Missing my queen of the doggie spa

Truth is, I  don't miss that Charlee  NEVER missed an opportunity to lay down in a  mud puddle, and only a few times in her life, even in the most  frigid weather, did she opt out of laying down a pond, lake or  ocean.

Old Orchard Beach January 2011

 I don't miss that as she got older and her coat grew thicker, it sometimes took 2 days for Charlee  to dry.  I don't miss the extra muck that Charlee brought into my life, my home,

 my car and my bed. I don't miss that forever wet dog smell that used to permeate our lives.   I don't miss that I was  almost never successful at calling her off something if she wanted to cool off it in bad enough.  She sometimes lulled me into a false sense of security and then would sneak back at the first chance.    Nope don't miss that. Not really.

February 2010 Dundee Pond - seconds before laying down

Beck and Finney both have lovely smooth coats and I highly recommend them.  Finn's double Collie coat  is made for work.  His coat is like a car with a new coat of wax.  Water beads up and it rarely gets through to  his undercoat.   Even if Finney is out in  pelting rain, the rain beads up and falls off and he  dries in a heartbeat.  Beck plays hard in the muddy woods, but his lovely soft single coat is the easiest of any dog I ever had to clean . He is usually dry and all the dirt/mud that turned him brown is usually gone by the end of a hike.  What doesn't flake comes off with a few wipes from the small  towel I keep in the car.  

I wish I had a video of the very first time we took Charlee to Belle Island Marsh in Revere MA .  She went under the bridge that leads to the fire tower at dead low tide and basically played slip and slide. She ran, frapped (frantic rapid activity period) ,  lay down and wallowed. .  Charlee  drew a squealing, laughing crowd  that ran from one side of the bridge watching her.They  muttered  things like "OMG how will get hat dog home?"  "Glad that's not my dog!" 

When Charlee  did come out, she was basically black from the tip of her nose to the tip of her tail.  She was covered in sludge (basically sewage) that even after half dozen baths never washed out. She had to shed that coat out to get her whites white again.  Ah memories. 

Evergreen

I walk my two dogs to all of Charlee's favorite haunts. It is like walking down Charlee memory lane daily.   Last week we were at Hinkley Pond. You know the bridge that leads to the waterfall?  Charlee would lay down  to spa at the top,   in the green slippery algae and look like she was about to plummet to her death.  We have visited Capisic Pond. Did Charlee lay in the pond? No she always chose the muddy run off.  I could go on, but I  won't.  What's a little a dirt anyway? What I  wouldn't give to have her back -wet, dirty,  stink and all.