When I told my mom about the issues we've been having with Buoy marking her bed, she agreed with the anxiety angle our vet is considering. Instead of a nightlight (like the vet talked about), my mom suggested a piece of clothing that smelled like me to help Buoy feel more secure.
A few nights ago I tried it with a pair of my sweatpants I'd lazed around in the last couple of evenings. I turned them inside out and spread them over her bed so that they covered most of it and put her in her crate. She actually settled in almost immediately and slept through the night! As far as I can tell she hasn't marked her bed with urine.
I've also found if the clothing (currently a t-shirt) isn't covering the bed and is bunched in the corner or something, Buoy will rustle around the way she does before she marks, trying to straighten it out. If I go in there and fix it for her, she lays down right away without peeing.
I can't really blame her for needing a little comfort. Last night I pulled out my old stuffed toy, a GUND golden retriever named Noel Dog, to sleep with while My Husband was in the field. With all the activity in the troop and everyone muttering about Afghanistan next spring and the fact that I went off my birth control pills on Sunday and we could get pregnant at any moment...well, I need a little comfort myself.
No comments:
Post a Comment