PANIC!

Yesterday was the Lady's work at home day. She was happily sitting at her computer chatting with a colleague in Georgetown, Grand Cayman (Lady consults there) when her computer shut itself off. Lady knew the battery was getting low but apparently hadn't plugged it in properly so it died. She messaged her colleague on her phone and waited a few minutes. The computer would not restart. Lady knew in her heart, her faithful old Mac that had a lot of issues (like keys that didn't work and applications that hardly opened) was on its last legs but she kept hoping it had more life in it.

After calling support and not getting help, Lady panicked (yep she nearly lost her mind but then pulled herself together) packed up and drove the 45 minutes to the Apple Store. Without a computer she couldn't work. However, she was very thankful she had just updated her computer on Sunday so if all else failed she would only lose 2 and a bit days of work.

The new baby

When she got to the store she was told there was a 2 hour wait. While she was chatting with the guy who works there named Ben, he said given how old her computer was there wouldn't be much they could do. Because it was vintage (aka 2011) they no longer have the parts to fix it. Lady got Ben to show her the comparable new ones. She went and talked to the Man and they decided that it was time to just replace the old computer. The old computer keeps having issues and again, without a computer Lady can't do her whole job. So Lady went back and talked to Ben and bought herself a new Mac Book Pro.

While she was doing this, the Genius , Matt, came to look at the old computer. He took it to the back and the 10 minutes he said he needed were really like 30. He was able to do something to get it going (something about resetting it and removing the battery). He told Lady she should never turn it off again until she was sure she had everything off of it.

A much poorer Lady drove home with a lovely new computer and a computer that she could get all her files off of.

Instead of getting any of the work she wanted to get done, she spent the rest of the day setting up her new computer. She got her 13 000 work files transferred to it. She hasn't taken on the pictures yet and realized after her purchase she doesn't know how to get pictures off her camera onto the new computer because there is no slot for the card. She hopes she can find the USB cord for it. (Her camera is from like 2007 so before they were Internet connected).

We think this horrible computer issue has made all of our behaviours look good! Lady will fill you in on what we have been up to shortly!

Lady is now behind on work and traveling for it so if we aren't around much the next week or so, you know why. We will try to visit a little (now we have a good computer it may be easier!)

The miracle pill that wasn't

After very careful consideration and consultation with our vet we decided to try Miss Hailey Bug on a medication to help with her anxiety. While I really didn't want to get to this point the stress of worrying about what she might do while we were out and the reality that we could not stay home all the time pushed me to try it.

Modelling the new thunder shirt

After a funny trip to the pharmacy to fill the prescription (I love that is says for Vet use only on the bottle, yet the fact sheet about the drug tells you not to drink while on it - Lee says it will be hard, but she will try not to drink), we gave it a try. Woody had suggested trying it for 10 days to break the cycle of anxiety. With a heavy heart (because I truly feel we have failed her given how anxious she is) we gave her the first pill at a time where we could watch her. If anything, she was more crazy, more fearless, doing more crazy play stuff. The second one didn't seem to have any noticeable effect either.

She has now been receiving this pill 2 times a day since Saturday night with no obvious change. In fact, she actually scratched the wall which we had almost finishing repairing on Tuesday (no thunderstorms came through).

One of the challenges with her anxiety is it is not consistent. It is not every day that she destroy things. You never know.

Yesterday we tried to keep the dogs in the basement (away from the wall to destroy). Hailey was in her new thunder shirt. They got out of the basement and were sitting waiting by the door when I returned, but no damage.

Not sure what we will do next. Sigh!

We are the same

After the wall incident (which is still not roll on the floor funny yet, but getting closer), I took some time to reflect on why, given all of Hailey's issues (if you are newer to the blog go back to when it started nearly 2 years ago for some great destruction stories), I just can't stop loving her.  Clearly she is beautiful and full of life but she is NOT a good dog, but I adore her.  It occurred to me I love her because she is me in dog form.

When I told my husband my conclusion he rolled his eyes but I think it is true.

