Crush update & a pattern preview
Thanks to all the knitters who bought the Willie pattern, to all the folks who posted and facebooked and twittered (tweeted? twatted?) about Willie, and to Shepherd Susie’s generous contest (which has been extended until Monday! go enter! win a half-share in Juniper Moon Farm’s 2011 yarn/fiber CSA! and while you’re there, check out the Lamb Cam, welcome several new lambs to the flock, and see more baby-animal cuteness than you can shake a stick at), we’ve already raised $1465.45 toward Crush’s vet care. That’s almost half the total bill. Unfriggingbelievable. As I said in the Juniper Moon Ravelry forum, we might have saved Crush’s leg without this help, but I honestly don’t know how.
And in case you doubted that generosity begets more generosity, I’m thrilled to report that all the attention paid to Willie has also bumped up sales of the wurstwärmer pattern. Today I made my second monthly donation of wurstwärmer proceeds to the Michigan Animal Rescue League: $105, for a total of $235. That buys a whole lot of food for shelter animals while they wait for new homes.
Crush is doing just fine — thanks to everyone who’s asked about her recovery and sent their good wishes. Her leg was put back together with pins and wires, but the result is delicate. The hard part comes now, when she doesn’t get to play or run or jump or tug or go for walks for the next 6-8 weeks. Needless to say, I am VERY OPEN to suggestions of activities that will wear her out in other ways.
I’m working on several different patterns during all this quiet rest time, including something extra-specially-gruesome for Halloween. (Yes, Halloween. I start planning that shit on November 1, friend.)
Before the gruesome, though, let us have more cute. Another baby sweater was at the test-knitting stage when it was bumped aside so I could work on Willie. This little number is coming soon:
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April 30th, 2010 at 8:34 am
Knitters really are the best. I’m so happy we can all come together to support one of our own. Awesome.
Can’t wait for that elephant pattern. That sweater is so freaking cute.
April 30th, 2010 at 8:38 am
i just have 1 more inch on the ella body before starting the sleeves! I’m totally going to be done with it before i’m done with my grades.
April 30th, 2010 at 8:49 am
Having been there just recently, I know the pain The hardest part is now and will increase with time, as the dog feels better and doesn’t feel wounded anymore and as the energy accumulates in the puppy. There isn’t many solutions, sadly, but I can give you one little tip. It doesn’t solve everything because frankly nothing can replace the exercise a puppy needs, but it surely helps. Get a good stash of really tasty thing to chew and keep her busy chewing. Try new chewables. As long as it is real tasty and lasts a while. That buys you some time at least.
Hope that helps!
Mel
April 30th, 2010 at 8:51 am
Awwww, I love it! All of it! Especially the cussing.
April 30th, 2010 at 8:57 am
Get thee a tricky treat ball. Be still crush.
April 30th, 2010 at 8:57 am
this is awesome!! the knitting community is so, so amazing.
April 30th, 2010 at 9:01 am
Can’t wait for those elephants! So sweet!
April 30th, 2010 at 9:05 am
Awww, that’s amazing amazing news. Feel better Crush!
I would recommend serving all meals in some sort of puzzle toy (the buster cube is good but loud, there’s an orange ball type that is softer and quieter.)
This site talks a lot about toys for bored dogs
http://www.dogplay.com/Behavior/toys.html
Everything but the chase stuff could be helpful.
I hope she feels better soon and heals quickly.
April 30th, 2010 at 9:29 am
Oh yay, this is so awesome!!! I’m so glad you’ve gotten some knitterly help with the bill, and that Crush is doing so well. As for how to keep a puppy still for 6-8 weeks, holy cow, I have no idea–stick her in a sling and wear her? I don’t even know if she’d like that, but if she did, you two could have 6 weeks of snuggly togetherness…..
April 30th, 2010 at 9:37 am
Hope Crush is on the mend. The elephant pattern is also adorable. Searching for “Willie” on rav gets some *interesting* pattern company!
April 30th, 2010 at 9:49 am
I second (third?) the recommendation of puzzle toys for Crush. These kinds of toys are healthy for your dog anyways but definitely really good for bored dogs who are recuperating. My dog strained a ligament in his knee around 6 months of age and it was terrible trying to keep him off it so I know how you feel! Since Crush is so small perhaps she could accompany you on walks/excursions without walking? It is so important for young dogs to do lots of socializing and it seems that some dogs get worn out just from being overstimulated by new sights and sounds.
Good luck and keep us posted!
April 30th, 2010 at 10:11 am
I agree about the puzzle toys! Don’t stop with meals, hide treats in there too — dogs love searching/working for their food, apparently. I have one (made by Nina Ottosson) for my little dog and he loves it. He has to pick pieces out and move things with his paws and nose to get to the hidden treats. The games come with very clear instructions on how to teach your dog to play, and how to make it more or less challenging for them.
April 30th, 2010 at 11:00 am
i keep my little guy busy by not giving him ANYTHING for free. he has to work for treats, meals, everything. i fill kongs with peanut butter and freeze it so he spends HOURS getting every drop of peanut butter out. i know people aren’t keen on rawhides but my dog LOVES them and will literally chew until i take it away. when i leave i give him one of those puzzle balls — he has to push the ball all over the house to get the treats out. as long as his brain his engaged, he’ll be fine!
