Flashback - Roxie's first full day with me

So here is Roxie in her new kennel I got her. What an exciting day we had. I got up at 6am and took her for a walk. It was dark, and it was pouring out! I knew then that she was staying, because I really had to like her to get up early and walk in the rain!

I didn't really have a walking route planned out, so I figured I would walk down to Tim Horton's, grab a coffee, and walk back. That should take about 40 minutes. I believe that you should walk your dog at least twice a day, for a minimum of 30 minutes each time. Letting your dog out to run around the yard is not enough - as Cesar Millan says, you must "master the walk"

So - it's dark, it's raining. I take Roxie to the little park beside my condo for a quick pee before we start. She has lots of energy, so she is kinda bounding around, rolling in the grass, having a great time. I give her some quick pets, and we are off on the walk. As we are walking, every once in a while I get a whiff of something very unpleasant smelling. I figure perhaps I stepped in something in the park (thank you irresponsible dog owners who do not pick up after their dogs!). Think nothing of it (after all, I do work and volunteer in a shelter so I am no stranger to poop). About 5 minutes from Tim Horton's, I go to wipe the rain from my face and realize that my hands smell bad. Really really bad. Like something died, was eaten, got pooped out, and started to rot. Seriously, I think I almost threw up a little bit.

We get to Tim Horton's, I tied Roxie up outside. I slink into the washroom, and wash my hands. Smell is still lingering a bit. Oh ick. Get my coffee, rescue my dog who has assumed I have abandoned her and is completely freaking out, barking her head off. Hurry home. Get in, and in the light notice my mostly white dog is now mostly not-white. Bend towards her and sniff. Oh yeah, that's the disgusting smell. Lovely. Who knew dogs really rolled in dead smelly things!?! Ok, why didn't anyone tell me?!!

I tried to wipe her off with a damp towel, but The Smell was having nothing to do with that! It was both mighty and powerful. And Roxie then thought it would be fun to rub The Smell into the carpet! Yay!!

Put a very quick stop to that, and into the bath she went. She is pretty good in the tub - she just assumes you are going to kill her and meekly accepts it. After a good scrubbing, out came my dog, back to being mostly white, and not nearly as smelly!!