I don’t brush Charlie or clip his nails, but it’s not for any particular reason other than I don’t have a brush or nail clippers! I keep meaning to buy a dog brush when I’m in town and then I forget – Charlie loves it when I massage him and brush him with my fingernails, and a brush may come in handy as he sheds.

I will also get around to buying nail clippers as well, if only for his dew claws. He does a good job of keeping his front claws somewhat dull by digging and general spastic behaviour, but his dew claws are like little talons. And with Spring approaching and less clothing covering my body, those dew claws scratch if he jumps on me. I am in the middle of teaching him “Down”, but clipping the claws may be a measure I take until Down is perfected.