Very strange behaviour!
 

Crystal has had an upset tummy, on and off now for about 10 days (loose stool), as I posted on the Health' forum a few days ago. After cutting out all treats and keeping her on boiled chicken only for 36 hours she seems much better. However this evening I went to the hall to discover she's licked the emulsion paint and plaster off in one 3 inch spot to about a depth of 2mm! The wall will in fact need plaster skimming and repainting to restore the depression.

This probably explains why she's been sick (bile only) about 20 minutes back. She's done this before a few months since and it stopped, so I thought no more of it.

Has she a dietry deficiency and instinctively mistakes the taste of emulsion paint and plaster for a self perpetuating cure? Maybe it's nervous anxiety because for the first time since we've all been together, her Mum's away for the day and night - and indeed the next 13 too?:(

I had 3 different dogs chew holes in my walls. One did it twice. They were all under a year when they did it. I worked at the time and I think they just got bored. Hopefully, Crystal will feel better and leave the walls alone. Will she go in a crate when you're not able to watch her?

Oh dear! I hate knowing sweet baby Crystal is under the weather. Is there anyway to block the area so she can't get to it?

Oh no, hope her tummy starts feeling better.

Meika chewed a hole in the drywall in my guest bathroom once when I put her in there for a time out. Can't believe how fast she did it.

Looking up
 

She's much better this morning and thanks for the reply. Nice firm stool after a breakfast of freshly boiled chicken. I've got her in here with me on the kitchen table in her little basket. We are in the grip of the biggest storm in the UK for 26 years, with gusts up to 100mph in some places. She slept with me last night as close as she could get as the shouting wind rattled the slates. Actually quite cross at times and barking but quivering throughout and lots of eye-whites showing too. Maybe their super-sensitivity upset her in advance of the weather and Crystal is a very sensitive little soul anyway. She goes in her little crate when she's really scared or wants to be quiet, its her little escape-pod. So far she's stayed with me and won't be alone for a couple of days and then for only a couple of hours.

Oh that's good to hear....I remember when Harry was tiny, and he ate the back of our kitchen door (the bits of wood inbetween the glass panes?!!!!? :eek: :D) it's a wonder they didn't all fall out on top of him.

Terrible, nasty storm isn't it? It looks (hopefully) like it might be dying down a little now. I must admit, I think our watering-can might have moved, and the garden parasol looks like it might have mated with our shed :D but apart from that all's well here.

Did your roof stay intact Martin? Poor little Crystal, at least daddy's there to snuggle and protect her! :) Sally + Harry x

Thanks so much, as I've said above, the tummy's much better this morning. It's funny but seeing her little poo this morning was really uplifting. I think I overdid the Harringtons treats! Sally (Harrysmum) recommended some organic ones and I've ordered them for her, but I'm sticking to boiled chicken for the next week to ensure she's better. Oh and some sweet potato as a treat tonight. I've already obscured the licking patch with a piece of wood flooring and she seems to have forgotten it today?

I've posted a pic of her work above! With the lens being better than my eyesight it reveals either teeth or claw marks too! All done in ten minutes I've calculated! Shows how strong these little people really are. Presently she's just been sitting right across the keyboard, almost to stop me from denying her attention. Last night, it was laying right across my face to prevent me viewing the TV! I feel with Irina away she needs input, so she's getting a lot of it at the moment. On a variation, its amazing how thereputic the action of stroking etc is or us too!:)

Morning Sall. The antics of these little 'Power-packs' is an unfolding source of incredulity to me!

Just now its bright sunlight here and I have to say compared to other lessser proclaimed storms, it rated barely in the top ten for us since '99, seems to have been really sporadic in intensity too? The roof ridge tile event was a continuous build up for several hours and amazingly savage when it hit the land. It's approach across the sea was truly spectacular to witness, it barely got a mention on the TV! I love the mental pictures your descriptions paint, great stuff. Well Dad and the bubba are off for a walk and a cup of coffee on the front. This week all the little lock ups cafe's on the promenade are open as its 'half-term'.:)

:) Yay, I love half term - much less traffic! :D

Enjoy your coffee, hold on tight to your little girl, and hope all continues to improve! :) Sally + Harry x

glad she's better// those little stinkers sure can get into stuff fast

I'm glad you're feeling better, Crystal. It might be a good idea not to eat the house, though, as it could really make you sick! You are turning into a beautiful little lady, and it's very obvious that your dad loves you like crazy. Be good while your mum is away. I'm sure you and your dad will find all sorts of mischief to get into!

Sorry Martin, just wondering....what's on 'the other side' of that wall?

Is it a party wall with your neighbours, or does it lead to another room in your apartment? :) Sally + Harry x

She's such a darling girl, how could that sweet face do something so naughty?:D
Princess chewed a hole on our dry wall too, she was about 7 months old. Vet said it could be a combo of separation anxiety & teething. When I had to work, I connected 2 ex-pens together & made a large area for them to stay in, so she couldn't chew on the wall. She never did it again.