Here is how we are the same:
1) We both love routine. We like things that are the same and predictable.
2) We don't mind people in general but both have a few special people we love.
3) We both could work on our listening skills.
4) We both suffer from anxiety. While I personally love a thunderstorm, I do have many other things in my life that cause me great anxiety. I have never ripped a hole in the wall or destroyed the carpet but I can totally relate to that feeling of panic. Even though I get really mad at her in the moment, when I step out of it, I feel totally bad for her and wish I could do something for her to help. (FYI: There have been times in my life where if I thought I could escape certain things by eating the wall, I would have). Only people who have anxiety can sort of relate to creatures with anxiety.
5) When we have our mind set on something there is nothing anyone else can do to regain our attention.
6) We are both stubborn.
7) We both know how to use our sad little eyes to get what we want from others.
8) We are both loud, head strong and independent.
9) We often will try and be sneaky and do things we know we should not.
10) Neither of us knows the word no (but somethings I think we should learn).

See, we are a lot a like and I think that is what has save my crazy dog many, many times!

We are experimenting with an anti-anxiety med this week for my girl (more about that later) and her thunder shirt arrived yesterday (can't wait to try it).

Rough Plan

Well after the shock of a hole in the wall, we have forgiven our Bug for her bad behaviour. We appreciate how stressed she must have been to do this. We also are glad she didn't chew the electrical wires.

This is what we are going to try.

Putting Zaphod in the crate in the guest room. Putting Hailey in her sweater (the thunder shirt has been ordered) in the guest room with a baby gate across the door. It is our hope that being in her favourite room with a gate will help. When given a choice, Lee loves to sleep on the guest bed (this is something that started at the old house a few months ago). We also hope that by having the gate and not closing the door will reduce destruction.

Thankfully there are no thunderstorms in the forecast today. There are tomorrow (and I will be out of town until 7ish tomorrow night).

Here is the door at phase one of the repair. Likely won't have time to finish it until the weekend, but looks much better

Wish us luck!

Wits End

It is not often that I am left speechless or unable to find the humour in a situation, but Hailey has managed to do both. Last evening we attended a wedding. When I returned home, I opened the door and saw this.

I actually turned around and walked out. After a second I came back in. I just couldn't believe it and I couldn't find Hailey. (Turns out she had gotten herself under the gate to the cats food and gotten stuck. Turns out while she was down there she dug the litter to hell, but that really is the least of our problems, back to the hole).

Words do not describe how angry the people of the house are. While part of me is trying to imagine how terrified of whatever she must have been to do this, I just can't find sympathy for her. We just don't know what to do with her. This is the worst thing she has ever done. I think regular readers of this blog will know that we try really hard to give her the best life possible. We have tolerated her "Hailey-ness" more than others may have. However she has crossed a line and we don't know what to do to help her. We can't afford to replace a wall every time we go out. We had thought her anxiety was getting better, but clearly it has not. We are going to try and crate her, although I fear she will just destroy them again. We are also going to explore medication for her. 

So today instead of having a house warming party (which we have cancelled), we are going to learn to fix drywall. We hope that one of the paint cans left in the house is the right colour. 

101 Ways to stress LeeLee

Way 58: Pack.

Baggy Helping out

Packing is apparently very stressful for the pack. Hopefully the packing will be done this weekend (well, 60% of the house needs to move out until the official move date) and then they won't be so stressed!

Lee - not happy about the packing

101 Ways to Stress LeeLee Out

Way 18 -

Have hedge trimmers arrive and be working in the backyard about a half hour before you get home from work. Have them continue to be working for an hour or so. Strangers in the backyard is very stressful. Not being able to go out and see them because the gate is open and it is not safe, is very stressful.

Needless to say she had a great sleep after they left!

101 Ways to Stress LeeLee Out

Way 31: Take a baby in the car with you. Generally she may get excited in the car, but is pretty calm. However, something about having a baby in the back seat freaks her out! I don't know if she thought we were going to take her away and this is why we packed her stuff or something else. Needless to say her whining and scratching the car door were annoying. (Check in tomorrow to see where we took her!)

101 ways to totally stress LeeLee out

Way 61: Get the driveway repaved. Not sure if it was the smell of the asphalt, the sound of the trucks and machines, the people outside and occasionally coming to the door or some of each that freaked her out. At any rate my poor girl was beside herself. She was shaking, crying, destroyed a towel from the bathroom (even though during this one of us was always home) and for part of it took refuge under my desk (something she has never done before).

Hiding under Lady's desk