Dog-related agonisings

[bunn]

 I've booked the dogs in with a new dogsitter, as I felt they needed more gentle exercise than the previous one offered.    I'd exchanged emails and explained that Az is easily stressed by traffic noise and doesn't cope well in built-up areas, and I thought this met the specification in that respect. 

However, I've just got directions to the place, and having had a look at the place in Google Maps, it's just off the A386 going through Tavistock and surrounded by other houses.   OK, it's on the quieter Dartmoor side of town and not that far from open country, but I can't imagine there isn't a fair bit of traffic coming through there in the mornings, given that there is a school along there and it's the main road into town from the East.   I just hope it's not going to stress him out too much. 

I should have phoned rather than emailling her before booking them in.  I emailled cos I'd lost my voice with cold, but I really wish I'd called and whispered at her (or put the whole thing off till recovered) and really investigated the whole 'noise' thing more thoroughly.

They are going there next week to try it out, but I'm a bit worried. :-( 

While I'm at it, I'm a bit worried about Molls as well - she's had an awful case of the runs last day or so, didn't want her tea and has been sick a couple times this evening.  Off to the vet tomorrow I think. 

Comments

[puddleshark.livejournal.com]

Might it be worth chatting over Az's problems in person when you drop the dogs off, just to put your mind at rest? They may have a gate out the back that avoids the main road, or might be willing to make a short car journey to avoid the town.

Hope Moll's tum is settling!

[bunn.livejournal.com]

Molls has had antibiotics : the vet thinks she probably ate something revolting.

Yes, I will go through the whole neurotic dog owner thing (probably in insane detail) with Az when I drop them off. It's just that there is a limit to what you can do to control the sound of something like distant cars audible inside the house, which will probably wind him up, or the existance of other buildings either side of the road :-/

I have taken Az into Tavistock in the past on a quiet evening, and even though it's a small peaceful town with very little offpeak traffic, walking along a street with a few other people about and houses/shops lining both sides, he ended up a shaking wreck that tried pathetically to hide under Mollydog.

That was a while ago now though, I am sort of hoping that he may have improved a bit, he can cope with Calstock now (village that has, shock horror, two streets of houses that border the road directly! O! the Terror!) Our village is quite open so there aren't many places where you are on a road with houses both sides and no garden in front. He's such a country bumpkin, you wouldn't think he was such a wuss if you met him in a field!

[puddleshark.livejournal.com]

Oh, poor lad! He always looks so relaxed and happy in your pictures of him racing around, I hadn't realised he had such a severe phobia of towns... I hope the new sitter's place is quieter than it looks on the map.

[bunn.livejournal.com]

He came into rescue after being badly beaten and dumped by a motorway so the traffic noise thing is only to be expected I guess.

He has got a lot more confident over time - we used to have to be careful about sticks or brooms or rolls of wallpaper etc around him, as he would think we were going to hit him, poor little sod. He was even afraid of Guitar Hero, cos of the plastic guitars...

But he's got over that - quite happy to grab the end of a stick and have a mad game of tuggy now (I almost cried the first time he did that) so fingers crossed he will be able to cope with Scary Houses!