She sure is beautiful and probably did her wall damage for something to do or because she's a little frustrated that part of her pack is gone away and she has no idea why or if her pack member is returning. Dogs pretty much hate change. Likely all the activities around your wife leaving on her trip(dogs pick up on and know when big things are going on in the pack) and being gone have upset her, left her wondering about the stability of her pack and her tummy is paying the price, as is her own equanimity with her life right now sans a pack member for the first time. Just talk to her, reassure her and tell her that her mommy is coming home soon, show her the open door as you let her sniff something personal of her mommie's(a piece of clothing or a pillow) and offer her some treats during the process to let her know all is well with this process.

Despite your bad weather, you could play some challenging games with her inside, chase the ball, seek and find the hidden treats about the room and house, even in her mommie's room, plus some obedience/trick training to get her working and achieving and try to keep her busy and fulfilled. She should be okay once her pack is back together and all is settled down again.

We heard about your bad storm even here in the States and hope it's all past and everyone gets their electricity back on soon! Sounds like that was a bad one!

Irina's bedroom, but I have always left the door open so she has free access, she's definitely a bit spooked, I can feel it and she follows me everywhere. I have to go out tommorrow for a couple of hours and for the first time since we've had her I'm concerned...

Just wondering - was Irina's door open when the wall incident happened, or was your wife packing with her door closed?

Is there any way you can take Crystal with you tomorrow? Just trying to think of what's best for you both? Strange times, weird weather, even Harry's all over the place....:( :) Sally x

The door dig took place yesterday Sal, after Irina had gone and I returned from Gatwick, at the time Irina's door was open as well. This evening she heard Mum's voice on the phone and became very agitated, looking all round for her? I'm speaking at a Lunch meeting tomorrow, so I can't really have her with me, good news is it's very local. I followed Jilly's advice and put Irina's dressing gown on her bed as a comforter. Her motions are still firm, but she rejected the sweet potato tonight, eating only the chicken. I'm tempted to give her a little 'Cesar Beef', but as things are a bit tense at the moment I think I'll leave it. I could order some cooked beef slices from Tesco as a treat I suppose, she also loves corned beef and ham, but they may be a bit fatty for her just at present. Clacton's 'Big Dipper' was blown down today, but here, only 5 miles up the coast no damage at all? In fact the satellite picture never even blinked throughout the whole passage of events. I don't sleep well when Irina's away, so the TV's been on all the way through. Apparently 6 souls have lost their lives in Germany tonight as the storm landed...:(

Thanks Jilly, I put Mom's bath gown on the bed for her and she has settled on it in the last ten minutes, with a few chicken strips that lasted 10 seconds. Prior to that she was right here, laying between me and the keyboard, something I've never known her to do? All her Toys have also migrated East onto my bed and the chews sticks are all over the place, as against being stashed in her little hidey holes. She loves fetch and bring, but it's a game normally reserved for Mom and she seems to lose interest after a few throws with me. Today she just could'nt wait to get back from her walk. This might have been anticipation for Mom to be home, the shouting wind, or probably both. Our storm was nothing compared to your tornadoes and hurricanes, which I very directly experienced in Kansas in the 70's when I was with ARCO.

Tonight it has passed over me here and on to Holland and Germany. Irina is also missing her little girl dreadfully, especially as her daughter's two are at another location until Wednesday. As I've written this, she's appeared again and seems ravenous for Chicken; despite a full bowl of Royal Canin, which is firmly ignored. I've consequently fed her a little more (but she had to find the little pieces in Mom's room) - No problem, it's good to see her eating and presumably happy in that at least. I make sure I talk with her every five minutes as well.

It occurred to me how much of a wrench it must be for these little souls to contain, when they are deprived of their families, for whatever reason. This is the first time for me with company, when Irina's away and I must say how pleasant it is to have another little being to look after.

Even if I haven't eaten since this morning myself!

Than you for your help Jilly, really appreciated.

Martin & Crystal (home alone):hug:

Sounds like with Daddy's help she is working her way through mommie being gone and learning that she's going to be okay. But I'll bet you are right with the things that go on in their lives that they must wonder and worry about and not know why. As sentient little animals, I'm sure they fret over big changes in their lives as to them - they are huge changes. Their lives are so full of sameness that even one little change is big in comparison, unlike our full lives with so many different things going on.

I'm glad you all didn't have damage at your place but feel bad for those that were killed and affected adversely. Even if it's just having your electricity out, that is such a stress to try to live in today's world without lots of light and all our electrical toys. Take good care and I'll bet your little girl - and you - will be soooo glad when her mommie walks through that front door!!!

