Maybe This Is How Discoveries Are Made

My plans yesterday changed on a dime when I was brushing my little dog, Ruby.  Because she has long hair, half the yard debris winds up in my house on a daily basis.  She had just come in with the others from her early morning jaunt when I started picking through her copious coat.  I found the usual offenders, the sticks, the leftover falloff from the oak tree that sits close to my back door and generalized junk.  Then I saw a tiny, skinny, light brown thing that I was about to reach for when it moved.  I did a double take, thinking at first that my eyes had to be playing a trick on me.  Nope, it was definitely there.

I've had dogs all my adult life and never, up to now, had I seen a flea.  I worried this might be one and ran to my friends on the dog forum I moderate for expert opinions.  Now, mind you, I only saw one, but I was not going to risk an infestation so I filled my kitchen sink with Dawn detergent and water.  I'd read about this a few years ago and made it my dish washing detergent of choice back then . . . just in case.

I quickly loaded my little girl into the bath, covering her over and over again in the sudsy water.  When I convinced myself it was likely that the little bugger, whatever it was, was no longer, I rinsed her off and began the tedious grooming process. 

I should tell you I've bought the most expensive shampoos and conditioners recommended for the profuse coats of the Havanese from the start.  Never, in the four years I've had them have I felt that any of them really cleaned the dogs completely.  Maybe in all fairness it was me and I was doing something wrong.  They always looked just a little bit grungy to me within days of their home spa days.  When Ms. Ruby was brushed and blown dry, her red hair sparkled and shone, like sun on a diamond.  Her hair was silky soft and beautiful.  She was squeaky clean.

Now mind you, my intention is not to make this my shampoo of choice, but it will be in the line-up for every third or fourth bath.  Maybe it was the Olay in it to keep our hands soft, maybe something else, but I think I accidentally discovered a great fifty cent shampoo.  Who'da thought? 

Oh, and btw, it probably wasn't a flea after all.