Oreo: “Hi, Anj! Hi! Hi! Hi!”

“Hi, buddy. C’mon, let’s get you set up for your bath,” I say.

Oreo: “Oh, I love the bath! Baths are the best! How are you? Do you need kisses? I’ll give you kisses!”

Oreo proceeds to give me a number of quick kisses.

“Oh, thank you. OK, hop in and you’ll get your bath in just a minute,” I tell him.

During his bath his excited energy begins to wane as he relaxes with his eyes half open and his mouth in a huge grin while he sits quietly and sighs in contentment.

“Good bath?” I ask.

Oreo: “Mmhm, is good.”

“Don’t fall asleep on me yet, buddy. You can nap in your crate after I get you toweled up,” I remind him.

Oreo: “I’m not sleepy.”

“Right. I can tell you’re not sleepy at all,” I quip.

I get him toweled up and pop him in a crate with a warmed towel while I clean and disinfect the tub for the next dog.

Oreo is sound asleep when I return to get him.

“Hey, buddy. Time to wake up. We have to get you dried and then even you out,” I tell him.

Oreo yawns and stretches: “I’m good, come back later.”

“Yeah…no. Your Mom will be back to get you soon so we need to get this done,” I say.

Oreo: “OK, carry me.”

Oreo makes no effort to assist me in any way and continues laying on his side with a smile and sleepy eyes.

So, I reach in, scoop him up and hold him to my chest.

He leans his head against my chest and lets out a soft, happy sigh as we head into the grooming room to begin his finish.

“You want to stand for your drying or are you going to go meatball on me again?” I ask.

Oreo: “I nap, you dry.”

“How did I know?” I reply.

After drying, I need him to stand so I rub his body from head to toe in an invigorating massage.

Oreo: “Ah, feels good.”

“You awake now?” I ask.

Oreo: “Yep! So what’s that new thing? Hey, did you get a new sticker on your toolkit? Why is there a light on that white box? What’s in the cabinet? You never open that one.”

“Umm…Well, let’s see, new clipper, yes on the sticker, UV toaster is sanitizing blades and that’s storage for extra stuff,” I rattle off in reply.

Oreo: “Oh, those are shiny!”

“New shears,” I say.