Pluff Mudbath

I'd like to introduce you to Pluff Mud. For you mud-loving pups, it's hard to find mud better than Pluff Mud. It's the dark soft soil in the marshes of the Lowcountry of South Carolina that's usually exposed at low tide. It's has a distinct odor that is the result of a combination of bacteria, water and climate.


It's pretty delicious soft and stinky stuff. I even found this song about it.

Pluff Mud Song

I sucks off yo topsiders
Cuts off yo toes
Why you still loves me
Nobody knows

I gets in the cuts on yo feets an' yo hands
An' gives you vibrio vulnificans
I raise half the fush and the swimps in the sea
That's why you can't get along without me

Pluuuuuf Muddddd!

Now, I've never really explored mud before, not like my muddy bestest pal, Eric Square Dog who is a real collector of fine muds. However, today when I went to visit my pal Buddy and saw it was mean low tide, I became entranced with this pudding-like soil...

(Note: The following photos are simulated by Mom since she was shrieking at me like a banshee and was dressed to go out to lunch and didn't want to leave me to grab her camera.)

Buddy has an electric fence so he stays in his yard. Since he's a big black lab mix boy, I've learned that I can escape his vigorous antics by crossing over his invisible fence. Today, I headed over to the neighbors, and decided to explore underneath their dock. Mom was hollering at me like crazy, but I was singing a little song to myself...

"lalalalala, I can't hear you,lalalala, my name's not Petey today, lalalalala, I've already got the best tennis ball so what are you offering me?lalalalala!"

Soon I was crunching over fiddler crabs and oyster shells into fluffy, smelly, dark brown PLUFF MUD!!!
Here is a simulation of what I looked like (minus the tennis ball) when I finally came back to Buddy's backyard. It was as if I was wearing dark brown muddy hip waders! Delightful!!! 

Mommy begged to differ. 

So I got hosed down until my legs were almost back to their normal color. Then we headed home (Mom was very happy she invested in that doggy sling for the back seat) and Mom saw that I still had lots of pluff mud on my chest and chin. You can see it if you biggify this photo.

So I was exiled to the screened porch while Mom had lunch with Buddy's Mom. When she got back we headed to the beach so I could dunk in the ocean and Mommy could give me a really good hosing down! 

Ahhhhh PLUFF MUD!!! Shall we sing that song together?

Mica Update: That tough old tiger is just fine! No more nosebleeds, great appetite and back to his usual tricks. We'll be happy to see him for ourselves when we get back to NYC next week!