Fraidy dog

Winnie sporting her new name tag

Well, we have discovered yet another irrational fear held by Miss Winnie Claire. (She's so much like her mama!) In addition to being terrified of storms and the vacuum cleaner, she also dislikes the sound of cards shuffling. That's right, folks. I gotta cancel that family trip to Tunica for next weekend.

Kurt and I were playing rummy tonight, and when I first shuffled the cards, she came up and sniffed them while I shuffled. I was glad she was interested in what we were doing. However, with each subsequent shuffle, she jumped back and huffed a little. She whined the entire rest of the game (we tied, btw, which I consider a victory for me since I married a card counter and usually lose at everything) and acted startled and annoyed as we shuffled at each new hand.


In addition, a product review:

A few weeks ago, we ordered Winnie a Thundershirt. My description is that it's a swaddle for a dog. It Velcros around the dog's body and helps it to feel less anxious, or so it says. Winnie wore it for two storms and one round of vacuuming (that was Kurt's idea), and it didn't calm her. In fact, it annoyed her. Each time she wore it, she shook like she shakes after a bath -- like she was trying to get it off of her. So, we sent it back this week.

If anyone has tried this or any other remedies for anxious dogs (besides pills, which I'm not beyond inquiring about and acquiring at the vet), let me know. There's a storm brewing outside right now and Winnie is already panicking. With each clap of thunder, she crawls closer to me on the bed. Now she is laying right next to me with her head on my leg. My only remedy has been to put her in my closet. She feels safe in there. In fact, she usually goes in there on her own when she's afraid. I call it the R. Kelly Syndrome. (Trapped in the closet...) I have a feeling I'll be taking her in there myself at some hour tonight.

I have a built-in weather adviser. When it's storming, she goes in the closet. When it's safe, she comes out. Very simple.

Poor little girl. If you're a storm or the vacuum, she'll run scared. But if you're the UPS man, she'll bark her head off at you. Don't dare try to walk up to our front door, and heaven forbid you should ring the doorbell.

She is a woman, after all. I guess it's her prerogative to fear what she wants, even if it doesn't make any logical sense -- like cards shuffling.