Things are getting ruff here around the new house and my mom is making no bones about it. She and I have been at odds about what it means to have clean paws before a pup comes in the house. So, in protest, I’m writing this quick tutorial on How to Get Clean Paws.
Mom saddled me with the name Winston when I was just a wee guy less than 2lbs.
Now, I’m a hansome 23lbs, thanks to a healthy diet featuring Purina ONE® SmartBlend® Chicken & Rice Formula Dry Dog Food and, my favorite, Purina® Pro Plan® Chicken & Rice Wet Dog Food she picked-up at Tractor Supply Co Purina Days (thank you, mom for that).
Despite this amazing growth into the big, strong boy (so mom tells me regularly), I am still called (sigh) Winston.
Something else that never changed? I am a chocolate brown hottie of a mini-poodle–and I love to decorate my home’s floors.
However, this last bit is something that has changed. My mom used to think it was “cute” and “awww” when I brought my chocolate-colored mud version of finger-painting to the hallways of our house. Now? Now she has suddenly decided that it’s opposite of cute.
Suddenly, I’m the bad guy. Things have truly become ruff.
But, instead of putting me out in the cold, cold spring weather (it’s like 65-degrees out there, y’all!), mom and I came up with some “compromises” (WHICH I AM STILL PROTESTING, MOM!) for How to Get Clean Paws (whine) for a tidier house. Sigh.
What You Need to Get for Clean Paws
- A place you can bring doggies inside to shop (on a leash, of course…sigh).
- A place that carries a lot of wide variety of things like my favorite nibbles (the Purina ONE® SmartBlend® Chicken & Rice Formula Dry Dog Food that you can totally save $5 on during Purina Days; and Purina® Pro Plan® Chicken & Rice Wet Dog Food that’s buy large bag, get 2 cans free kinda deal at Tractor Supply Co). Mom totally took advantage of these deals (and a a ton of others) on their Free Standing Insert to stock-up on my food during the 5th annual Purina Days at Tractor Supply Co that just started in March. Smart mom.
- A place where you can get (ultimate sigh) mats for the door that clean little paws.
Basically, you need a store that meets all your typical rural needs. And has chicks. Chicks dig cute dogs. Just sayin’.
How to Actually Get Clean Paws
- Buy a mat. Sigh. Specifically one that has those little brushes on them–not a flat mat, one that’s got bristles. Not that I, as the majestic pup I am, will EVER actually WIPE my fragile, perfect little paws. But I will be forced to walk on it (see #2). Which will cause the majority of the mud/paint to come off my paws.
- Place the mat. Specifically, mom says we have to place the mat in front of the door I most frequently come in and out of. Sigh. Really, she’s forcing me to walk on it. It’s only saving grace (besides being obscenely handy for HER) is that it’s got chicks on it. Heh.
- Place distractions by mat. This is just mean. Mom says I have to be “distracted” so that she can get me to stop–ON THE MAT–in order to wipe any residual spring-mud-paint-goodness off my artistic paws! She. Is. So. Mean. My food bowl and water are these strategically-placed distractions she chose. BIG GIANT SIGH.
- Place wipes nearby. Mom is all thrifty and stuff and she just uses an old dishcloth that’s too-far-gone-to-use-as-a-dishcloth to wipe my paws. Then, she tosses it in the dirty clothes immediately. Grabbing a new one and setting it strategically by the door when I go outside. Sigh. Too smart for her own good.
Alright, now, my mom says it would be very agrufft of you to not pin this quick tutorial on How to Get Clean Paws. So do it. Ruffly about five seconds ago. So she doesn’t get mad and tell us no-no.