Thursday 10 December 2009

It Was Embarassing For Me Too Bet.

Temperatures earlier this week plummeted down into the solid -30s and even touched -40 Monday morning.
The Siberians got a few days off running and were mostly curled up in their snug, straw filled houses; Cricket has got a good layer of padding and enough new coat growth to take care of herself; and the rest of us have been (short of chores)happily holed up in the house.
Well, all but one of us. Bet is missing her energy burning runs around the dog pens. She'd go out if I let her, but it only takes 5 - 10 minutes for her to turn into a little black and white iceball.

Leaving her locked in the house has her more wound up then normal and she has times when she follows me incessantly around the house or reverts back to her 'stalking' the cats behavior. Neither is a great option.
I tried to find a dog jacket to fit her, but I sold all my smallest jackets last year as they fit none of the Siberians.
Finally yesterday I was in the city and broke down. I went into PetSmart to buy her a jacket of her own. Sadly, they had no serious dog jackets and I had to wade through a number of 'Sexy Bitch', 'I've Been Nice All Year, Santa', 'SnowDog', ruffled, laced and hooded little dog clothes before finding anything that wouldn't cause the dog yard to break into 'roll on the ground', 'belly aching' laughter.
This was what I settled on.


I know Bet....

...but it is better then freezing to death!!!

Oh, and I also found this cool little thing to keep her occupied.
Her kibble gets loaded into it and she has to roll it around to get the food out! She's taken to it quite well and even uses her paws to manipulate it into dishing out her treats.

I think she better be careful though - Bait loves stealing her dinner and he appears to be taking notes...

10 comments:

Ann said...

Karen, My BC had to wear a coat this week, too. It's warmer than Bet's, but horrible colors. And, I too, posted proof on the internet. Probably real Border Collie people wouldn't admit to stuff like this.

We love the Treat Stik and the Tux by West Paw for the food dispensing toys. Life savers!

JHen said...

Poor Bet, I'd say though that her dignity will survive if only because if she doesn't wear it she will freeze. It's not that cold here but it's getting colder finally, supposed to hit 18 tonight. I have one of those treat things for Takoda, although he doesn't like it, he doesn't like any toys made of rubber.

Anonymous said...

The West Paw toys are wonderful, even the wacko agilty dogs we run with can't seem to destroy them.

Unknown said...

Poor baby bet!!! She looks so miserable in the first photo.
It got cold here too, finally. 17 F this morning in Pa.

Pat in MN said...

Has the sweater made a noticable difference? Do you ever put booties on her?

Rob Fradette said...

Hmm maybe now I could get her to snuggle with me. Ikkuma loves his ball like that but he loves the tug a jug better.

Husky Howllow said...

Hey Bet, it could be worse ... like a Toque & Booties. Do they make Sookumbrand anoraks for dogs?
Not quite as cold here in Manitoba but pretty close.

Ron

Karen Ramstead said...

Actually, the sweater has been a flop. She has two raw spots on her front legs where the edge of it hits. I guess it wasn't designed for a full speed, hard running dog!!
I'm going to have to order her a real sled dog jacket.

ElizabethMC said...

I need to get three of those toys for my boys! It has been rather cold and icey - let me emphasise icey here. Cold I have learned to deal with, but ice - do not like it. Have fallen one too many times and no fun for me. They have been storing up energy and I did try Denali out on a walk, but too slick for me. He gave me that look, and was part of the reason I nearly fell as he was in such a hurry to go and explore.

D.K. Wall said...

Poor Bet. And I would watch out for Bait - way too much studying going on there.