I should really treat myself as well as I treat my dog
I just booked a resort and spa weekend for our poodle. No bones about it, the poodle is a fancy breed, but Appa (our puppers) rarely gets his tail in a twist unless he's unable to access whatever person (or animal) that needs care. He's trained for service and service he does. Lots and lots of service, for all members of our family. And all he asks in return is that we pet and feed him regularly.
Here he is sleeping on my daughter's head.
Usually, we take Appa with us when we travel. After all, our service dog can go just about everywhere we can go. That's not an easy option for our Mother's Day weekend. We needed an alternative. Since most friends are visiting family the same time we are, we decided to board Appa at his favorite daycare.
I pored over the prices for rooms trying to make sure he would get lots of playtime. Playtime at this retreat is an add-on unless you opt for a Luxury Suite or better. I went for Luxury. Then they asked if we'd like Appa to have a bath or nail trim before he comes home.
Here's the deal: I groom Appa myself with the exception of his nails. The dog has some fierce claws that require a Dremel, an extra person and some patience. I know my limits.
Okay, back to the reservation. YES! Please wash and trim my dog! After two days of playing with other dogs and most likely having a nervous poo (that's what he does when he doesn't get to take care of us), he is going to stink to high heavens. Hose him down! Besides, Appa loves baths. Secondary besides, we are allergic to anything not poodle, so all the fun he has with other dogs needs to be off his skin before he hops in our car.
I'm jealous of my dog right now. Not only does he get group play and a spa day, he gets massages and one-on-one play too. Since he already loves this kennel, I know he's going to have a great time. I'm happy for him even if I did eyeball that double-occupancy rate and consider asking whether people can stay with the poodles.