So I have been trying very hard to stay calm and walk Sophie more. I am trying to not let her associate eating with me stressing out. She usually prefers if I sit by her food bowl and interact with her while she eats. So I had been doing that all the time with her and panicking when she didn't want to eat it.
My husband and I worked out a plan that will hopefully work. It is kind of free feeding but kind of still scheduled. She has her food in her bowl all day now and she gets 15mins 3 times a day of me sitting near the bowl. This way I know that if she is waiting for me to sit there, I am there for her but she has access to her food any other time. I just keep an eye on the bowl to make sure our cat doesn't snack on it.
She has been doing okay this way. Hasn't been eating as much, but I am trying to associate eating with a calm mommy and if she doesn't finish it all, instead of panicking and trying to get her to finish I have been telling her she is such a good girl and giving her bum scratches and just walking away.
I hope this helps her realize food is a happy thing and no stress involved.
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Originally Posted by Harrysmum  Just one added thought about your baking...have you thought about baking delicious, totally natural, all-American doggie-treats/biscuits? I'd certainly buy them!!  Sally + Harry xx |
I haven't really thought about it before! Sophie has been so picky that lately she really only gets freeze dried liver and the one time I made her treats she turned her little diva nose up at me and wouldn't touch it lol
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Originally Posted by Zeus is Loved Boy, sometimes life throws too much a person's way. I am so sorry for all you've gone and are currently going through. When my son was 16 months old, we moved for my husband's job from the only home we had ever known. I was a stay at home mom to my son, because he couldn't go to daycare due to all of his vomiting problems (which turned out to be food allergies). I had quit my job of 11 years to stay home with, so I felt I had no say in whether we moved or not. That had to be the saddest time of my life. A baby and living too far from home with no family or friends. My husband was working all the time, so I had never felt so isolated and lonely.
My husband regularly tells me that I love too much and too hard. When he would go away on trips for his work, I would get physically ill due to the loneliness. I feel like I love my husband, son, and dog "too much," if there is such a thing. It causes great heartache in life. Anxiety is part of my life, and I learn to live with it.
Right now, my Zeus has been diagnosed with Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease in the left hip and luxating patellas in both hind legs, with an injury to the left knee. We don't know if the hip caused the knee injury, since he was pulling lame. The vet thinks it could have. We are seeing an orthopaedic vet Thursday. We know he has to have surgery for the LCP Disease, but we are hoping he doesn't need surgery for the knees.
I am telling you all this, because I was a complete basket case at the vet last Friday when I was told all of this. I went to the appointment by myself, and I literally burst into tears at the news. My husband almost had to drive me home. I worry about worrying (as my mother always said). I know it is part of my personality, so I just have to deal with it. I, too, like you wanted another dog; but there is no way I would do that now with all of Zeus's problems. We must take care of him first. He is already neutered and we never planned to breed him, so that is a good thing.
I wish you well with your baby and hope you can get a grip on this "funk" that you're in right now. Please keep us posted. Sorry for the long post, but I really felt a kinship to your situation. |
Some of the things you said in this post are so similar to the way I feel, it is good to know I am not completely alone and crazy. I am so sorry about your little guy, I hope you get the best outcome possible for you, but either way I will thinking about you!
The part about worrying about worry is so true. I do this thing where if everything is going well and there is nothing to worry about or be anxious about I start worrying that things are too good and then I find something to worry about. It is brutal.