[nagdu] Bailey's Latest--bathing, weight, etc.

[Tracy Carcione]

Hi Robert.
Like Julie J, I wondered if the vet's scale was off.  Not all scales are
the same.  The scale at TSE says Ben weighs 5 pounds more than my vet's
scale says he does.

I use the same method as Julie J, only I use the shower, and use a large
cup to get the places the shower doesn't reach.  But I am a strong
believer in not washing the dog unless there's a good reason to do it. 
It's just not that much fun.  If he's not dirty or smelly, no bath
required, IMO.  Ben hasn't had a bath in years, and he's clean and
odor-free.
The part I hate most about bathing the dog is the fur that gets in the
tub.  I worry about clogging up the drain, which isn't so great.
HTH.
Tracy

> Hello all:
>
> I recently returned from a vet visit and was hoping to share the results
> of my relentless inquiries. It seems as though Bailey's weight jumped from
> around 31 kg to about 35 KG since the last visit two months ago. This
> despite my frequent checks of his body condition. The vet didn't seem to
> notice any overt physical changes in his appearance, but we both thought
> it a good idea to cut back on the food. Annova Evo is very calorie-dense
> and dispenses with many ingredients that might hinder or stop the
> processing of certain nutrients. I was told to start by removing ten
> percent of his food intake. So, instead of a cup and a half, I half to
> find a way to remove 3/20 of a cup of food from his daily meals. After
> doing the math, I came to the conclusion that instead of his usual 90/60
> cups of food a meal, he would need 81/60 cups. If I gave him 1-1/3 cups of
> food per meal, this would equal 80/60 of a cup, thus closest (to within
> 1/60 of a cup) I can get to a perfect mathematical solut
>  ion. Note that I am not that invested in the numbers-I just had a long
> time to wait in the lobby before being checked out.
> Another topic I discussed was dog bathing-this is something to which I
> have never been a party. Many family members encouraged me to find a place
> that would do it for me. I object to this for many reasons (all of which
> my vet supported and understood). Firstly, many such places are prone to
> outbreaks of kennel cough, skin infections, improper technique, etc.
> Secondly, Bailey is a service animal, so I require a higher degree of
> control-that is, I am loathed to give up my dog to anyone else who does
> not know how to handle, treat, etc. him. Thirdly, I am one of those
> "annoying dog Nazis"-that is, I allow very limited interaction between
> others and my dog. I do not want Bailey to trust others or form bonds with
> others as he does me. Furthermore, I do not want him to see people as
> giant petting machines worthy of his attention and thus potential
> distraction. So, that desire in itself rules out taking him anywhere for
> bathing purposes.
> Fourthly, I heartily dislike paying for a service that I could just as
> easily perform myself. Bathing him at home would lessen my inconvenience
> of having to find transportation to and from a facility, would save me
> money, etc.
> Now comes my questions regarding bathing. I have done some research about
> properly bathing dogs at home. I am most worried about the complete
> rinsing of shampoo-is dog bathing a very daunting task? Bailey hasn't been
> bathed since I received him in July and he continues not to smell. I
> regularly groom him, so that should cut down on his odor and dirtiness. I
> guess my main concern (as it is with most things) is that I'm afraid of
> not doing it right. If anybody has any assurances, techniques, detailed
> instructions with schematics and diagrams, etc. to share, I would welcome
> such.
> I also discussed heart and flea preventatives with my veterinarian, dog
> anatomy and behavior, and various other such topics. I welcome feedback on
> all aspects of this message-from its grammatical style to critiques about
> my personal objections toward taking Bailey to a Dogwash. I look forward
> to everyone's thoughts and I hope I have provided some brain food on which
> we can all munch.
> Sincerely,
> Robert Hooper
> Hooper.90 at buckeyemail.osu.edu<mailto:Hooper.90 at buckeyemail.osu.edu>
> The Ohio State University
> 0653 Buckeye-Cuyahoga CT
> 653 Cuyahoga Court
> Columbus, Ohio 43210
> (740) 856-8195
>
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