Do you think she was trying to make an escape route to go find her mom??:confused: Poor little darling. What does she usually eat as her regular diet? Hopefully her little belly is all healed up so you can get her on a more nutritious meal plan soon.

I have read about diet deficiency being a cause of some destructive chewing but for the most part boredom is what causes dogs to develop bad habits like chewing, barking, etc. It could be just the anxiety of her mum being away. Hope so anyway. Salmon from fish that don't have mercury levels are usually a healthy treat.

Thank you, 'Salmon' never have thought of that. I can get some fresh on Thursday. I was relieved to wake this morning and find a little ball of fur buried up to me, UNDER the duvet, just as she sleeps with mom. How she breathes down there I don't know, little lungs I suppose? I now find she sojurns off to spend an hour or two on Irina's dressing gown, as a sort of 'absence retrieval', then returns to me, as normal. It appears this placebo helps her forget she's not here. As Jilly says a reassurance I expect. We had an absolutely crazy, hectic play session this morning, with me chasing her all over the flat and then the other way round.

It's a beautiful, fall day today and after the storm many of the trees are now bare. We're off in half an hour for our walk along the shore, then I have to leave her for a few hours. Lets hope she's more settled now and doesn't feel like renewing her excavation work?:icon5:

Thanks Jilly, I 'feel' her moods and today she's much brighter, as is our weather here on the East Coast. She had a hearty breakfast of boiled chicken and as I said above we had a mad play session. My word she's a dynamo of energy and so graceful to watch leaping, like a little show jumper. I keep up the talking and reassurance about mom coming home, the looks I get are priceless! I'm finding the enjoyment her development and discovery of her little psyche a wonderful experience, focused more now that we're alone together. You may remember my worries about her feelings for me too, way back three months ago? It seems three years now! I believe we cross a joint threshold of harmony through love and trust, with these highly intelligent little people. It's a rewarding journey and I'm going to treasure all my times with her.

Teegy was teething on a wooden wine rack when he was a pup little booger. Perhaps it was fear of the storm that made her nervous and chew the wall, you can spray it with bitters, I found putting hot sauce in it too worked way better.

I saw the news of the storms hitting Europe, need to make sure my family are okay

Thanks Teegy, I left her today for 3 hours and no more excavation work had been continued or commenced elsewhere upon my return. I do think it's anxiety linked and now the storms passed and she's coming to terms with mom's absence she'll feel better. Today her tummy is again functioning normally with no side effects.

The storm was worse for Europe as it hit land I understand picking up fury over the North Sea.:(

Setback
 

Oh dear,

Fed her the usual boiled chichen tonight and then let her have a few strips of 'Wafer thin Beef Slices' as a special treat. Within 15 mins she was back to the loose tummy again. Contents on the back of this product says;

"Scotch Beef, Light Brown Sugar, Salt and prepared with 127g of raw beef per 100g of finished product"

However there were little pieces of hard particles (plaster from the wall excavation maybe).

So it seems its chicken only at the moment. I buy the breasts in 1Kg bags and they last her a week. Poor Crystal how boring!:confused:

:D Oh, such good news (Crystal-wise!)....I too think she's coming to terms with Irina's absence....plus they DO LISTEN TO PHONE CALLS!!! :D She probably heard all the arrangements for her departure being made....

You may well laugh - but when we order a pizza of Chinese or whatever to be delivered, Andy has to go into another room and practically WHISPER - otherwise Harry stands guard on the top of the sofa, looking out of the window, waiting to 'see off' that naughty delivery man!!! :rolleyes:

On 'The Storm' - it wasn't until today when I drove Andy to work (only about 10 miles, but across country) that I saw true devastation....3 trees down that had cracked cars in half (they must have been, thankfully, empty and parked at the time)....and a tree that had fallen onto the roof of a new build - again, thankfully empty (not sold yet) - but that will have to be re-built, debris everywhere, cars swerving around avoiding (huge) branches....yucky.

Anyway, I wish you a lovely, peaceful, snuggly evening with your Crystal (and don't forget...whisper....!!! :secret:) Sally + Harry x

Martin & Crystal, and Sally & Harry..... so happy to hear you survived the storm. Wow, that was crazy.

:) Thank you Sandy....it's funny, over here we all live in our little bubbles of safety as you know - and yet (literally) just up the road there is chaos. I actually couldn't believe my eyes....:( Thank you for thinking of us all! Sally x

Oh dear! If I were you, I truly would stick to the chicken that YOU cook....I know it's boring, but it's pure, and you know it doesn't upset her little tummy :) Might be worth chopping it REALLY finely, and adding it to her Royal Canin?

Anything that includes sugar or salt I avoid like the plague....an upset tummy in the making :( My heart goes out to you, that you\'re having all this upset with your wife away. Sally + Harry x