Made in Richmond

He used to spend his evening prowling the hallway and barking at all the teenage riffraff outside.

Now he does this:

We pay, on average, about $600 total a year in vet bills for both dogs.

We also pay, on average, $30 a month for their food.

Shooter costs an extra $5 a month for his epilepsy medicine.

That works out to over $1000 we pay each year to keep the dogs alive so they can continue to destroy our house, ruin our grass, and generally drive us insane.

BUT THEY ARE SO CUUUUUUUUUUTE:

You may have noticed that it snowed today. Such precipitation combined with the lack of grass in our backyard makes for some pretty dirty dogs once they come inside from doing their business. So dirty, in fact, that they were both caked with mud from toes to belly after just a few minutes of being outside.

Bath time!

Shooter does pretty well with baths. He just kind of looks mopey while being washed and then rubs himself all over any available surface once released from the tub.

Zapp, as usual, is a different story.

She hates being wet. She once snapped her collar off (not at the buckle, in the middle of the strap) because she was pulling so hard on a leash to get away from the hose. This means she would rather die than go near water.

When we try to put in her in the bathtub, she seems to sprout additional arms and legs (and TALONS), fighting it the entire time. Have you ever tried to hold 55lbs. of soaking wet determination into a slippery, clawfoot bathtub? Not so easy.

So, tonight, she took a shower.

That’s right.

Someone put on a bathing suit and stood with her in our teeny tiny shower stall to give her a quick rinse. Zapp spent much of the time with her face plastered against the sliding door while her companion hosed her down.

Unorthodox? Possibly.

Worth it? Absolutely.

Waiting for a moment of weakness that has never happened and never will.

I found out that simmering white vinegar for about 45 minutes works as an excellent on-the-fly air freshener.

I started my day with dog crap. Dog crap mixed with dog vomit. Tons of it. All in our office upstairs, not outside where it belongs.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Courtesy of my Secret Blogger Santa!

A rare moment of Shooter-initiated affection.

Here’s a video of Zapp in all her intelligent glory:

Sorry for the annoying sounds of MTV in the background.