Rufus likes to have his eyes and ears cleaned everyday. He just lays his head on my lap and waits for the baby wipes to come out.
Most dogs that have floppy ears can sometimes have ear infections because what ever gets in them can't get back out even with shaking their heads.
But, every day we start the day with a warm cloth to do eyes. Rufus gets up in the morning and kind of squints until his eyes are wiped. He just sighs and leans into the cloth. He loves it.
His ears are another part of the ritual. As soon as we get back from playing in the river he sees the baby wipes come out and right away his head is on my lap. I just use unscented baby wipes and I stick my finger in as far as it will go. It is something that I do everyday to prevent having to take him to the vet for meds. With most dogs (and kids) you can smell an infection in their ears. And once it has happened you will know what I mean.
After all they just rustle and tussle until they are all so tired that they almost wish that they could be carried back to the car.
There have been a few times that Rufus has come home bleeding from the bottoms of his ears. I don't usually worry too much because I know that "Bernie" didn't mean to hurt Rufus. They just got playing and because of all of the loose skin and floppy ears that is the best place to hang on for a bit.
The winter is a tough time for it to happen though. Because of the cold I don't usually know until we get back in the car and are on our way home. His ears usually warm up enough to start the blood flow again.
When that happens he tries to shake his head because it hurts a little and he stops and looks as if to say "Oh No, not again"
When we see "Bernie" again it is almost as if Rufus says "Take it easy, Okay?" They both start off a little more gentle. That only lasts a few minutes then they are back at it again.
Rufus just like Wilson always know when Bernie is in the park. They both put their noses in the air and turn this way and that and then they are off. We don't even need to see the truck.
For 2 very different dogs they play the same way.
Dexter on the other hand has a "girlfriend". A lovely little girl named Keira. It was not always a love affair between the 2 of them and most times we still think that its not. One time just shortly after the 2 of them met. Keira was racing to meet Dexter just as I threw the ball for him and just a second before he got to it she had the ball in her mouth. Well, any one who knows Dexter, knows that he is all about the ball. He let her know that it was not good form to take a ball just as he was going to pick it up. Ever since then every time they run into each other, Keira ends up sliding on her back right under Dexter's chin. And of course he lets her know that he is the top dog.
Both of us humans start yelling at Keira to stay standing. Usually from opposite sides of the field. If Keira stays on her feet then Dexter is okay. As soon as she lays down then it doesn't sound as if they are friends.
But, back to grooming. Some days more than others we can go through a half a roll of paper towel getting cleaned up after a walk in the park. Rufus just stands in the middle of the kitchen waiting until he is clean again. He really likes to be clean when he gets home. If we do have any cuts on his ears he waits for the melaleuca oil to come out. He just waits and waits until he is all fixed up.
Dexter, because his ears are hairy on the underside, we have to shave them on a regular basis. But he gets the same ear wipe everyday after the park. His eyes on the other hand I never have to do. Bella takes care of that for me. She gets right up in his face and starts cleaning his eyes. Dexter in turn will clean her ears. They get it done then have a nap side by side.
Well, I was going to cover whistle training and the success I have had with it. But we will talk about that next time (I got a little distracted. LOL)
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