Okay, I give up.  I don't bath my babes *that* often, only when they play
with things that mom has to wash out of them (Usually dirt!).  However,
I've had this problem with Nemo, and short of investing in chain mail arm
guards, I have run out of ideas.  It goes like this:
 
1. reaction upon seeing the tub;
   Nihil - stiffen legs, clench paws, stare at owner with huge black eyes
   Nemo - *claw claw scratch scratch bite*
   Karen - "Phew! no blood yet!"
 
2. reaction upon being put in the tub;
   Nihil - dog paddles for his life
   Nemo - (after I pry him off my hand and arm) PANIC - JUMP (front paws
          extended, claws gleaming in the light ) CLAW, CLAW, SCRATCH,
          SCRATCH, BITE
   Karen - "Phew! Only surface wounds! (ouch!!)"
 
3. reaction upon being shampooed;
   Nihil - look at owner with big droopy eyes, plea innocent, tug on
           emotions, call on all elements of cuteness to avoid further
           torture
   Nemo - upon contact with hooman bean, connect claws with third layer of
          flesh and slowly rake downwards, ignore scream, when shifted to
          other arm repeat attack
   Karen - "Dunc!  Call Doc Dodd and remind him it's bath time and that
           I'll be in for stitches shortly."
 
4. reaction to the final rinse
   (for both, see number two)
 
5. towel
   Nihil - let me run, let me run, let me run!
   Nemo - @#$%$!! (had to sensor his thoughts for all those tiny babies
          out there!)
   Karen - "Sorry about the blood stains on the carpet, I'll shampoo when
           I get back from emerency! (ouch!!)"
 
Uhhh, ya.  Anyway, Nihil isn't the major problem.  It's commander claws.
Dunc and I have tried everything from a towel at the bottom of the tub, to
squeekie toys in there with them.  I've seperated them, tried the shower
(you *don't* want to know what happened there) and the sink.  I've let Nemo
be boss with the plug (which resulted in a rather lengthy bath) and the last
thing I've tried is linatone in the palm of one hand while I shampooed with
the other.  In short, my arms look like a scratching post and Nemo's
developing a taste for flesh.  Any suggestions that we haven't tried would
be most welcome!!
 
Love and fuzzle kisses from;
Karen, Duncan and the wrecking crew
[Posted in FML issue 1556]