Pet – Organizing Threads

March 30, 2016April 6, 2016

When it rains, it pours

Isn’t it funny how sometimes events bunch up? Something happens out of the blue and then it happens over and over in a short period of time. I had that kind of experience this past week.

On Friday I decided to sew a new coat for my skinny little dog with little fur to keep her warm. I wasn’t entirely happy with the end results and still have not put the closure on.

Then, on Friday evening I got a text from my downstairs neighbour, asking if I wanted a coat for Billie. As we had a family dinner that night Gina brought up several brand new coats and a sweater she’d been given on Saturday.

Then, on Sunday, Cheryl brought to lunch at Heritage House, a doggie coat that she’d bought for her Maggie that didn’t fit. Happily, one of the coats Gina gave me is really too big for Billie, so I can pass that one on to Maggie. So suddenly we have an abundance of coats.

(more pictures to come)

April 5 – With the temperature at -12 I thought we could try out the little parka. Billie was not impressed. It’s too big, so needs a bit of alteration.

November 8, 2015November 8, 2015

Stranger Danger

This afternoon Billie and I went for a walk after 3:00 pm. I wanted to check if the stuffed animals were still at the end of the street (they were) and to let Billie run. After she had a good run we headed into Concordia Park.

When we crossed the bridge we met two young girls. They asked to pet my dog, so I stopped. They then told me that two bigger girls had been hassling them. In fact, a third bigger child had joined the first two and were they were headed in our direction. Emma and Abby were scared. They asked if I would walk with them. So I did.

I misunderstood where they lived — they didn’t want to tell me exactly, because I was a stranger. They’d been warned about “stranger danger” but decided that I was OK. Anyway I led them back toward the west end of Avalon, the opposite direction from home, as it turned out. The bigger kids followed us for awhile, but then disappeared. Emma wanted to play in the park but Abby wanted to go home. They asked if I could stay with them in the park, but just then Emma’s iPhone timer sounded — it was time for them to go home. They still wanted me to stay with them (“can we pretend you are our grandma?”), so I walked back with them to Stirling Ave. Then they felt safe to go the rest of the way home.

I thought it was interesting that “stranger danger” has been ingrained when kids are more likely to be hurt by someone they know. [How do you teach a child to be safe within their own family/environment?] I wonder why they decided they could trust me. [How do you know whom to trust? Is a person with a pet more likely to be kind?] I also found that they loved to scare themselves. [Because of this was there really anything to fear from these bigger kids?] They told me about many things they’d been scared of in the last 24 hours, from sleeping in the basement (“I thought I was going to die”) to smelling smoke and decided someone was burning a body!

I commend their parents for giving these ten-year-olds the freedom to explore their environment — they obviously were not well acquainted with the area, especially the forest and park. And they did have a phone, I’m sure they could have called for help if they really needed it. I’m glad they were able to approach a stranger and give voice to both their discomfort and a solution and ask for my help.

O God, protect those two very sweet girls!

February 16, 2015February 21, 2015

Brrrrrrrrrr

We’ve had a few record-breaking cold days and nights (University of Waterloo weather station):

My wee dog is not built for the cold! That means when she goes outside to do the necessary, she runs back in as soon as possible. But she is also a small dog with lots of energy. When she runs like a mad fool around the apartment I feel bad for my “below” neighbours.

Today, by 11:30 a.m., with the sun shining brightly in the window, Billie started begging to go outside. So I put on her ‘boots’ — not an easy task, holding a squirming dog and at the same time trying to pull these boots on limp feet — her wool sweater and her windbreaker coat. And out we went.

The problem with the boots is she thinks she needs to run when she’s wearing them. It is very hard to slow her down.

I let her choose the route, mostly. We were out for about half an hour; I think she might have stayed out longer had I not wanted to come in. Her boots never came off in spite of her prancing and pawing.

When we got in this is what Environment Canada was saying (Breslau Airport):

Update:

Friday, February 20, this morning it is -26 at the airport, so I said to Billie, “Come, let’s go outside. But we’re going to put your boots on because it is so cold.” Instead of running to me at the door, she jumped off the couch and went and curled up in the corner of the recliner! I put her boots on her anyway. We made it just around the corner on Southmoor before she hurried back home to the warmth.

March 27, 2014

My Billie B

In July of 2010 a puppy, about four months old, was left at the KW Humane Society accompanied by a paper suggesting she was part pug, part Staffordshire terrier. Now Staffordshire terriers are a banned breed in Ontario, therefore not adoptable. The staff at KWHS decided to foster this little female for awhile to see if that breed was going to show. So Christine, my daughter-in-law (now in charge of adoptions at KWHS) took Billie home.

My beloved Shazdeh had developed cancer and I had had her put down in early February that year. I had decided that as long as I lived in a third floor apartment I would not get another dog. However, Simon and Christine were quite certain that Billie, as the puppy was now named, would be a wonderful pet for me. One weekend in September, when Billie was given the OK to be adopted my kids asked if I’d puppy-sit — an opportunity to “try out” the pet before I committed. Ha! Like I was going to say “no” after that.

Billie is a sweet girl, a dear companion. But I’m frequently asked what breed she is. Not knowing for sure I reply, “part pug, part terrier”. Several weeks ago Christine brought me a Wisdom Panel® Shelter Dog DNA testing kit. Here is a chance to find out Billie’s ancestry. I subsequently swabbed Billie’s cheeks and sent away the sample. This morning I got the results. Here they are — and no Staffordshire Terrier in the mix!

February 9, 2014February 9, 2014

Boots for Billie

My little dog was not made for cold weather. And it’s been COLD this winter. Billie has a hard time going outside even to answer nature’s call, much less to take a walk. We both miss the walks. Hopefully we will return to more “normal” temperatures soon.

In the meantime, I tried to make some boots for my girl’s little feet. I’d bought some at the dollar store, but I couldn’t make them tight enough to stay on. There were patterns online of the same design, but that wasn’t what I wanted. Once again, I created my own.

I first made an outline of her paw; adding a seam allowance gave me the sole of her boot. I cut soles out of thick black fleece and “shelf liner” to give her traction on the hardwood floors (something she didn’t have with the dollar store boots). For the upper I used a small saucer to make a circle, then cut a smaller circle in one end, then removed about a third of the bottom. These I also cut from black fleece. I used ribbing for the leg part of the boot.

I folded the upper in half and seamed it. Then I seamed the ribbing along the length, folded it in half and sewed it to the smaller opening in the upper. I marked both pieces in quarters to have them sewn evenly together.

I then used the same technique to put the soles on. I sewed them right sides together so the seams would be inside.

When I had all four made I tried them on the dog. She was not impressed! She wouldn’t leave them on her feet. The dollar store boots had Velcro strips to tighten them — I carefully removed them and hand-sewed them to the new boots. Now she couldn’t kick them off so easily!

Not a happy camper.

She did perk up when I mentioned the T-word.

Billie doesn’t really like these boots (and I’m not sure they are a good design; I may have to try again) but we have walked further when she’s wearing them. We even had a short walk yesterday when it was -11ºC (-15º with the windchill) (12º/5ºF).