Jasper's diary

[Tinytom]

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I started Tilly on nutracalm this year ...for 11 years fireworks never bothered her but this year has been awful ....last month someone let lots off over 2 hours ... (How do they afford it )..we thought she was going to have a heart attack
The nutracalm have definitely taken the edge off ....fireworks from 7pm until 1130pm last night

 

[JudyN]

That's good, Tinytom - I won't be changing anything else while trying the new meds, but it's worth knowing.

I realised this morning that J's meds are meant to be given on an empty stomach at least half an hour before a meal... but he has his breakfast first thing and would find it incredibly stressful to have it delayed, so I've been scouring the internet trying to work out how long after a meal I'd have to leave it so he has an empty stomach, and how far apart the two doses have to be spaced. The answer seems to be 'it depends'. I also can't find out if they can be crushed, despite pretending to be a vet so I could get to see online datasheets.

 

[JudyN]

Sigh. After a few good nights, Jasper has regressed. He's unsettled until round about midnight, then goes through till 6amish. Which could be worse... but I'm sure it will get worse!

Your thoughts, please... What he really wants to do is go down the end of the garden and bark for half the night, but I let him out into the side area - he still barks, but comes back in a lot sooner. Should I (a) tell him he can't go out and needs to settle down on his bed in the hope that he'll accept this in time, or (b) let him out whenever he asks. (a) could just frustrate him as those monsters need a good shouting at if we're all to sleep safe in our beds, but (b) could just get him more worked up, and the barking could be self-rewarding in itself. And then there's the possibility that he might need to go out, though that's unlikely if he's already been out twice in the past half hour...

We're moving the spare bed back down here tonight - I'm fed up with going up and downstairs time and time again, and I'm hoping that I'll be able to persuade him to settle down without getting out of bed.

 

[JoanneF]

Is it worth trying white noise?

 

[JudyN]

Is it worth trying white noise?

I hadn't considered that, but it could be worth a try, thanks Particularly as I found what was probably a fox poo on the patio this morning. I bet I wouldn't be able to sleep with white noise playing though!

Ooh, I can play it on my laptop, which means I can try it without having to fork out.

 

[Finsky]

I hadn't considered that, but it could be worth a try, thanks Particularly as I found what was probably a fox poo on the patio this morning. I bet I wouldn't be able to sleep with white noise playing though!

Ooh, I can play it on my laptop, which means I can try it without having to fork out.

There is lot of 'sound' videos on Youtube....all manner from fire place crackling to rain/thunder on different roofs on window etc....sea waves etc.

 

[JudyN]

Ah, and maybe if I play a heavy downpour, he'll think 'I'm not going out in that!'

 

[Finsky]

Ah, and maybe if I play a heavy downpour, he'll think 'I'm not going out in that!'

OR opposite will happen. I feel urge to go to loo when there is lot of 'sloshing' going on

 

[JudyN]

I'm such an idiot I realised that feeding J his tea on the patio is a really good way of encouraging foxes to come right up to the house J usually starts by slinging the carcasse onto the patio, eating the sloppy bits, then taking the carcasse down to the lawn to eat. Sure, he's as thorough as he can be with the clean-up, but there's bound to be some leftover residue that they can detect. So now he can have his tea in the conservatory, and I'll just have to give the floor a quick daily wipe.

 

[JoanneF]

It'll be getting colder soon, so maybe eating indoors is better anyway with creaky limbs.

 

[JudyN]

Maybe - though he's still more than happy to go for relatively long walks, and mooch round the garden in the cold though - to say nothing about standing out there barking in the middle of the night - so I doubt a 5-min meal out there would make much difference. But yes, keeping him snug, warm and dry will be more important this winter than previous ones.

 

[JoanneF]

Does he eat standing up or lying down? Because if he is standing, I agree; but if he lies down it could become uncomfortable

 

[JudyN]

He stands up to eat. Though he's still happy to lie down on damp grass for a mid-walk snooze at times. I'm hoping he doesn't think that's such a good idea when it gets chillier.

