I admit it.
Actually, my wife called me on it several years ago. We make enough to not cut my hair in the bathroom. But we reached the same conclusion with grooming for my dogs. I was simply being too cheap to spend the money. Or was I ignorant that dog grooming was a “thing”? We only started regularly taking Dexter and Comet to a professional about a year ago. In prior years, once a month, I would risk clogging our shower drain with Dexter’s hair. At those times, even I would mutter “dear Lord! Dexter needs a bath. HE STINKS!”
I switched to washing him down with the garden hose in the yard. Dexter would get clean and the plants would be watered at the same time. Until I lost the top to the bottle, extravagant “oatmeal” dog shampoo was a go-to. But the bottle spilled onto the mud when suds and water went spiraling everywhere the last time. Where “Dog Beach” had been a reason to wash down the dog, going on Saturdays to the Mission Trails park for the last few years a follow-up bath was not routine. Dust and pollen were tolerable.
Laziness or just being selfish about my car? The aroma of wet dog, sand, bits of seaweed and fish-smell stayed in my “dog car” a long time. It was my primary transportation to work back then. Funny how few of my co-workers wanted a lift to or from work when I drove that car.
I have a nicer car these days. And make fewer trips with the dogs in it. Now that I regularly take the boys to get groomed every three to four weeks, I am also becoming more sensitive to my home being ‘welcoming’. A reminder to set the next appointment for the guys is automatic. When the doors were open to the yard and the weather was somewhat cool, the house had plenty of fresh air. Now, it is 100F (38C) and the doors and windows stay shut to keep it cool.
Dexter sheds hair continually, as does Comet, but it is an aroma from Comet that is a signal for me to set another appointment with CAT AND DOGGIE WORKS. At least I regularly bathe. But I do get gentle reminders from my soul-mate that I should make an appointment for my “groomer” as well.
It's a Dog's Life 