Oh, Ms. Ez, You Spoiled Me!

  Since Mr. PJ has come to the Bayou to live while his real family is on an island out in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, things are popping up that take me off guard.  I am not accustomed to having a dog quite like this fellow.  I guess I was spoiled by Ms. Ez and I miss her like crazy.  She was my sidekick, my partner in crime and my protector....and she was not even actually my dog.  She came to live here just like Mr. PJ.  Ms. Ez was my daughter's dog but since she was away at college, the puppy became mine and stayed until her death a couple of years ago.  I have to say that losing her truly broke my heart and I vowed never to get another dog.  I could not see ever trying to replace Ezzy.  Well, life has a way of throwing things at you that are not expected.  Mr. PJ had no where else to stay so it was unthinkable that he not come to the Bayou.  He has settled in well as far as he is concerned but a few kinks in the care befuddle me at times.  I am not used to this...at all.

  Take today, for instance.   It was bath time for the old dog. Being outside as much as he is now, his odor was beginning to become a stench.  Fishing,  chasing squirrels, rolling in the mulch and basking in the sunshine all attributed to this problem but a good bath would fix that right nicely.  Only, Mr. PJ does not like baths.  He is that typical dog that skulks off into the corner, plants his feet and does not budge.  No matter how much I coaxed, pleaded and threatened, the old dog refused to climb into the tub.  It took Son's brilliant idea of a bag of treats to win him over.  This dog is very food motivated obviously!  Once in the tub, things went well even though it was quite the chore.  Once again, he was like a statue.  He was purely made of stone and was not going to budge any closer to the water than necessary.  His body parts were not to be splashed or otherwise come in contact with that wet stuff.  A few more treats convinced him to sit.  Big mistake.  Once he sat, he pouted and was not going to move an inch.  He had turned to stone again.  Well, so be it.  I would lather him right there!  A plastic bowl came in handy to dowse him with water while the other hand held onto the dog.  Then came time to suds him.  I discovered a new skill!  It is not impossible to open a new bottle of doggy shampoo one handed if one comes into dire straits.  Keep in mind that doggy shampoo does not taste good if you try to use your teeth to open the little tab that seals the bottle.  (I will be spitting nastiness for the next two weeks, I promise!)   

   Mr. PJ was lathered, rinsed and rinsed and rinsed.  A sitting dog does not allow for a lot of water to pass over his body.  Finally, I gave up and grabbed the towel.  This brought the iron willed dog to life and he leapt from the tub and began shaking.  Water flew everywhere!  Out the bathroom door he flew!  For an old, arthritic dog, he can move when he wants and he wanted out of that bathroom!  I bolted after him and the chase was on.  I needed to get him dried before he made a dive for his nice cushy bed.  I had just washed and dried the bedding!  A wet dog and clean bedding was not a good thing!  Just as PJ was making a headlong lunge for the bed, Son said the magic words..."PJ!  Want a treat?"  Mr. PJ did an about face and was as sweet as pie as he licked his lips.  "Treat?  Did you say treat? As in food?"  Yep, that was all it took!  I must keep that trick in mind come next bath time....that and close the door to the bathroom so I do not have to wipe down the entire house again!

  On the other hand, Ms. Ez loved water.  She would hear the bath water running and try to sneak into the tub.  Outside, she had her own pool for lounging and would often seek out water in the Frog Pond and the little Puddle Pond which was merely a glorified gutter drain from the house.  Bath time was simple.  Tell her that she needed to bathe and she was there.  She stood if I wanted, sat or completely submerged herself.  Then, a word would get her to turn so I could lather the other side of her.  Once she was clean, she patiently waited until I dried all but her feet, then would step out of the tub onto the towel so the job could be competed.  If the weather was warm, I used a water hose to bathe her on the front steps.  She stood wherever and however I wished and then would not shake until I backed away and said the word.  A simple "Shake, Ezzy!" would send water flying everywhere but at least it was outside!  Yep, bathing her was simple.  Bathing PJ is....interesting.  At least, he is patient with my efforts and then takes a nice long nap to recuperate from the ordeal.  Also. keep in mind that I warned you that doggy shampoo tastes terrible!