Conference misery::feline_v1

     I just wanted to remind everyone that the fundraiser
  is this Saturday, from 10 to 4. When I last spoke to
  the people at Buddy Dog, I was the only person they had
  who volunteered to help wash the dogs, so it seems that
  they really need some more volunteers. 
     PS They'll provide lunch.
    ----------------------------------------------------
                Come one, Come all!
                     DOG WASH
         to benefit the Buddy Dog Humane Society
         (which also takes care of cats!)

         Saturday, September 17 from 10 am to 4 pm
         at Buddy Dog Humane Society
           151 Boston Post Road (Rte. 20)
           Sudbury, Mass.

         Regular bath $4.50, flea bath $5.50
         Bring your own towel 

         Volunteers are needed to help bathe dogs
         (Sure, most FELINE readers don't have dogs---but
          we can WASH 'em)
         For more info, call (508)237-4747       

    
    Have you ever done this before?  My worry would be that the dog
    would bite the washer...leading to a bloody washer and possibly
    a lawsuit against the dog owner.  Or am I being overly pessimistic?
     
    If you want to volunteer do you just show up?  Or should you call
    ahead?  Any more details you can give to someone who wants to do
    something other than work Saturday morning? :-)
    
    Sharon
    

    .2 I'd like to know the answers to these questions too in case I
       drive over from NH.  Especially concerned about "biting the hand
       that washes them" since my hands are my life and my typing is
       great!
    
    Pat
    

     Thanks for your interest!

     I've done this once before, at the August dog wash.

     All the dogs were friendly. The only behavior problem
     was that a few tried to squirm away. For the ones that
     were really squirmy, the owners volunteered to hold them
     still so we could just work on the bathing part. We all
     (even the owner) got pretty wet, but it was a warm day,
     so we didn't mind at all.

     I don't think anyone would be crazy enough to bring in a
     vicious dog. Obviously, it never hurts to be too careful,
     so it's best not to get face-to-face with a dog you're
     not sure about. If there's any dog that makes you uncomfortable,
     even if you just don't like being around particularly 
     large dogs or something like that, that's fine. Just
     step aside and ask someone to take your place. The
     shelter employees and regular volunteers will be there
     washing, too, and they have lots of experience dealing
     with large, mean, shy (or whatever) dogs.

     What they did last time (I assume it'll work the same way
     this time) was to wash the large dogs outside, and the
     small dogs inside in a tub. For the dogs being washed outside,
     they use a garden hose with a thing at the end to stop the 
     water when it wasn't needed or to make the water spray with
     more force. But the hose was attached to an inside faucet,
     so we could control the temperature of the water and make
     sure it wasn't too hot or too cold for us or the dogs.

     There were usually waves of customers, so sometimes there'd
     be a waiting line, and other times there'd be no dogs to wash.
     When you run out of customers, though, that's when you can go
     to the back rooms and visit the kitties!

     You don't have to call the shelter, you can just show up.
     But if you want to make sure that they have a better idea
     of how many volunteers they'll have that day, give them
     a call at 237-4747.

     Sorry to be so long-winded! See you Saturday!

    I just called the 237-4747 # suggested and was told they can still
    use all the help they can get.  I did ask if the weather was too
    cool to bath large dogs outside, was there a tub for them indoors
    too?  The answer is "Yes".  I was advised to bring a change of clothes
    as bathers will get as wet as the dogs.  I also asked about the
    towel(s) and was told towels would be needed for drying the dogs
    so just one towel won't be enough (bathers should have one for
    themselves too).  If you have a blow dryer, that would be good to
    bring also.
    
    They are located almost into Wayland, MA on Boston Post Rd. (Rte
    20) on right side of road.  My landmark to go from is the Star Market
    shopping area on rt 20 in Sudbury going east toward Wayland, not
    toward Wayside Inn.  This will make it easier to find I think.
    
    Pat