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My Dog Salvy

 One thing I didn't anticipate about parenting was the "teaching the teachers" requirement. For a while, I assumed that I would just lend my child to various caregivers, and the caregivers would troubleshoot in their own ways, and "that would be that." Instead, each new caregiver requires a series of lessons. Then the implication is this: "I've set you up for success. Whether or not you succeed is now in your hands."


But I wonder about my dog. He is getting older, and his anal glands release a special scent in the summer. It's a foul, foul scent. I'm not trying to shame my dog. He hates baths. We have a professional service nearby--the proprietors are somewhat erratic in their behaviors--and, ostensibly, Salvy should be able to get a bath at the service headquarters.

Does this step *also* require a guidebook? Should my spouse and I "coach" the caregivers?

Apparently, yes. The service recently bathed Salvy, then reported that he had misbehaved. The ensuing statements were sort of astounding: "We cannot bathe Salvy in the future. We are not the problem; Salvy is the problem. If he resists us during the bath process, he might conclude that he dislikes us. Then the experience of visiting Professional Pet Care becomes onerous for Salvy--and deeper resentments begin to grow. And no one wins."

To me, this seems like a quintessential "Maplewood" speech. I'm at a loss. I know I shouldn't wring my hands about things that won't trouble me five years from now--but I'm struggling here. I'm trying to channel the spirit of Mel Robbins.
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