A muddy day at the dog park

Winter is over at the dog park. While I am happy to shed some of the winter layers (especially the snow pants that haven't zipped in the last two months), I am very sad to say good-bye to the frozen, snow-covered ground. Yes, I suffered under the worst conditions - back when it was way below zero - but I had the luxury of coming and going as I pleased. For the next few months, the dog park will be wet and muddy. This means that I can only go when Buzz is home and willing to bathe the dogs - or at least carry them up to the bath. You see, we have very light carpeting througout our house and the bathtub is up two flights of stairs. Otis does a lot of standing around and bitching at the other dogs but Greta runs like the winds and plays with anything that moves.
I am at least thankful to say that I don't have a lab. Look at this dog! Where do you even start the bath when it's not hose season?

This mess of a dog is one of Greta's favorite pals. Greta drags her around the ground by her collar.

If you can, click on the pic below to make it bigger. Otis has the most annoyed look on his face and Greta's tale seems to be in his way.

Otis gets a bit stressed out at the park for this reason or the other. Check out that long line of drool. He carried it around for ten minutes till it was left on some poor dog's back.

In an attempt to get some of the mud off, I let them go in the flooded section of the park. Otis loves to play in the water.
How do you stop a dog from drinking nasty, standing water? You don't and you pray that they don't pick up a parasite. And when they do, you remind yourself why you continue to work at a vet's office on the weekends.

I wonder how Ella is going to like the dog park...