April 30th, 2010 at 11:17 am
Wow, that new baby sweater is adorable! Glad Crush is doing better. My son just broke his arm and had to have surgery so to a certain extent, I feel your pain!
April 30th, 2010 at 11:30 am
Oh my! That *is* cute- the little elephants are perfect!
April 30th, 2010 at 11:34 am
So glad she is recovering well! I second the suggestion of frozen peanut butter and dry food in a kong. I had to keep my doxie crated for six weeks post spine surgery, so I feel your frustration. I also kept him in the living room with us, so he would feel included. Towards the end I would carry him around the block for some fresh air. He was an angry little man while crated, but whatever, he can walk now.
April 30th, 2010 at 12:30 pm
Oh that is so adorable (I meant the pattern but the dog is awfully cute too!). I LOVE elephants. Can’t wait for the release.
April 30th, 2010 at 1:01 pm
The elephants are so cute.
April 30th, 2010 at 2:58 pm
Both sweater and dog rate very high on the cuteness factor scale.
April 30th, 2010 at 3:07 pm
Glad to hear that Crush is feeling better.
Those elephants are way too cute.
April 30th, 2010 at 7:59 pm
So glad to hear that you are half way to your
goal Pam! Also glad to hear Crush is doing
well.
I can’t wait for that Elephant pattern. If
you keep this up Harper is going to have more
sweaters than she can wear!!
April 30th, 2010 at 8:35 pm
I’d look into clicker training and train her to do tricks. Clicker training is very versatile.
Teach her to roll over, wave a front leg that’s not in a cast, anything she does that you’d love to have her do on command.
Here’s a little bit of info on wikihow.
http://www.wikihow.com/Clicker-Train-Your-Dog
It has some useful links at the bottom.
May 1st, 2010 at 4:29 pm
It’s good to hear that Willie is taking good care of Crush and the wurstwarmer is taking care of others. Good karma generating patterns, you’ve got there. Others have mentioned puzzles games and that was exactly what I was thinking too.
May 2nd, 2010 at 9:31 am
Willie is the best pattern ever. I promised my sister that she’d get a baby sweater for every month of gestation (hey, at least it’s not be prego in the middle of the summer - she deserves it!) So, Willie is the second, and the elephant will undoubtedly be the third. I just posted my wip on rav so you should have four projects in progress on the pattern page. Love it!
May 3rd, 2010 at 8:02 am
If you can get Crush a toy that makes her think to get a treat. Kind of like a dog toy puzzle ball or something like that. That should help with some of the energy. Hope she feels better soon.
May 5th, 2010 at 8:49 am
So happy to hear that little Crush is on the mend! To keep her mind busy while her body heals, try some simple dog training exercises that won’t impact the leg. Perhaps teach her to “wave” or “high five”, teach her “leave it” or some other simple behaivors. Work on down stays and sit stays for praise and food rewards. Tiring the mind is almost as effective as tiring their bodies! You can also use things like stuffed kongs, marrow bones (often sold as soup bones at the meat counter in the grocery store - just make sure they’re at least a couple of inches long. We have had a few dogs who were given thin slices of these bones and gotten them wedged around their lower jaws behind their canines).
Love the elephant sweater - will be back to purchase that one when it becomes available
May 5th, 2010 at 11:03 am
Oy that little cast breaks my heart! I’m going to go buy the Willie pattern and enter the getaway if it isn’t too late. And then most certainly buy the test-knitted baby cardi as soon as it’s available because while those elephants are teeny, the cute factor is HUMONGOUS!
May 6th, 2010 at 9:37 pm
I’m so glad Crush is doing well! It’s wonderful how much money you’ve raised toward her vet care
Good luck with all the down time…I hope you’ve received some helpful suggestions for her to burn some energy.
That elephant baby sweater is so stinking cute!!
May 7th, 2010 at 2:13 pm
One of the reasons I love you is that you don’t even try to reign in your enthusiasm for Halloween. I am glad Crush is getting better.
May 9th, 2010 at 2:40 pm
God that’s cute! The dog and the cardi.
May 18th, 2010 at 12:48 pm
Adorable sweater! Best wishes to Crush for a quick recovery.
May 26th, 2010 at 7:35 am
As the owner of a 12-year-old dachsie who still thinks she is 2 months old, I TOTALLY sympathize. I had to keep her still when she strained a muscle once and it was nightmarish. Here’s Anezka, my girl:
http://knitgrrl.com/images/anezka-heather-brack-sweater.JPG
Is there anything else we can do to help raise money for the surgery fund? I’d be happy to donate something (maybe one of my online classes, or copies of my new book?) and/or run a contest as well!
June 19th, 2010 at 3:35 pm
Hope your dog heals quickly!
I totally need to knit that elephant sweater. I hope its up soon — LOVE IT!
June 25th, 2010 at 7:23 am
To keep the little one occupied during recovery try a kong. You can stuff it with treats or even a whole meal of wet food and it keeps doggies occupied for hours. This might help keep ‘er busy.