Overcast and chilly this morning. Ziggy went out early to do his perimeter check.  He came back reporting that  caterpillars are taking over the yard. They are in all the trees and bushes.
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I suggested he tell his Mom and Dad when they come back in a couple of days.

Ziggy asked if we could go to Hidden Cove Park.  I liked the idea, and asked if he would help me with a wood working project at the condo after a run in the park.  Ziggy said OK.

The park was as beautiful as ever, even under grey skies.201140525-Ziggy-iPhone-(4)

After about 15 minutes of roaming, Ziggy went over to the stairs that lead down to the dock.  Just then a Great Blue Heron flew up from the bottom of the stairs. This was just too good. I coaxed Ziggy to follow me down the rickety ramp to the dock.  I walked to the end of the dock before I noticed Ziggy wasn’t with me.

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I turned around to see him at the bottom of the ramp rolling in something.
Judging by his look of escstasy, it had to be something REALLY nasty.

I ran as fast as I could to stop him.  When I got there I saw that it was otter poo.
Ziggy was really happy… and smelly.
I took him to the car, wiped him down with an old towel, put him in the back seat, rolled down the windows and hurried back to Ziggy’s home.
(Thank goodness for the backseat blanket)

When we got home, I told Ziggy he needed a bath.
He was sad.20140528-Ziggy-Otter-(10)

I had to half lift him to get him in the tub.20140528-Ziggy-Otter-(18)

He didn’t fight me, but he didn’t make it easy either.20140528-Ziggy-Otter-(19)

The shampoo and conditioner I got from the Vet did a good job of killing the smell.
Of course, this all happened the day AFTER Laurie cleaned the house.

Luckily, by the time Ziggy was done with his bath, the sun came out.20140528-Ziggy-Otter-(14)

He misses his special smell.20140528-Ziggy-Otter-(11)

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Can’t find that smell anywhere… because it was all in my car.20140528-Ziggy-Otter-(20)

Even after taking out the towel and blanket the car smelled of otter poo.
After a couple of hours, the smell went away.

The wood working project will have to wait.