Ziggy's friends came to visit and she was over the moon.
But it's only now, seven hours after they left, that she's really napping.
She's been really worked up for days, so full of energy that she overwhelms me and drives me crazy. She's not sleeping as much as used to and she's been waking me up entirely too early.
I know that me painting the house and moving all the furniture out has worried her a lot. She doesn't handle change all that well. She worries. She feels deeply. She is not mild-mannered in the least.
And now I think for the first time: maybe some anti-anxiety meds would be good for her. NOt all the time, not to change her personality, but when her feelings are so intense and she can't calm down, maybe a pill could help her weather the storm. A drink to calm her nerves, so to speak.
She is better now that the furniture is put back and it's obvious that we're not going anywhere and she can sleep on her couch again, but she has a hard time calming herself back down. It takes time.
She got overstimulated with the other dog and after they'd played and were both resting, she suddenly began barking belligerently at him. Her body was taut like a spring. She didn't want to attack him, but she wanted him to play on her terms. He's a very good dog, mild-mannered and a good sport, and he was like, "OK." But Ziggy didn't know what she really wanted, what her terms were, and I could see her frustration rising. Like a toddler heading toward a supermarket meltdown, Ziggy's belligerence escalates and erupts. They didn't have any negative experiences at all, but it's still a little intense. I'm very watchful.
Roux, the other dog, likes to roughhouse and run and grab at her feet with his mouth. She does NOT like having her legs pulled out from underneath her, and at first I intervened and told him she doesn't like that and he would stop. Now she's learned to block it better and she'll turn her body so he can't get at her legs. These are good skills for them to learn.
Ziggy really really loves Roux's people and she is so good with them compared to how she is with other people, it's mind boggling. She did though make them both bleed today - neither on purpose, but an inadvertent head butt on one and a little scratch on another led to a lot of blood because he's on a lot of blood thinners. I felt bad but this is the way with my wild beast. They are so very good with her, very patient and kind, and she adores them.
But it's only now, seven hours after they left, that she's really napping.
She's been really worked up for days, so full of energy that she overwhelms me and drives me crazy. She's not sleeping as much as used to and she's been waking me up entirely too early.
I know that me painting the house and moving all the furniture out has worried her a lot. She doesn't handle change all that well. She worries. She feels deeply. She is not mild-mannered in the least.
And now I think for the first time: maybe some anti-anxiety meds would be good for her. NOt all the time, not to change her personality, but when her feelings are so intense and she can't calm down, maybe a pill could help her weather the storm. A drink to calm her nerves, so to speak.
She is better now that the furniture is put back and it's obvious that we're not going anywhere and she can sleep on her couch again, but she has a hard time calming herself back down. It takes time.
She got overstimulated with the other dog and after they'd played and were both resting, she suddenly began barking belligerently at him. Her body was taut like a spring. She didn't want to attack him, but she wanted him to play on her terms. He's a very good dog, mild-mannered and a good sport, and he was like, "OK." But Ziggy didn't know what she really wanted, what her terms were, and I could see her frustration rising. Like a toddler heading toward a supermarket meltdown, Ziggy's belligerence escalates and erupts. They didn't have any negative experiences at all, but it's still a little intense. I'm very watchful.
Roux, the other dog, likes to roughhouse and run and grab at her feet with his mouth. She does NOT like having her legs pulled out from underneath her, and at first I intervened and told him she doesn't like that and he would stop. Now she's learned to block it better and she'll turn her body so he can't get at her legs. These are good skills for them to learn.
Ziggy really really loves Roux's people and she is so good with them compared to how she is with other people, it's mind boggling. She did though make them both bleed today - neither on purpose, but an inadvertent head butt on one and a little scratch on another led to a lot of blood because he's on a lot of blood thinners. I felt bad but this is the way with my wild beast. They are so very good with her, very patient and kind, and she adores them.
No comments:
Post a Comment