Fergus Has a Bath

I could have cheerfully strangled both dogs this morning. K and I got back from Wellington late last night, tired after the late ferry trip. The dogs were delighted to see me first thing this morning albeit a bit later than usual. I drove them to the Taylor River and we took off on our walk around 8.30am. It was a grey dull morning with the threat of rain. About 20 minutes out when I was happily photographing wild flowers, the dogs disappeared from sight. I smelled them before I saw them a few minutes later. They had found something very dead and exceedingly smelly and had, of course, rolled in it. Fergus was more covered in the yuck stuff than Gypsy. The smell was horrific and even when they were 50 metres ahead of me it came wafting back. It nearly made me sick. So it was into the river. I had on my Keen sandals so I got into the river with Fergus and darn near drowned him to scrub off the muck as best I could. I got pretty wet and my jacket then smelt too. I followed up with Gyspy. She was not so co-operative.
Why is it that they so enjoy rolling in horrid stuff? Both of them rolled in stuff last Friday, the day K and I left for Wellington. Just to give me extra work on an already busy day…. And now here we are back from our time in Wellington and the dogs give a repeat performance to welcome me home.
Once home the dogs took turns to be tied to the cherry plum tree to be hosed down and shampooed with baby shampoo. In today’s image Hannah is giving Fergus a final rinse. Note the pained look on his face…. Serve him right I say…..