1 KAREN KANE top | made in the US, gift from Karen Kane, newer version
2 INHABIT wool cardigan | ivory on sale for $82!!!!!!!!!!!
3 T by ALEXANDER WANG pocket tee
4 EVERLANE cashmere sweater
5 SPLENDID thermal top | made in the US, old style, henley version
6 GOLDSIGN virtual skinny jeans | made in the US
7 JAMES PERSE leggings | made in the US
8 JAMES PERSE canvas utility pants | made in the US (sold out)
9 JAMES PERSE t-shirt | made in the US
10 JAMES PERSE twill sweatpants | made in the US (sold out)
11 VINCE sneakers | 20% off at azalea with code GRECHEN20
12 PROENZA SCHOULER ps1 satchel | purchased with credits earned from Forzieri
13 RAG & BONE aston booties
Monday | Goldsign jeans, Karen Kane top, Vince sneakers, PS1
Tuesday | JP canvas utility pants, JP tee, Splendid thermal, Vince sneakers, PS1
Wednesday | JP twill pants, JP tee, Everlane cashmere sweater, Vince sneakers, PS1
Thursday | JP leggings, Rag & Bone booties, Inhabit cardigan, T by AW tee, PS1
Friday | honestly, I have no idea yet! still in my Pure Barre clothes…
You know the saying about best laid plans…something always happens to get in the way. That was the end of my week. Our Internet/etc. (Uverse) went down early yesterday morning and was out ALL.DAY. So, I worked a little on my phone, and went to Starbucks to work more, but things just were NOT going my way yesterday, no matter how hard I tried, so I couldn’t get my book review of The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up finished in time to publish yesterday. I’m working on it for today, but I’m wary of making any more plans…for fear I’ll jinx it, so, it’ll be ready when it’s ready!
We’re also having a bit of an issue with Dagny that sort of came to a head yesterday and is causing me a great deal of stress and sorrow: she’s incredibly anxious. She has had a few smaller anxiety issues since we got her (noises outside, the car, etc.), but she got over those pretty quickly, and they weren’t nearly as severe as what she’s going through now.
It all started with the smoke alarm going off inside. She wasn’t really moved by it at first, but then we left to go to Austin, we boarded her, brought her home after two days, and she was immediately on edge. She wouldn’t relax, started shaking continuously, wouldn’t play, sought sanctuary upstairs in my step-son’s bedroom. Basically, I felt like I brought home a different dog.
This has been several weeks. She has her moments where she’s “okay” – not back to normal, by any means, but she plays a little, will be downstairs with us, and she’s started to be comfortable eating in her usual place again. But then yesterday, when the cable went out, she heard the noises that came from the box and absolutely FREAKED out again. And was basically inconsolable all day. Whining a lot, just very very sad. Which makes me very very sad.
We took her to the vet to discuss options and she gave her a natural “milk whey” pill to take that she says will help. Other than that, there’s prozac, but I really really don’t want to put her on prozac!! I’m going to try a thundershirt, I’ve tried rescue remedy for dogs, we crate her periodically to make her feel like she has a “den.” We’re trying everything, and she seems to make some progress, then regress again.
Anyway, I wonder if anyone has had any experience with an extremely anxious dog? Have you had any success with natural remedies? Or tried prozac? Thanks for any advice you can give us! We love her so much, and hate to see her in such distress…
(our sweet girl!!)
So…that was my day yesterday. It was pretty emotionally draining! And on top of that, I got a migraine last night. Yeah.
But I got up for the 6AM Pure Barre class this morning, and while I barely made it through (that early is TOUGH!!), I feel great now, and ready for the day today. Here’s to a more “calm” Friday!!!
Have a wonderful day, and happy valentine’s day tomorrow 🙂 I love you all!!! thank you so much for spending time with me here every day!
Had an anxious boxer/lab mix who would shake like a paint mixer when anxious and here’s what helped us…
Plenty of hard exercise to wear him out
Kong with peanut butter to occupy him
White noise from a fan
Good luck!
thank you!!
we’ve tried treats/peanut butter/etc., and she won’t even eat, or respond to treats when she’s very afraid. sometimes she will, but most of the time, she completely shuns it, turning her head!!
The thundershirts are very effective. Make sure to measure correctly to get the right size as it should be very snug – like Spanx for dogs.
We have used the same house/pet sitter for years now versus boarding and are much more pleased with it. It’s practically the same price {at least here in AZ} and totally worth it. We have pit bulls and have encountered less than optimal conditions in boarding facilities, plus tons of special rules and conditions with bully breeds.
Wearing her out is also effective. Running her on a bike {I could never move fast enough to exercise my energetic dogs} and other forms of exercise will help.
She will get over herself – just don’t baby her or feed into it, it will just exacerbate the problem 🙂
Love the bag ans shoes (I really need a pair of boots like that) and you girl is so so cute ? Have a great weekend Grechen!
