Puppy Tales Friday: The Pros and Cons of Stink

All things being equal, Puppy would much prefer to smell as "doggy" as possible. Some dogs do. She is one. They find an intriguing odor (preferably something long dead) and can't resist rolling in it.

The stinkier the better.

At our last house, before we moved to the Cape, there was a horse farm around the corner from us. Our old dog was not a  "doggy" dog, but if she was mad at me, you could guarantee she'd sneak out of the yard and come home with fresh horse manure rubbed deeply into her collar ruff.

No horses in this neighborhood, but Puppy does her best. Stinky seaweed, dead seagull parts... the beach is an endless supply of interesting aromas. Our yard, not so much. But... If she gets annoyed at me, she goes out of her way to dig up a good stink.

Last week, I took both dogs to the dog wash in preparation for my parents staying here and watching the kids. I finally found a dog wash she will tolerate - and return to. (Most of the time, if she's been somewhere and hated it, there's no way to get her back in that door. No way.)

In this place - Hot Diggity Dog Wash and Boutique, in Dennisport on Main Street - the tubs are roomy enough for my big-boned girl, the people that work there are friendly and "dog" people, and best of all - they clean up after we've gone! I don't have to hose down my bathroom afterward, I can walk way from the leftover hairy mess in the tub. Bonus!

Hot Diggity! No kidding!

So both dogs were clean, fluffy and smelled of lemon verbena and lavender. Sounds weird, but so much more pleasant than seaweed, and not too flowery so as causing embarrassment if they ran into any dog friends. (You know how they tease each other over those bows some groomers like to put in, or about smelling like strawberry shampoo. Dogs like to eat strawberry bushes, not smell like them!)

When we returned from our trip... Puppy had rolled in something in the yard. Dug up something foul and black and rubbed it into her scruff. My mom apparently tried to get it all out, and then gave up and doused her with corn starch.

Corn starch? Yeah, not too sure on the reasoning there. Kinda turned what was left into cement...

I understand that Puppy was protesting my prolonged absence. And the fact that Grandma didn't take her for a single walk (which I told her not to - if Puppy sees a rabbit she can pull you right over, leash be damned.) But I feel like those hours at Hot Diggity should have lasted just a wee bit longer...

Maybe it was just Puppy's way of saying "Welcome Home. This is How Life Really Smells."

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Do your dogs prefer natural stink or the smell of shampoo? Be honest. What's your dog's favorite way to get back at you when she/he is upset?