Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Sophie gets a bath

Miserable Sophie
Sophie is twenty-one months old--almost a big girl. Everyone told me dogs settle down at two, but now they've backed off saying that, and I've realized I can't much longer excuse her behavior with "She's still a pup." But at heart she is. She will sit, lie down, drop it (sometimes), leave it, come (not if she's outside--then she deliberates whether she wants to come in or not). She's well housebroken and in general has manners. Two things she hasn't learned: "Off," which means don't jump on me, don't jump on guests. She goes absoutely bananas over visitors and adores Jordan so much that she goes into a frenzy every time she sees her. The other lack in her education is that she's not leash trained. She's too excited to be outdoors and, even at twenty-six pounds, she could pull me down. I just haven't pursued it. She gets her exercise chasing squirrels, which is her favorite pastime. And sometimes, from an excess of energy and happiness, she simply runs in circles in the yard, dashing around whoever is trying to catch her.
She is as sweet as can be, and every night before she goes in her crate, I get down on the floor, she climbs into my lap, and we have a love session. During the day, she follows me from room to room, checking on what I'm doing, and at night she'll sleep at my feet under the desk. But if I'm at the desk during thge day, she gets restless, wanders the house and finally begins to jump on me.
Patient Sophie
Sophie's been to the groomers several times but either they make her look like a poodle or they're so expensive I can't afford it often. So tonight she had what I think is her second bath in the tub. A friend who does some grooming came to do the deed. Sophie cooperated fairly well, though I helped hold her in the tub. She was semi-patient during the trim part and very good about having a "sanitary" trim. But we could not cut her nails--no way. And that was the thing that most needed doing.
Poodle mixes don't shed and don't have that doggy smell but tonight she smells sweet and looks fluffy and adorable. This is fluffy, clean, sweet-smelling Sophie.

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