Furry Helpers or Nuisances?

Ok, so I am sure they would prefer to consider themselves helpers, however, most times we would say they are being pests or being a nuisance. Personally I think they're telling us to slow down, calm down, laugh a little, or they simply could be saying "Pay attention to me! I am most certainly more important than that telephone call with the irate customer!"

My brother telecommutes, and right now he's staying with us. With his pets, Chronic (picture above) and two dogs. Then there is my cat, Yummy, who feels he is the supreme being in the house and all must bow before him. Yeah right.

Chronic has a way of creating distractions and some frustrations for my brother. Quite often he walks across in front of the monitors or plops down on his mouse hand while trying to operate said mouse. Or walk across the keyboard. And there have been numerous incidents of him disconnecting the phone call when he's talking to a client.

Yummy, talks more than the other cats in the house. And when he wants attention or you to do something for him, it's usually right now with a vocal emphasis. Of course this serves most times to distract the client on the phone, as they will hear him meow and invariably ask what is that? Is that a cat? Quite often this diffuses tempers or stress. Sometimes it's simply annoying to my brother, because Yum is an impatient kitty, you ignore him the first time, and the second request includes claws.

Hmmmm, the dogs, now they are a different matter. Usually as my husband and I are at work, and my brother is busy working, I'll pen the dogs into the kitchen/dining area. This is to minimize the mess they can make (especially if no one is watching them or sees them ask to go out), and minimizes the barking at passing cars or persons out front. However, with Poppy snarling at anything she perceives entering her space out of the blue, it can be startling, and quite often the noise carries. Then there is the collie, Corny. Very needy boy he is. If he doesn't get his way, when he wants it, he whines, chuffs, and then barks. Not conducive for a quiet or calm work environment. He also has a habit of barking A LOT outside all the time.

Funniest thing though, while he thinks he's being the big bad protector of his yard, he'll dig at the wood slats in the fence trying to get at the neighbor's dogs he can't see, who most times instigate the barking melee. One afternoon, he had worked a couple 2 or 3 slats loose at the bottom, so next time he jumped on the fence he fell through. Well, suddenly he was out of his environment and his space. He just sat there and looked totally confused and wimped out while the neighbor's daschund chewed on him and told him off. Goofy dog. And he didn't seem to learn from that episode.

The old man, Lil'Shit must be having his second puppyhood. He sees just enough to distinguish shapes, and delights in bouncing like a puppy after the cats. And now it's become a game, but only one of mine play with him this way. The other hisses and ignores him, and Chronic just runs which delights him. He also has decided to chase feet. I swear he's gonna trip one of us and we'll fall.

It's quite the three ring circus round our house these days.

Trying to show patience while dealing with irritating pets....

Ok, Yes, I'll admit it, I have a couple of pets in my household that frankly while they are actually sweet animals are irritating and some days I feel like they hate me. And yes, there are times I yell and my patience wears thin with them. And yes, I know that workday stressors compound the issue and sometimes make me more snappish at them than usual.

I believe we've all had at least 1 pet that despite all our care and trying to get them trained, or all our attempts at sharing our lives and home spaces with them, are frankly irritating or seem to hate us enough to fully thwart every attempt we make at housetraining, or behavioral training, or just simply and peacfully cohabitating.

I know about a month or so ago there was an article on this on MSNBC online. They just seemed to focus on the few owners they'd interviewed and all the negative comments, offering no real solutions.

I have one dog who pretty much from the day I inherited her has flat out refused to learn that the potty is outside. And boy she is stubborn. You can put her outside with water etc, for hours, and she will simply hold it and within 3 minutes of letting her back in she'll have done all her business in the house. :( And usually this is worst just after you have deodorized and cleaned all the tile floors. And even closing her in her kennel for the night, most dogs won't mess where they sleep? HA! She does constantly. And yes, I will humbly admit it all makes me crazy and I used to yell a lot. There was never any point in disciplining her, she would turn on you and bite you for even swatting her butt or picking her up to put back outside. And as she gets older, she is crankier, so that if you even trip over her accidentally or try to herd her out the door, she'll bite and snap and snarl. She even snaps and snarls at any other animal or person she perceives in her space. Of course this doesn't faze the old blind and deaf dog, he is blissfully unaware. However..... her snarling and yelping at all hours is very startling and wakes us up all night. So she is my penance I say. She's the one who truly tests my patience and I find it lacking most times where she's concerned. So I have a very hard time being close to her, or wanting to pet her etc.

