Roll With It

... but bring Rub Downs!

At a recent practice, Bailey takes off across the field to leave a little something for the next dogs by to sniff out. I follow with a baggie, but before I can get to him (it), he’s off again. This time he sniffs the ground, drops his front shoulder and rolls. And rolls again, and again. I hear “Ewww!” back at the practice area. “I think Bailey found the dead gopher.” Sigh. I wonder if I packed those Rub Downs. I’ve learned, you see.

This is not the first enthusiastic roll in mystery Ewww! Really, it’s been happening since he came to live with me. The off leash park has some fabulous offerings on occasion, in addition to the usual smelly sloughs. Ordinarily these are handled by a short ride home in their crates and a quick hop in the tub to sub out the stench with the minty fresh smell I prefer.

We’re not always prepared, though, and the journeys haven’t all been that short. Last April, returning from a tournament in Lloydminster with a friend and her well-behaved collie, we stopped in North Battleford to switch drivers and let the dogs out for a bit of business. Once again, Bailey bounded off (I stupidly took him off leash) and proceeded to do his business. I followed, bag in hand (this is going to start to sound repetitive here). Before I reached the designated pick up spot, he was off again, and once again proceeded to roll in something that must have been extremely lovely, because he got up and rolled in it again. Then he got up, dropped and rolled in it again and again. Sigh. Eventually he made his way close enough to me to hook him up and bring him back.

It didn’t look all that bad. A bit dusty, but it didn’t smell great. We opened the windows, trying not to inhale too deeply and stopped at a nearby Tim Horton’s, where we wet down some cloths and soaped him up a bit and that’s then the slimy looking stuff came to the top. He must have scrunched it right down under the fur. Ewww! The impromptu bath didn’t really cut it, and we had to spray him down with some Dr. Scholl’s to survive the last part of the ride home (where, of course, he had a bath before bed).

So … Rub Downs. Make sure you pack ‘em!

Judy & Bailey