store. Thanks for posting it.

 

[Johnny Angell]

I thought I was going to lose my lab Kylie. Maybe me giving her a bath caused it?

She almost stopped functioning the past two days. Slept in spots she's never used before, she was just to weak to jump onto the bed or her favorite chair. No eating or drinking water. I'd go to pet her and she wouldn't move, felt kind of cool, thought she was gone. It seemed like she had died.

Was going to take her to the vet today, yet last night she perks up and is totally back to normal. I hadn't changed her diet, nothing dangerous in the house, I'm thinking maybe she found a dead bird or something weird in the back yard.

Did I read that you used human shampoo earlier? If so, that could have been the cause.

 

[Sam Posten]

Did I read that you used human shampoo earlier? If so, that could have been the cause.

Oh gosh be extremely careful mixing species with bath stuff. Had a good friend of the family accidentally kill their beloved cat this way. BE SURE, don't guess!

 

[Mike Frezon]

Take Kylie to the vet, Stan. Get the dog checked out. That's bizarre behavior--even if it seems to be over.

 

[Stan]

Oh gosh be extremely careful mixing species with bath stuff. Had a good friend of the family accidentally kill their beloved cat this way. BE SURE, don't guess!

It was human shampoo, one of those little hotel bottles from when I used to travel a lot while I was working. Never even occurred to me that could harm her.

Definitely dog shampoo from now on.

And Mike, I will take her to the vet. Just in case something's going on so I'll get her checked out.

 

[Stan]

It was human shampoo, one of those little hotel bottles from when I used to travel a lot while I was working. Never even occurred to me that could harm her.

Definitely dog shampoo from now on.

And Mike, I will take her to the vet. Just in case something's going on so I'll get her checked out.

Kylie is fine, no vet visit.

Is there a temporary "dog flu" that might be going around? She's kept inside or in my backyard. Only outside contacts are the neighbor's dogs (Akita and a Pug), separated by a fence but they're friendly.

She's totally back to normal, running, playing, eating of course.