The- Amazing-Self-Washing-Caleb!

Okay... we do our normal routine here in the mornings. I get up, let dogs out run a bath, get coffee, let dogs in, check email, shut bath off, quick finish up the email, and take a bath. This is what we pretty much do every morning here unless I'm in a hurry and grab a quick shower.

Now let me preface this by saying Caleb does not like baths. Simon doesn't mind baths. Riley loves baths. Piper is just Piper and I don't think she realizes that there's a bath going on the entire time you're washing her. (Now mind you, Caleb loves the fishpond, the ocean, the blue kiddy pool, the muddiest puddle known to mankind, but heck no, he does not want to take a bath!)

When I start washing dogs Caleb goes and hides in another room. Or he hides behind dad and I have to go pick him up while he turns into this wiggling, squirming pool noodle. You put him in the tub and he flattens his ears, squishes himself down, tail low. He looks terribly pathetic as you use the nice hose and scrub him down and up, and sometimes for good measure, he throws in a very fake-over-the-top-acting shiver.

If there was a "Most Pathetic Dog in A Tub," Oscar award, my mantle would be very shiny.

So, this morning, normal routine. Run bath. Turn off bath. Answer the email I have half done before I ran the bath. Peppermint coffee is wonderful, yum. Dogs are in the living room playing with an antler-chew, keeping them busy. It's awfully quiet while I'm drinking my coffee, aw, well, the chew must be keeping them busy!

I come out and head for the bathroom. The Pems are sitting in the hall, looking in the bathroom. Okay, well, the Cardis must have dragged the antler chew in on the bathroom rug...

Walk in the bathroom.

Stare. (The cats and Simon are also staring, so I'm in good company.)

Walk out of bathroom. Get Blackberry, which is on the bench. Walk back in.

Take picture.

(Yes, I've apparently hit the digital age, when on seeing something that shocks you, you whip out your cell phone and take pictures.)



Caleb is in the bathtub. In the full bathtub. He is as happy as a lark, swimming around like some sort of odd little freaky otter, paddling around in the water. In MY water. My nice clean bath is now full of yard dirt and dog hair, and Caleb stops long enough to stand up and say hi, and then hops back down and is paddling around in circles in the tub.

You know, I really did think about the fact that he was probably going to hop out and take off down the hall, absolutely soaked to the bone. I did think that. But then I just scootched down the hall again and grabbed the Nikon that I had charging on the TV stand. Listen with one ear for sound of dog leaping from tub; nope -- paddle, paddle, paddle, paddle, sploosh, sploosh!

Go back in. Don't have the camera set. Other animals are staring at him like he's nuts. I am too.

Splish-Splash, I'm takin' a bathhhhhh...


They call this move the Cardi-Paddle.


Was this YOUR tub? *Yawn* (And no, that wasn't a stress yawn, hahah. That was a lazy, my hind legs are drifting in your nice clean tub yawn. He was just drifting along)


Still yawning. Nice relaxing spa day, apparently. For him!


Ahhhhh... so relaxed. Mmm. Why didn't you tell me about this hot tub? Oh, because it was your bathwater? Well, not anymore, we're compromising! :D


I guess it's time to come out. I feel totally refreshed though, wow! You might want to do something about the dirt in here... oh, and the hair. Grab a heated towel, will you?


Of course, I grab him out. Then, I had to text my employees on why I was going to be a bit late for work. They thought this was hilarious. I spent fifteen minutes drying the dog, argh!

I'm ashamed to say I stared at the tub and said, "Fine, whatever." Darned if he was going to get to use all my hot water, the rotter!

Note to self -- shut bathroom door from now on. ;)