Rescue Journal

I'm sorry, Isaac

Jean · Sep. 26, 2006

Last night Isaac's incessant pacing was worse than ever, despite leaving a light on, leaving a radio on, giving him a bedtime snack, and giving him some valerian.

At three o'clock, having noticed that he had eaten four cups of kibble since I went to bed, I decided I better let him outside for a few moments. Since I had successfully slept for a grand total of about one hour, I crawled onto the couch while I waited for him to do his business.

I fell into a dead sleep, from which I awoke at 5:30. Poor Isaac was frantically licking the back door (yes, he and Michael have that trait in common) trying to get back in - one chilly, lonely dog who hates the dark.

So now I can add guilt to my fatigue. Isaac, what are we going to do with you?????

Comments

Jean

Me, sew????????? LOL!

Chris Thomas

Jean - I just sewed up a tshirt for Clio to make it tighter around her waist - basically I tapered it.

Julie

Those onesies work for cats to! although 16 pounds of cat is shaped different than 16 pounds of baby. hee! Broad shoulders and tiny waist? that will be my nephew in 12 or so years! the boy has no hips... what was my point?? oh yes.. luck with finding the latest in doggy fashions!

Jean

Deb, you made me laugh out loud with your comment about having room for all the critters ..and still have material for a knot!!!
I have some teddy bears around here who have a ton of clothes including tee shirts. I'll have to see if any of those fit Isaac. Otherwise I'll stop at the thrift store tomorrow. He has such a huge head, neck and chest and such a skinny torso I'm not sure if I'll be able to find something that will work.
I'm almost at the point where I'm considering pulling my mattress onto the floor so he can safely sleep with me.....I said "almost"!!!

nicole

i'm out on saturday instead of friday now, b/c oz has acupuncture, so i will bring it out as well as a large sized dog shirt (if i can find it).

Deb

Tee shirt therapy makes a dog feel more secure. Basically the dog wears a very snug-fitting shirt, and it mimics hugging or at least close contact. We were lucky with Clio. She's a Shih Tzu or a Shih Tzu cross (we can't really tell, she's a backyard breeder's disaster)and quite petite. We got a bunch of baby tee shirts, and a "onesie" that worked like a charm, and they fit her perfectly, just tight enough to give her the comfort she needed to endure ten or fifteen days of ceaseless jackhammering.

Jean, try your local thrift store, and if you can find a long-sleeved tee or two, just a bit too small for Isaac, you're laughing. I'd offer you some of my old shirts, but you could fit every critter in your family, including Carl, and still have material for a knot. Too big is not theraputic, it has to be fairly tight.

Rae

Curious minds want to know what does a t-shirt do?

Jean

Well, Isaac is a deaf, brain-injured geek already his looks won't change much! LOL.
Yes, Nicole, please bring the anxiety wrap out. Meanwhile I'll try a tee shirt, though I think Isaac and I are proportioned very differently!!! For one thing, he has a very tiny "waist"! Not sure if I have anything that will work for him.

Deb

She looked like a blind, brain-injured geek, but it did work!

Chris Thomas

I second the t-shirt. We did that with Clio during the construction here and it really helped.

nicole

not sure if this would help, but i have saints' anxiety wrap somewhere around my house. I will bring it out on friday and you can try it and see if it gives him any comfort. or you could also just try a tshirt (make sure it isn't so big he can get tangled in it).