Creature Comforts

Ivy, our Standard Poodle mix, is fond of running in any weather conditions, but particularly seems to enjoy galloping through the squishy, marshy spots, kicking up huge rooster tails of mud in her wake. Her big, moppy paws are very efficient at leaving spectacularly muddy footprints throughout the house (even after she is thoroughly dried with a towel). With long, shaggy hair that she shakes off once indoors, she is adept at making Jackson Pollock-esque mud-art on all horizontal and vertical surfaces within a 6-foot radius. This has made letting the dogs in and outside into a chore of epic proportions.

Recipe for mud: Take some dirt. Add water. Enjoy. Mud is, by its very definition, “dirty.” We humans are taught from a very early age to abhor dirt and dirty things. At least, most of us were. And for the most part, this is adaptive thinking. Dirt (soil) contains all manner of potential hazards to health. Microbes in the form of bacteria, fungi and molds, decomposing plant, insect and animal tissues, pollens and pollutants, parasite eggs and larvae — it’s all in there. Happily, long ago, we humans have discovered good old-fashioned soap and water, and it has done wonders for our health, not to mention our complexions.

Cats are a fastidious lot, and they have been, long before people came on the scene. A dirty, stinky cat is almost invariably unwell. Are there exceptions? Of course. There are the occasional cats that seem to have more of a laissez-faire attitude about personal grooming (or their lack thereof). Most of these are outdoor tomcats that seem to be too busy with securing territorial borders, hunting and pursuing one-night-stands with eligible females to bother to run their comb-like tongues through their hair once in awhile. However, this is not the norm, even for tomcats, and greasy, smelly cats should see their veterinarian as soon as possible.

A dirty, stinky dog, on the other hand, is usually a happy one. Getting dirty, muddy or stinky usually involves an excellent adventure and moments of blissful freedom.

A word about odors: stink is in the nose of the beholder. The smells of flowery, perfumed shampoos, lotions and potions, while pleasant to people, are highly offensive to most dogs and cats. Are there exceptions? Of course. Some dogs are fastidiously clean, do not enjoy getting dirty or smelly, and don’t seem to mind being slathered and spritzed with all manner of fussy grooming products. I am willing to bet these dogs dream in smell-o-vision, though, and dreamily transform into filthy, raunchy-smelling, wild, savage, beasts chasing down hapless prey as they float into LaLa Land. Prissy, white Maltese or no, dogs are dogs, and when permitted to drift back to satisfying their carnal desires, they usually do. Remember: dogs are all about what’s in it for dogs, and they exist in the moment. They do not plan ahead, or think about the consequences of becoming filthy — that last soapy shampooing (endured, what, yesterday?) is an ethereal, distant memory. Commence the muddy hunt! Huzzah!

Dogs generally do not mind smelling strongly of dung or rotting carcass or any other such foul abhorrence, and seek these noxious substances out, purposefully rubbing themselves enthusiastically over them to make it last for days. (Dig that collar in there, yeah, that’s the ticket!) Probably inherited from their wild ancestors, this behavior is beneficial when hunting — helping to mask the doggie smells and blend in with the natural surroundings. Rabbits are famous for their long ears and constantly twitching noses. Those noses can sniff out a dog long before the dog is in view. But, a dog smelling like some other animal’s droppings can avoid sending out the red alert to skittish prey, and give the dog a better chance at a successful kill. Or, at the very least, an epic chase, which is totally worth it.

For dogs, becoming dirty and stinky is great fun. Becoming clean is not — enduring a bath is tantamount to torture. For our eldest dachshund, Walter, however, cleanliness has its perks. One of his favorite things to do is to be the first to burrow under the covers in bed and rub his little body all over freshly laundered sheets. Happier than a pig in mud.

Daverio is a veterinarian at Williamsport West Veterinary Hospital. Her column is published every other Sunday in the Lifestyle section. She can be reached at life@sungazette.com.