So, anyway, Gus was beginning to stink, and had his usual summer excess of hair; and JoJo still had the road dirt on her from when we picked her up. We bundled them into the car and hauled them down to The Grateful Dog in Hyannis.
This is a high-class wash-your-own-dog facility with several raised dogwash tubs (saves the back, and there are ramps for the dogs to walk up; not that either Gus or JoJo would walk up; still, it's the IDEA) and a wide selection of shampoos. Other amenities include plenty of towels, a restraint thingy to keep the dog from jumping out, and a blow-dryer that no longer terrifies Gus, although I'd hesitate to say he enjoys it. Scared the bejeezus out of JoJo.
First, we settled Gus (settled is a highly relative term) onto the de-shedding table for a quick brushout that lasted half an hour. We'll be knitting a village out of the results. Then my Lovely and Charming Wife and I each hosed off a dog, and we chatted with the owner, Kristen Ellis. She's delightful, sweet and knows her stuff, and also runs a pet-sitting and dog-walking business.
The resident pooch, a handsome rottweiler-and-who-knows mix named Cowboy, evidently had a political disagreement with Gus, but the two exchanged their views over the counter and no fisticuffs ensued.
If your dog needs a bath when you're around Hyannis, this is the place. Highly recommended.
