Marty McGee Bennett
08-07-2005, 08:47 PM
Hi Marty, Aly, and Julie!
All three of you were so very helpful in giving me ideas to work with Webster, my very distressed little corgi, so I thought you might want an update.
Webbie was becoming so stressed out, probably from our recent move, that he was unable to sleep in the house at night, and would only settle down in the car. We tried Rescue Remedy, as well as everything else we could think of, crates, lights left on, to no avail. We tried a child's t-shirt/body wrap on him, but honestly, he was not amused. I also made a little calming halter/face wrap out of 'knicker' elastic, which seemed to get his attention, but he fussed at it and pawed it off each time. Julie asked if he was being very 'oral', which he was: licking obsessively, which we thought was mostly annoying, not realizing that he was maybe trying to tell us he was distressed.
Anyway, we began doing a very firm version of Clouded Leopard Touch all around his face and mouth whenever he licked or became distressed. And we're also doing what we now call the "Corgi Calming Touch" which is a very firm version of the movement of a mother dog licking the puppy's face. Only we use our fingers, of course, Webbie's blowing coat and the hair sticking to our tongues was, frankly, overwhelming. He loves both of these touches, and comes over and stands next to us whenever he wants them. I feel like a Bad Doggie Mom for not recognizing his licking as a needful signal. So now, as soon as he starts licking or acting stressed, we start T-Touching.
And, miracle of miracles, about a week and a half ago, he started sleeping in the house again! Next to the door leading outside at first, but for the past two nights, up on our bed, as usual! It's unbelievable! Yeay! Hurray!
Thank you thank you thank you, all of you, for helping me solve this problem! Hey, this stuff really works!!!
fleece on earth,
Liz
All three of you were so very helpful in giving me ideas to work with Webster, my very distressed little corgi, so I thought you might want an update.
Webbie was becoming so stressed out, probably from our recent move, that he was unable to sleep in the house at night, and would only settle down in the car. We tried Rescue Remedy, as well as everything else we could think of, crates, lights left on, to no avail. We tried a child's t-shirt/body wrap on him, but honestly, he was not amused. I also made a little calming halter/face wrap out of 'knicker' elastic, which seemed to get his attention, but he fussed at it and pawed it off each time. Julie asked if he was being very 'oral', which he was: licking obsessively, which we thought was mostly annoying, not realizing that he was maybe trying to tell us he was distressed.
Anyway, we began doing a very firm version of Clouded Leopard Touch all around his face and mouth whenever he licked or became distressed. And we're also doing what we now call the "Corgi Calming Touch" which is a very firm version of the movement of a mother dog licking the puppy's face. Only we use our fingers, of course, Webbie's blowing coat and the hair sticking to our tongues was, frankly, overwhelming. He loves both of these touches, and comes over and stands next to us whenever he wants them. I feel like a Bad Doggie Mom for not recognizing his licking as a needful signal. So now, as soon as he starts licking or acting stressed, we start T-Touching.
And, miracle of miracles, about a week and a half ago, he started sleeping in the house again! Next to the door leading outside at first, but for the past two nights, up on our bed, as usual! It's unbelievable! Yeay! Hurray!
Thank you thank you thank you, all of you, for helping me solve this problem! Hey, this stuff really works!!!
fleece on earth,
Liz