Byron's Bath
“Give Byron a bath? Why me?” asked Charlie.
“Charlie, you know today is his day for a bath,” his mother answered. “I would do it, but I have some errands to run this afternoon. So it’s up to you.”
“But he hates to take a bath,” Charlie said.
“I wonder where he gets that from,” said Charlie’s mother, smiling. She gave Charlie a wink. “Good luck,” she said. “I’ll be back in a about an hour.”
Charlie got the metal bathtub out of the garage and carried it to the backyard. He filled it up with water and added soap. As he watched the suds spill over the side and onto the grass, he wondered how he would get Byron into the tub.
The last time his mother gave Byron a bath, he hid under the porch and wouldn’t come out for anything. Not even a doggie treat. Finally, his mother had to grab him by the collar and drag him to the tub.
Charlie felt bad for Byron. He hated to take a bath too. He would do anything to avoid taking one. One time he told his mother that his teacher said he shouldn’t take baths because bath water caused strange rashes to appear on your skin.
But now it was his job to give Byron a bath. And he knew it wouldn’t be easy. Charlie could see the tip of Byron’s nose sticking out from his doghouse.
“Here, boy,” called Charlie. But Byron didn’t come.
He took the scrub brush and held it in his hand. “Come on boy,” he said. “Let’s place fetch.”
Nothing worked. Byron refused to come out from his doghouse.
Charlie had an idea. He went into the house and put on his bathing suit. When he came out he got a towel and went over to the bathtub.
“Hey, Byron. Do you want to go for a swim?” he called out.
He dipped his toe into the water. “Just right.” He stepped into the tub and sat down. He scooped up a handful of suds and blew into it. The suds floated in the air.
As Charlie splashed around in the bathtub, Byron got up. He walked slowly to the bathtub.
“Hey, boy,” said Charlie. “Jump in. The water’s perfect.”
Byron put his paws on the edge of the bathtub. He hesitated. Then, he jumped in and made a big splash. Water went everywhere.
Charlie laughed. He took the scrub brush and started to scrub Byron’s fur.
“See, Byron,” said Charlie, smiling. “Taking a bath isn’t so bad. I don’t see what all the fuss was about.”
“Charlie, you know today is his day for a bath,” his mother answered. “I would do it, but I have some errands to run this afternoon. So it’s up to you.”
“But he hates to take a bath,” Charlie said.
“I wonder where he gets that from,” said Charlie’s mother, smiling. She gave Charlie a wink. “Good luck,” she said. “I’ll be back in a about an hour.”
Charlie got the metal bathtub out of the garage and carried it to the backyard. He filled it up with water and added soap. As he watched the suds spill over the side and onto the grass, he wondered how he would get Byron into the tub.
The last time his mother gave Byron a bath, he hid under the porch and wouldn’t come out for anything. Not even a doggie treat. Finally, his mother had to grab him by the collar and drag him to the tub.
Charlie felt bad for Byron. He hated to take a bath too. He would do anything to avoid taking one. One time he told his mother that his teacher said he shouldn’t take baths because bath water caused strange rashes to appear on your skin.
But now it was his job to give Byron a bath. And he knew it wouldn’t be easy. Charlie could see the tip of Byron’s nose sticking out from his doghouse.
“Here, boy,” called Charlie. But Byron didn’t come.
He took the scrub brush and held it in his hand. “Come on boy,” he said. “Let’s place fetch.”
Nothing worked. Byron refused to come out from his doghouse.
Charlie had an idea. He went into the house and put on his bathing suit. When he came out he got a towel and went over to the bathtub.
“Hey, Byron. Do you want to go for a swim?” he called out.
He dipped his toe into the water. “Just right.” He stepped into the tub and sat down. He scooped up a handful of suds and blew into it. The suds floated in the air.
As Charlie splashed around in the bathtub, Byron got up. He walked slowly to the bathtub.
“Hey, boy,” said Charlie. “Jump in. The water’s perfect.”
Byron put his paws on the edge of the bathtub. He hesitated. Then, he jumped in and made a big splash. Water went everywhere.
Charlie laughed. He took the scrub brush and started to scrub Byron’s fur.
“See, Byron,” said Charlie, smiling. “Taking a bath isn’t so bad. I don’t see what all the fuss was about.”