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An older woman in a quilted vest washes a wet white Bichon Frise in a sudsy galvanized metal tub in a garden yard. 13 / 39

Bath Day in the Old Tin Tub. Cotton's Expression Said It All.

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Suds float on the water of a dented galvanized tub, and Cotton sits in the middle of it looking soggy but resigned. His curls are flattened and dripping, his ears hang heavy, and his expression says he is putting up with this purely out of love. Ruth leans over the rim with a washcloth in hand, wiping gently around his chest and smiling softly. Around them, the backyard is a pleasant jumble of clay pots, herbs, a blue planter, a coiled hose, laundry on a line, and a stack of firewood by the fence.

A few tips make bath time easier on any dog. Use lukewarm water, never hot, and a shampoo made for dogs, since human products can be too harsh for their skin. Brush out the coat before the bath, because water tends to tighten existing tangles into stubborn mats, which matters a lot for curly breeds like the Bichon Frise. Keep water and soap out of the eyes and ears, and rinse thoroughly, as leftover shampoo can make skin itchy. Afterward, dry the dog well with towels and a low-heat setting if you use a dryer. Bathing outside works nicely on warm days, but small wet dogs can get chilly fast, so bring them in to dry off.

Cotton may not be thrilled right now, but in an hour he will be soft, fluffy, and smelling wonderful. Ruth will probably get a few happy zoomies around the yard as her thank-you.

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A white-haired woman in a cream puffer vest reads aloud from a book on the couch to a white Bichon Frise gazing up at her.Grandma Started Reading Out Loud. She Didn't Expect Such an Attentive Listener.A smiling gray-haired woman in a navy quilted vest poses cheek to cheek with a happy white Bichon Frise on a porch.Grandma Ruth Tried to Take a Nice Selfie. Cotton Had His Own Idea of Posing.
A smiling white-haired woman in a navy vest sits on a lake dock with her feet in the water, petting a white Bichon Frise.Grandma Dipped Her Toes in the Lake. Cotton Wasn't About to Stay on the Dock.An older woman in a quilted vest picks red apples from a tree while a white Bichon Frise sniffs apples on the ground.Grandma Ruth Was Picking Apples From the Tree. Cotton Found a Shortcut.A white-haired woman in glasses reads an old handwritten letter while a white Bichon Frise rests its chin on her knee.Grandma Unfolded an Old Letter She Had Kept for Years. Cotton Seemed to Know.A white-haired woman in glasses and a green vest holds a damp white Bichon Frise wrapped in a beige plaid blanket.The Walk Got Rained Out. What Came Through the Door Was a Very Soggy Bichon.