Now, I also have a visiting dog with us who has his own idiosyncracies. He is a sweet dog, and if he's paying attention to you will listen to commands. Problem is that he's developed some behavior problems lately. Being a beautiful Border Collie, he has to herd things. Usually in my backyard it's birds, problem is he barks at them incessantly. This riles the neighbors and kinda rubs me wrong at 5:30 in the mornings. And he is so focused on the happy chirping birds at dawn that he doesn't listen to us saying hush! He also has an absolute obssession at trying to get through the fence at the neighbor's dogs. And if pulled off he growls and snaps at you because he is so focused on the other dog. While those are irritating. they aren't the ones that tend to drive me a bit batty. And I try very hard not to yell at him over this one. He has this behavioral problem about putting his feet and muzzle into the water dish for all the animals, and then dribbling it all over the floors, carpeted or otherwise. Making the floors soaking wet. And you certainly cannot leave the lids up on the toilets. There are some days he just cannot stop this behavior. And this ends up with empty or dirty water dishes so that none of the other dogs can have water. You put water back in though because you know the others need it. But I've seen him, he'll go over and drink a bunch before anyone else and then do the water all over bit again! I have bought numerous mop heads over the months because they wear out so fast. I do my best not to yell, and I fail again miserably at this. I usually yell at him to try to get his attention about barking. In the house it's different, I don't have to yell at him about it. He knows it's the wrong thing to do, but I don't think he can help himself. And I don't know how to help him stop this. I am open to all suggestions or thoughts on this. As I said, he is a very well behaved dog with a couple problems. He won't soil in the house, loves kids and people. And overall minds pretty well.

So back to the irritating parts, I suppose an irritating pet might be happier with another, however, my nemesis is firmly bonded with my husband, she adores him. But she still has her irritating behaviors. I have tried everything to include Ttouch to change them, nope, she's very determined to not change and she can definitely outstubborn us. And I know when we've all had a pet like this that drives us to distraction, we all hope something will happen to change their living situations with us. And I know (and it shames me to admit this) we've all thought about not so nice thoughts about ending their stay with us. However..... my guilty side won't let me do any of that, such as drop the pet off at a shelter, etc. I would feel terribly guilty about it. So I do my best to bear it and know that this one is getting into her senior years, and pray (although I shouldn't) that she won't be one of those senior pets who lives forever.

For me and my family, add to these exasperations the fact that we have a very elderly little male chihuahua who is both blind and deaf. He isn't completely blind yet, I think he can detect shadows and movement still. He has a very bad habit lately of chasing movement and winding up underfoot. We constantly trip over him or step on him. He's quick about moving, so where you think he is, he isn't anymore. And because you just tripped over him and almost fell yourself, it raised your blood pressure and adrenaline levels, you want to yell at him, but you know it does no good and you need to remember to be patient with him, it can fast cause you to growl at your loved one instead out of sheer frustration. Most times thought with the old man, I try to find the humor in it or the compassion so I don't get growly.

I guess I am much like many other pet owners, except I won't beat them, wont' hit them, I might swat a fanny with the flat of my hand, but I won't beat them. I tend more to yell when at my limit. :(

Any insights or ideas on Border Collies is much appreciated. For the little female, I am pretty resigned to the fact that there is no changing her at this stage.

Saying Goodbye.....

How do you say goodbye gracefully to a very beloved pet companion of 18+ years? How do you make the hardest decision of all and do it with the utmost love and compassion?

Yesterday evening I had to do just that for my very loved boy, Mushy. He had become ill over the last week, and even with  vet visits and such, he stopped eating and drinking. And he told me it was time. He couldn't have said it any louder either. Knowing the decision I had to make and the fact he was asking me to let him go didn't make it any easier. I knew I couldn't be selfish, for he had taught me so much about unconditional love and compassion that selfishness wouldn't fit into the picture here. I certainly wasn't ready to let him go, but I needed to for him. 

I have written previously a bit about my bond with him. You see he found me when he needed care and resucing at 4 weeks of age. and for 18 years I have cared for him to the absolute best of my abilities. He returned the love and care by truly watching over me, keeping me alive, and healing me when I needed it most. Our bond grew ever so much stronger over the last couple of years when I learned to communicate with him at a so much deeper level with the Tellington Ttouch. Mushy was my soul companion on so many levels. By giving him the ultimate act of compassion when he asked it of me, gave him release with grace and dignity. 

It will take time to grieve, and adjust to being without his tangible presence around me. And I need to remember to let the other animals in to grieve with me, and love me, that they need my love too right now. We can help each other heal. Lil'Shit was the first to know when I got back home, and he couldn't get close enough to me. I realized I am so truly blessed to have shared such a bond with Mushy, and that I have all these other loving beautiful little souls with me. I am also so very blessed to have the family and friends in my life at this time. 

I know he's out of pain and waiting at the rainbow bridge for me one day with my other beloved pets who have gone ahead. 

I am posting a poem that says so very much from a beautiful lady whom I've had to privilege to know online, and hope one day I can meet her in person to tell her how healing her words have been for me in past and now. 

Thank you Mushy for being so much a part of my life!

