New Trick for Ozzy

[MindyKay]

Sorry I haven't been around much, it's been crazy at work and at home.  Hubby is down with a sinus infection, and Ozzy has been busy "protecting" him.

We taught Ozzy a new trick last weekend.  In addition to "Sit," "Shake," "Down," "Roll Over," "Stay," and "Come," he now responds correctly to the word "Speak."

It was funny teaching him this trick.  At one point we were dancing around him, jumping up and down, and baby-talking the word "Speak" to get him excited enough to bark.  Ozzy was sitting in the middle looking at us as if we had gone mad!

He sure has us trained as well 

I also used a blow dryer on him to get him quickly dry after a bath.  He still does not like it, and burys his head in the towel when he's not trying to run away.  Still, he is getting better about it.

[David C.]

Is Ozzy a smoothie?   If he is, they tend to dry out pretty quickly and the blow dryer really isn't necessary.  The only thing I'd be afraid with using a blow dryer is drying out their skin.

[Sandishooligans]

Good for you, Ozzy!  Now you can talk back....er....speak to the hoomans.

[MindyKay]

Ozzy is a long-hair.  Hubby got aggravated seeing a wet Ozzy running around the house, rolling on the carpets, dragging his ears on the carpet, and using the sliding-glass-door curtain as a towel.  So, I'm under orders to try to get Ozzy as dry as possible with the blow-dryer before letting him loose.

I use it on the lowest setting, and hold it pretty far away, just so that a little air gets on him, plus I don't stay in one spot.  And, he gets a treat if he holds fairly still.

[Brekkesmom]

Brekke doesn't mind being blow-dried at all - in fact, she expects it.  I also use the lowest setting, and on cool, and we sit in the floor of my bathroom with about 3 towels so she can get off my lap and roll as necessary.  She actually adores taking showers - we have it down to a little routine now - I shampoo with Cloud Star's lavender and mint on her and my hair gets human stuff, and then I do both of us with cream rinse.  When we're done, I use Unicoat on her tangles, and my leave-in conditioner on me.  We sort of share the hair dryer, since I can tell when she needs some wiggle time.

[Marcia from MI]

A friend of mine who used to raise lh dachsies told me she used to make a sort of coat out of a nylon stocking and put it on her lh show dogs after their baths.  This would keep the waves down and the poofiness also.

[Brekkesmom]

That's a good tip, Marcia!  I never can keep the little fluffy-butt from being too poofy!

[Jenny G]

Wow! Ozzy is quite the talented one! :paint: I would just be happy with HUSH!