Soon Spring will be in the air. The snow melts, the ground thaws, tiny buds start peaking through and you know it will soon be Summer. The old saying, April Showers bring May Flowers is true, but what they don't tell you is that April Showers also brings mud. Glorious mud. If you have larger dogs that enjoy a good romp outside, odds are good you also have dogs that enjoy tracking the mud through your house. Here are some tips to help keep your dogs clean & your house too!

First, start with a good grooming. You can either take your dog into a groomer, or do the basics yourself. A good brushing removes loose hair, stimulates the skin and just feels generally good to the dog. Once youre done brushing, trim as much hair on their paws as you can. You can either use a small scissor or clippers. The less surface area they have to track mud in, the better. Take some time to also clean their ears and trim their toenails. Once your pooch is cleaned up, grab the camera & take a few shots, if they're anything like mine, they'll only stay clean for a little while.

Once your dog is trimmed up, there are a few things you can do to keep the main areas of your house clean. When the dogs are coming in from outside you can keep a pail of water to dip their paws in & towel to wipe them dry or if you're lucky enough to have a porch or mud room just for the dogs you can keep them in that area until the mud is dry & just brush it off. This is a great opportunity to also throw in a little training if you have a multi-dog household. Since washing & drying paws can only be done one dog at a time, the other dogs can learn patience while being cleaned up.

If however you have a dog that insists on not only running through the mud, but also rolling in it, then your best bet is a garden hose. Grab your camera first & take some pictures - Usually it's pretty easy to get some shots of happy dogs. One note on rinsing your dog off, make sure you use warm water if it's still chilly outside. No one likes a cold bath and then dry them off promptly.

The warm days of Spring also give you a chance to air out any dog bedding & stuffed toys. While Rufus is outside tearing up the lawn, toss his toys & bedding in the wash & hang them on the line to air dry. He'll thank you for the fresh clean bed that night.

Springtime doesn't have to be hard on you or your house. With a few simple steps you can minimize the mud and enjoy time with your dog.