I have an anxious Sheltie-cross that is hysterical every time there is thunder, fireworks, snow graders (I’m north of Fargo – this happens a lot!) and basically anything that has pops/bangs. When he is anxious he wears a Thundershirt, takes Rescue Remedy, and I spray Dog Appeasing Pheromone (DAP) on a bandana and put it around his neck. This combo seems to work – at least he doesn’t stand on top of me when I’m in bed panting and drooling on me as he did before. He is now around 7 (he’s a rescue so I’m not exactly sure how old he is – he has been with me for 5 years) and he seems to be growing out of it which is a relief.
My beloved Lab who died three years ago was completely terrified and went nuts when he saw hot air balloons. It didn’t kick in until he was about two or three, and I never did find a solution. We eventually moved to a place that, coincidentally, didn’t have any, but I always wish I had more resources to help him in his terror.
My colleague’s dog is 10, with increasing anxiety issues over the past few years, and she finally put him on Prozac. They are a couple more inclined toward natural solutions, so it was a last resort. They say it is like they have a new dog, and wish they had done it earlier.
I understand the dilemma. Poor Dagny. Some facebook pages like Susie’s Senior Dogs (I’m obsessed) have a lot of familiarity with difficult behavior issues. I wonder if they would be able to direct you to good resources? Please let us know…and sending good wishes to all of you.
Gosh, so sorry your sweet Dagny is having anxiety issues. She sure is a sweetheart. We’ve used DAP, Thundershirt, and meds in the past with fairly good results. Some dogs are really good at picking up on our own energy and anxiety, just a hundred times more so for them. I’ve always tried to stay calm, keep a strict routine, try not to show too much attention ( even when you really want to!) Glad you spoke with your vet. Sending good thoughts.
Grechen, I am so sorry to hear of your dog’s distress! There IS a product, and I cannot recall the name of it – but I am going to describe it in the hopes that someone will recognize what I am describing and know the name. It is a plug-in, like Glade, but it emits a calming pheromone that helps dogs relax. When I lived on Okinawa, I boarded my dogs for three weeks with an American woman who told me about it. I brought her back more, but that was nearly 10 years ago, and I can’t think of the name, but it was around a year ago.
Anyway, when I picked up my dogs, I had three happy, relaxed friends who were happy to see me, but not frantic, like previous trips. I felt this was a great product.
Anyone know the name of this product? I will know the name if someone else can conjure it up!
You wore a lot of different pieces from your wardrobe this week, which I have to say is a big thumbs-up! I decided that the piece that is missing is a black, drapey, thinner cardigan…like Splendid’s but maybe cotton or cashmere. I’ve been doing really well not shopping, but my youngest, Anna, and I are in Chicago college hunting, visiting my daughter, son-in-law and crazy-adorable granddaughter….and you can be certain I WILL shop….but with my goal piece in mind.
Sorry to hear about Dagny’s anxiety. She’s so adorable. If you are able to provide her “better living through pharmaceuticals”, why not try it?
thank you marybeth! that sounds very interesting – i’ll do some research and see what i come up with. she does seem to be getting better the last few days though. i don’t know if that’s on her own, or as a result of some of the things we’re doing. then again, it doesn’t really matter that much, does it.
i took some time to look back at your posts on your experience with the konmari method and i am amazed! you went through a lot…!!
thank you pam!! she seems to be doing much better on her own mostly. hopefully that will continue, but i appreciate all the suggestions everyone has made!!
the not showing too much attention is key i think – we really paid more attention to that the last few days (trying to ignore her whining, etc.,) and i think that might have helped more than anything!
oh! thanks for that facebook resource ; i’ll check it out.
so far, she seems to be doing better on her own, but i’m sure this isn’t the end of her anxiety issues. we will absolutely keep all our options open with regard to prozac, etc., if she needs it. i’m just hoping she won’t.
thank you linda, for the suggestions. my beloved ozzie (who died more than a year ago now) was deathly afraid of thunderstorms, and NOTHING worked for him. most of the time, neither one of us slept whenever there was a storm, but that was nothing compared to dagny’s constant anxiety lately…although she seems to be getting gradually better on her own the last few days. fingers crossed she will move beyond at least this episode…
thanks juli – i had a thundershirt for my previous dog and it didn’t seem to work very well for him, but we will definitely try one for dagny. and a house-sitter too – i have a recommendation for one, we just hesitate having someone in our house, you know? i think i’d like it, but it’s just getting over that hurdle.
Hello –
Why so reluctant to try Prozac? I’m a human on it ( after living w anxiety for about 20 years), and it has changed my life dramatically. It won’t make your pup a zombie. As a human it just kind of quiets down all of that excessive noise in your head so you can just be “normal” again.
There’s a real stigma against medicine for anxiety and depression(for humans and fur babies) but if she had a heart problem, you wouldn’t try to have him make a go of it naturally, so why not try it? She probably won’t need it forever.
🙂