 

 

A Kitty’s Conversation

© 2004 By Carol Notermann

 

“Where’s Mommy?”   The wee small cat, asked the One who lifted it.

“She’ll be along.” His voice replied.  “We’ll only wait a bit.”

 

“But she was holding me and crying.  I felt her shoulders shake.”

“I know. You see, she made a choice, the hardest she could make.”

 

“But I went to sleep inside her arms?” the little cat replied.

His voice was soft, “I know, and that was why she cried.”

 

“I stood beside your Mommy, when the vet was bending down.

I gave her strength to hold you, as her tears fell all around”

 

“Will you stay with me till Mommy comes?” the kitty asked the Man.

“I’ll be here each day to see you, until she comes to you again.”

 

“For right beside that Rainbow Bridge, is where dogs and kitties wait,

And when you’re human’s time has come, I’ll take you both on through the gate.”

 

Dear Mom,

 

I’m just about to take a nap, for I’ve been running free.

I was chasing butterflies, and one small bumble bee.

I’ve rolled around in catnip, I’ve climbed high in a tree

And now I’ll rest all cuddled up with others just like me.

 

I’m in a truly lovely place, it’s right by Heaven’s gate.

I’m not alone, and I am told this is the place to wait.

I’ve told everyone about you, they said you won’t be late.

That though on earth long years will pass, I’ll meet you by the gate.

 

There’s a bridge we’ll cross together, it has a rainbow hue

And really it’s so pretty here, that all I miss is you.

So please don’t think about the things you did or didn’t do

It was my time to find the bridge, so please do not feel blue.

 

I’m sorry that I left so fast, with just a kiss good-bye.

But I’ve enclosed a “head butt” and a slow blink of my eye.

Take care of all my family and tell them that I’ll try

To be the one that greets them first, when they come, by and by.

 

Love and thanks for being such a good mom,

 

Your “Sweet” Kitty

 

© by Carol Notermann

 

 

 

Quirks of our elderly pets

Life with an elderly pet is never boring. There are many pros and cons with them, fortunately the pros are the ones that make the memories worthwhile. Currently I have 2 twilighters, my little male chihuahua, Lil'Shit is now 14 and Mushy the cat, is 18 coming on 19 now. To some that may not seem very old, but for them, they've had a full life. And Lil'Shit has had some very rough patches in his life for such a small dog. Either way, anyone who loves and has shared their lives with an animal, know when they reach their last year or two of life. They go through distinct changes and not all of them are easy for us to deal with.

Lil'Shit I believe is going deaf, and is going blind. I know he can hear only sharp whistles and noises, and probably only see shadows or shapes, which would account for his dogging our steps everywhere, and standing close to our feet. It makes moving around in the house and especially the kitchen hazardous for us and him. We keep tripping over him. And heaven forbid we go into a part of the house where he can't see or sense us, he'll whine and cry till we come back to him. And he cannot bear to be outside for long, he'll go right out and do his business then want right back in. His food preferences change about every other day. One day, he'll love his food, then maybe for supper he decides he'll want one of the girls' supper instead of his. These are trivial things, what is most wonderful and warms the heart is to see him so ecstatically happy when one of us comes home, and the adoration in his looks he gives us, brings us back to how much we do love him. And how much he relies on us.

Mushy..... Oh Mushy.... Silly old man. He plays and runs and chases dust motes like a kitten. But unlike a dog, cats when they head into their last year(s) get very very vocal. And they will talk or sing at any time day or night. I am constantly amazed and the variety of different tones and sounds from him. And as the months go on, he gets more and more vocal and louder. He is also prefers to always be around me, and has become very possessive. Mushy is my boy, I have had him since he was a small lump of flea bitten fur at 4 weeks of age (someone dumped him). I raised him on goat's milk and honey, and we've been very bonded since. He is usually very impatient with my morning routine, and will sit and talk to me while I am in the shower, and will talk to me the entire time I am getting ready. Then he will walk downstairs with me for his breakfast. He is in excellent health, and as is the case with our senior pets, is thin and is always hungry it seems. He absolutely loves drinking water from my glass as long as it has ice in it.  He has become very loving cuddling and loves to purr when laying on me. He is always either in my lap, on my chest, or cuddled next to me in bed, I never have to reach far to find him, and making contact brings on the purrs, which really are calming and healing.

I try spoil them as I can. I do my best to provide them the best natural diet I can, which shows I am doing it right by their coats, and the fact that they are so healthy and haven't needed a vet in years. I give them both Ttouch daily and they repay it with love. Although like any senior, they have parts that don't work as reliably as they once did, like balance, jumping up to the sofa, wash themselves, or back leg coordination.

So I make sure to cherish them every moment, and when it's their time to pass to the bridge they will be sorely missed, for they did bring alot of light, love and joy into our lives. And I just couldn't have imagined a life without either of them.