It's a tough time of the year for dog owners. We want to walk our dogs, but Mother Nature is making it difficult.

If temps would hover a little lower, the snow would stay frozen and packed and, though we'd need to bundle up, our dogs never seem to tire of running (diving, rolling, prancing and wrestling) in the snow.

On the other hand, if temps would only stay in the teasingly temperate 50's and 60's, accompanied by a generous helping of Colorado sunshine, all this white stuff would go away, leaving sidewalks and dirt trails dry and inviting.

Unfortunately, Mom Nature is having a little fun at our expense. She chills it just enough to allow a fresh snowfall, then cranks the heat back up to start the meltdown, only to begin the cycle all over as soon as we think we're in the clear.

The consequence of all this meteorological mischief? A seemingly endless state of slush! And as any dog owner knows, slush and dogs make for Slush Puppies! Muddy trails, thawing puddles and bubbling creek beds tempt my pups to stray from the straight, narrow and dry path.

And so, day after day, walk after walk, we end up in our mud room, rinsing paws in warm, sudsy bowls of water and scrubbing down gritty, dripping "feathers" and tummies with growing piles of dirty bath towels.

End result? More laundry, and a house full of lovable, semi-fluffy creatures who, until we break down and give them all real baths, smell faintly of walking pond scum. Correction: lovable, walking pond scum.