My 12-year old Basenji, Ike, has suffered the worst. Not only is he the oldest of my three, but he has the thinnest skin and coat. When he was about a year old, he won the Shortest-Haired Dog Award at the Evergreen Basenji Club yearly meet-up in Washington State. His hair is so short that his belly is nearly bald.
With that in mind, you can imagine what our walks were like on windy, 30-degree mornings. Ike was comfortable as long as we were moving, but whenever we paused, he made it very clear that he was cold. Tail-tucked, trembling, whining. I don't know how much of this was theatrics, but it broke my heart every time.
The solution: a sweater for Ike. I'm a professional hand knitter/designer by trade, so a custom sweater for Ike became a priority. I took his measurements and got to work.
Since I was designing the sweater as I was knitting it, fittings were important. Unfortunately, every time I put the unfinished sweater on Ike, he threw up. Really. A sign of things to come, perhaps? So I had to use Tippy as the fit model, since he adores being fussed over. A couple of days later, I finished knitting the sweater. It was just right. A nice fit in 100% wool. Time to try it out.
I put the sweater on Ike for the first time, and he froze like a statue. Wouldn't move. I called him, and he just stared at me. He hated the sweater. HATED IT. He looked at me with his sweet brown eyes as if to ask, "Why are you doing this to me??" Not awesome.
When it comes to my dogs' comfort, I like to give them choices. Tippy and Abe are both BRAT dogs who had pretty rough lives before rescue. They were left outdoors year-round, without much human contact, no soft beds, no delicious chew toys. So now, in their new lives, they get to decide. Indoors or out? Sofa or chair? Bacon flavored or peanut butter flavored?
I let Ike decide on the sweater, and he made it very clear - no sweater. I would try to put it on him, and he would run. Our morning walks continued to be miserable for him until I put my foot down.
Time for me to take the advice I always hear given to parents - that kid needs a mother, not a friend.
New Bossy Mama Staci didn't let Ike decide anymore. Like a parent insisting that a kid eats his broccoli, I made Ike wear the sweater. The first few days he groaned as put his legs through the sleeves, but as soon as I put the leash around his neck, he forgot about it. He now stays warm on our walks, and only protests a little when it's sweater time.
What else can Bossy Mama Staci make the dogs do? (Besides dishes.) Chores? Laundry? Yard work?
Ike's Collegiate Sweater is now available as a free pattern for hand knitters. I designed it to fit the unique, athletic curves of a Basenji. I promise you that most dogs won't hate it.
Can you come to my house and tell my kitties to listen to their mother?
ReplyDelete*(The sweater is beautiful. The boys are so lucky to have you as their mama.)
Maybe Ike would have chose to have his sweater made from cashmere wool (the little devil) Your dogs are way too cute.
ReplyDeleteI had the same problem with Ben, 13, also sparse on fur and body fat. We just made him wear his duds. I told him, There's nothing wrong with your Old Navy puffer vest, now that I've taken it in for you, Mr. Skinny Man.
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