In the “About” section of this LoveMyDogHateMyElbows blog, you may have read how Charlee loves spa day. It all begins with my simple question to her: “Does Charlee want a bath?” Her whole backend seems to wag as she walks into the bathroom for a soak in the tub. She sits patiently as the tub fills with water. Once the water is just the right temperature and depth, off comes her collar, and in his tub she goes.

Charlee seems to thoroughly enjoy the lavender-infused organic dog shampoo with natural skin and coat conditioners and thick, foamy suds. She tilts her head to one side as I massage the suds around her neck and on her spotted back.  She lifts each paw, allowing me to work the suds between her pink and black toes where all sorts of small gravel, flowers, grass and other debris seem to accumulate. Once she is pristine and smelling heavenly, it is time to rinse away the thick suds and enjoy no less than 15 minutes of lying-in-Mommy’s-lap time, snuggled in a cozy towel.

Mmm. Can you just imagine … an organic bath with rich, lavender-scented suds, a 15-minute snuggle, a paw mini-pedi? From my perspective, it’s a dog’s “spa day” dream. (No doubt you have already deduced that “from my perspective” is the key phrase here.)

Today, we skip the blow dry (which is part of our fall/winter regimen) and sit outside to dry naturally in the sunshine. Charlee suns herself for about five minutes before something white and gooey on the pavement in front of our condo catches her eye. Still a bit damp, she decides to check it out.

What is this? Mmm. Interesting.

This smells great … so much better than the stuff Mom puts on me.

I am going to smell great!

Ahh! Birdie turdie perfume. Now that’s a spa day.

My reality check for the day: Charlee really is a dog.