Not Just for Kids

Dog washing

A cool breeze blew in, but that doesn't mean hot weather is over.

It's a hot September afternoon. You don't know what to do. Swimming pools are closed and the Bay is full of jelly fish. Your dog is hot, too.

How can you solve this problem? A bath. No, not you. Your dog. He'll get clean and you'll both get cool. Beat the heat with your dog.

And have fun.

Pet Supplies: Plenty of towels (make sure your parents won't be mad if they get real grubby) * Doggie (or people) shampoo * Large Bucket or Hose

People Supplies: A towel (don't think you will stay dry) * Bathing suit (you may as well be comfortable to get wet)

• Hose your dog down. He will enjoy the spray of cool water on a hot summer day. Or you can work in sections, wetting the dog with water from your bucket.
• Watch out. Your dog might not be as happy as I said. He may try to shake, shake, shake himself dry, all over you.
• Lather your dog up really well with the shampoo. Give him a good cleaning. But be very careful not to get near his eyes.
• Be sure to rinse his fur thoroughly with the hose or a clean bucket water. It is very important that you get all of the shampoo out of his fur. If there is still shampoo in his fur, a rash could develop.
• After your dog shake, shake, shakes dry, you do the job. Dry your dog thoroughly before he runs back in the house. Make sure he doesn't get dirty again right away. (Good luck!)

Go ahead, go wash your dog.

Find out how easy washing a dog can be. Georgia Knoll and Mary Catherine Ball both had experiences with Max, the New Bay Times mascot. Max makes everything exciting!

Georgia Knoll

I had an interesting experience washing my brothers' dog, Max. Max is a 100-pound yellow Labrador retriever.

After I finished washing him, he shook all over and went to roll in pine needles and mud. Things such as this are to be expected, so be prepared to get wet and messy. If the dog gets messy after his bath, this doesn't mean you have to do the whole process over again. Just give him a slight rinse again and dry him off.

Mary Catherine Ball (at right)

Being an intern at New Bay Times, I have many duties. To my surprise, drying off Max is one of them.

During an afternoon walk, Max had frolicked in a dirty creek. He was a mess. I was the only one dressed in shorts so I got the duty of making this Labrador yellow again. After some sprays from the hose, I got down to the dirty work: drying Max carefully. I got on my knees and began massaging his fur with the towel. Of course, every two minutes Max decided to move away from me. And once he did that shake, shake, shake thing. But he did get dry and I didn't see any wet paw prints in the office.

Journal Junction September 2-30(7pm)-Amelia Bedelia puts pen to paper. Why can't you? Learn how to record your thoughts in a journal. Thursdays @ Zany Brainy, Annapolis Harbour Center. Ages 8+. 410/266-1447.

Research Reptiles Sat. Sept. 4 (10am)-Discover the world of amphibians and reptiles living in your backyard. Ages 6-10. Earleigh Heights Ranger Station, B&A Trail Park, Severna Park. rsvp: 410/222-6244.

Master Music Sat. Sept. 4 (10am-2pm)-Learn to play the piano or sing a song. Mary Hoffman teaches piano, voice, kindermusik, music composition and more. Attend the open house at her music studio. Ages Birth+. Hazelnut Ridge Farm, Edgewater: 410/798-5181.

Hike for a Butterfly Sun. Sept. 5 (8:30-11am)-Learn what butterflies do for our environment on a guided hike. Bring a field guide and binoculars. Patuxent Research Refuge North, off RT. 198 Between BW Parkway and Rt. 32 in Laurel. Ages 8+ w/adult. rsvp: 410/674-3304.

Share Your Summer Tues. Sept. 7 (10am)-Share summer adventures with friends. Listen to Mark Teague's How I Spent My Summer Vacation and Keith Baker's Hide and Snake. Barnes & Noble, Annapolis: 410/573-1115.

Harry Heads to School Wed. Sept. 8 (7pm)-Harry Potter of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban goes back to school. Celebrate this time of year by creating Magic Phoenix-Feather Wand Pencils, just like Harry has. Then play a quick round of Harry Potter trivia. Zany Brainy, Annapolis Harbou