 

[JudyN]

Jasper cried until midnightish again last night, though seemed less focused on going outside. It's not nice not being able to help him cope with whatever's going on in that brain, but at least I was able to call out 'settle down sleepy, nothing's happening' from the comfort of my bed in the room opposite (which does have a dog bed in so he could have come in with me if he wanted to), so I feel more rested today. Mr N offered to take it in turns, but I'd still be able to hear J cry and be kept awake by it, so there doesn't seem much point.

He regularly has an unsettled time each morning, when we've got back from his walk and while I'm making coffee and taking Mr N's upstairs for him - he cries until I've settled down to work, and then he settles down for his morning snooze. I'm wondering if this is also connected with him going a bit doolally, but it's hard to tell as he was pretty doolally to start with!

 

[Mayblossom]

I really feel for you Judy, Lily goes through very strange phases now and again but luckily sleeps through the night, she’ll be 13 next year and have noticed so many changes in the last few months, she sits and cries and I’ve no idea why not sure if Jasper is like Lils in that she will stare and bark at something and there’s nothing there, we’ve always lost our other dogs before them getting old , through other things , and I find it harder to cope with seeing Lils go downhill .

 

[JudyN]

It's hard to see, isn't it, Mayblossom? He only tends to bark at 'nothing' when he's in the garden at night, but of course he might hear or smell something I can't, or might just want to warn off foxes who might be thinking about invading his territory.

All I want, really, is that he enjoys every day he has, however many that is, and that I don't end up so sleep deprived and stressed that I get irritable with him rather than be the mum he needs.

 

[Mayblossom]

Aww bless you, you’ll always be the Mum he needs xx we just have to take each day at a time and go with the good and the bad days, Lily is having a bad day today , had a walk at Ashdown forest yesterday with my daughters new puppy, luckily pup was very good and ignored her but it’s taken it out of her today, doesn’t want to move from the sofa, she’s buried herself in the cushions the only time she gets excited is for her scrambled egg and ham , won’t touch dog food or chicken anymore but I’m not fussed, as long as she’s eating something that makes her happy

 

[JudyN]

I think this is a time for indulging them, letting them twist you round their little finger and getting away with stuff you wouldn't normally allow. Not so long ago, when J did a smash & grab raid on some food on the kitchen worktop, Mr N and I just beamed at each other, because we didn't realise he could still jump up to reach there! He also regularly gets rewarded for bringing me my slippers, even if I have just taken them off and am putting my boots on...

 

[RGC]

I think this is a time for indulging them, letting them twist you round their little finger and getting away with stuff you wouldn't normally allow. Not so long ago, when J did a smash & grab raid on some food on the kitchen worktop, Mr N and I just beamed at each other, because we didn't realise he could still jump up to reach there! He also regularly gets rewarded for bringing me my slippers, even if I have just taken them off and am putting my boots on...

I would love to help, JudyN but I’m afraid I’m no canine psychologist. For what it’s worth, some years ago our cat, Basil, went through a similar phase of dementia/confusion. He lived with us from a tiny rescued kitten with his brother until he reached age 21. In his latter years he’d suddenly let out a frightening yowl even if he were resting on one’s knees. He wasn’t in pain - his hearing had gone and his sight was failing - he was just confused and needed some reassurance that all was fine. Not sure whether Jasper’s in the same place as was Basil.

 

[Flobo]

I do remember with Jake, not have an unbroken nights sleep for a long while, he'd wander in the night and want to go out and then just stand in the garden until I guided him back in, sometimes 2/3 times a night, I did feel like a sleep deprived zombie after a while...but like everyone on here we do it, as our dogs get older we adjust to their ever changing needs the best we can to keep them as comfortable and cared for as we can and thoroughly celebrate and enjoy the small moments we still experience with them just being them...and I agree, spoiling them is a given!