Weekly Flylady Thread 8th December 2014

Jazee

Morning all. Have just been catching up with thread, so hope anyone poorly feels better soon, esp Narco's DH, great news about the mog Deco, hope Pixies bottom is less red soon and well done Dusty. Hugs etc for anyone else who needs them.

I have had a brilliant couple of days away with DH. We couldn't do everything we planned due to his pain but it was still a fantastic break from the norm.

This morning I didn't get up till 8am (more on that in a mo) and so far have made soup for my lunch, started to make Yorkshires and done a meal plan for the week and texted the shopping list to DH to get on his way home from the paid stuff.

I still need to get dressed, walk the dogs (stopping to post parcel on way) and hoover and mop through the house as an absolute minimum today. My house is tidier than a week ago when DD moved out but is VERY dusty.

So, I am reaching out for any suggestions here please - LittleyDog is just so unsettled since DD moved out. She used to sleep in DD's room every night even on the nights DD wasn't there, but now she just won't settle. She refuses to go in DD's old room to sleep, we've had some nights where she has slept downstairs with OldDog, but last night she just cried at our bedroom door, until I let her sleep at the end of my bed, where she lay perfectly still until we both woke at 8am. BUT I don't want her in my room every night so am at a loss as to what to do.....

Anyhow, have a great day everyone.

Dustykitten

Jazee no expect on dogs but is it company or warth she is missing? What about a heat pad under something, can you get someting from your DD that will smell of her?

Got the christmas tree and some ivy, need to cut other bits from the ktichen. I am having a house decorating weekend I've decide to get me in the mood. I may have half an hour raking leaves out back too as it is so lovely out and a little walk down to the tiny pond as there are some white berries there I could pick.

Honey_Bear

Jayzee, I'm no expert on doggoes, but I've found that they find big changes (places, peoples, major changes in routine) incredibly difficult to adapt to particularly as they get older, and just hoping they will get used to it seems to prolong the process. Sometimes I think they just resign themselves to it. Dusty's point about warmth and company are the first considerations.

There's a daily tablet called Zentonil Mrs Dog takes to calm her nerves and I find that helps settle her a bit.

I'm afraid I've resorted to Adaptil products, and only introduce each additional level if the dog is really, really struggling. I didn't know these products existed until I had a massive problem with a hysterical dog, but I've learned how to use them and I absolutely swear by them now.

Bear in mind that when I take mine on, I often know nothing about their past except it has been hugely disrupted and all three of mine, plus an unsuccessful adoption attempt, have needed help to adjust and settle and I never managed it with the Irish Retriever.

I used an Adaptil diffuser near Mrs Dog's bed and when it ran out recently she went nearly mad trying to cope - it was two days before I realised it was empty and she calmed down within a couple of hours when I plugged the refill in. Her basket is next to the diffuser, about 3' away and it's her 'go to' place of choice. That would be my first choice as LittlyDog seems to be struggling to settle at night.

I've recently bought Mrs Dog the spray because although she's really, really, thick, she's twigged that getting into the car probably means going to the vet or the groomer so she's reluctant to get in now. I spray about 15 minutes before she's due to get in and she settles in there immediately now.

Her new-to-her Adaptil collar has arrived this morning and I took it straight out of the packaging and put it on her immediately. I know we're sharing our last few weeks, possibly if I'm lucky a couple of months. Her back legs are giving way under her on an alarmingly frequent basis - it's the demyelination, therefore painless, but disconcerting for her none the less and some of the falls probably hurts her arthriticky spine.

The couple that we spend Christmas with at the chalet have a small, furiously busy Jack Russell and Mrs Dog would find the car journey, the relatively unfamiliar place, the busy dog and the change in routine overwhelming if I didn't give her all the help and support I could, so I've been planning and working towards this for a couple of weeks. The collar is absolutely vital for her under these circumstances.

If I could find a non-chemical way of helping her I'd do it like a shot, but to be honest, routine, plenty of little walks, her sheepskin rug, and being around her people just aren't enough.

The only other thing I can suggest is if Lamewolf could cast a Peaceful Nights spell.

Valli

well hello.....

life is somewhat manic; last weekend was VERY busy. But I am hoping things will begin to calm down...

Hope all are well

serena

:santa2: Hello Valli! Have you finished, or one more week to go? School always hysterically busy this time of year.

I have finished painting the bathroom, and DS2 is home for the holidays! :j:D:D:D

Beautiful sunshine, but cold. I think I may do something in the garden after lunch, so I make the most of it.

Jazee

HoneyBear and Dusty, thanks for your helpful comments. Sometimes it takes others to state the obvious!

LittleyDog is possibly the most laid back of all the dogs we've had and her behaviour during the day is normal - she still fetches the paper and post and enjoys her walks and grooming etc. When SickDog died a year ago, she adapted really well, despite the fact they slept together, but thinking about it, we made sure that we didn't wash the bed for weeks while she got used to the change, so I think now that it's not necessary company but the smell of DD she is missing as has been suggested above. So I'm about to dig out an old fleece of DD's and will rub some of her perfume into it. Fingers crossed, if it doesn't work I may have to go down the Adaptil route.

Right, time to wash up the lunch dishes and get the hoover out.

LameWolf

Honey_Bear wrote: »

The only other thing I can suggest is if Lamewolf could cast a Peaceful Nights spell.

I'd be happy to.:o
I've only just seen the posts re LittleyDog, or I'd have replied before - I absolutely concur with the idea of giving her DD's old fleece; dogs rely so much on their noses, and she will definitely be missing the scent of her beloved human friend.
Fwiw, Pete Wedderburn, the vet who writes in the T3l3graph often recommends diffusers for calming troubled furbabies.:o

They all have their funny little ways, don't they? Ted the Border Terrier has to have a nightlight and the radio playing Classic FM at night.:rotfl:

Valli

serena wrote: »

:santa2: Hello Valli! Have you finished, or one more week to go? School always hysterically busy this time of year.

I have another full week to do. There is NO WAY wallpaper will be on my walls (living room no less) before Christmas; I have a backlog of 'little jobs' to sort - managed one today; while I was waiting for boots at the cobblers, which they were searching for, I nipped into the opticians and booked my appointment.

Honey_Bear

I use a really wonderful, very elderly dog trainer when I have behavioural problems with new dogs who has been incredibly wise over the years. It was him who pointed out that adopting a dog from kennels is much more complicated than most people realise because of the trauma that they will have experienced prior to the adoption, regardless of how loving the care in kennels. I wish I could wean my dogs off the chemicals after they've been with me for a while but that's never happened.

mamaninie

I've been out teaching this morning so I'm wiped out, but dh has sorted out the fridge which had s pong he hasn't wiped it through though so I will have to do that before the shopping arrives this pm....

Hugs to narcolepsy,such a worrying time xxxx

Off to cake club in a bit, I'm going to decorate a bit of my big Crimbo cake that has been festering in brandy for a few weeks

Bossy, ive found ds leaks when his winkle is pointing in the wrong direction :T:rotfl: which tends to happen when they've been to the loo before bed as it catches when they pull up again . Also we use the drynites 5-7 ones packs of 10 2for £7 in asda at the mo, often in offer there but they run out quick