Doggy futons

There's someone who would, if she was reading my blog, undoubtedly correct my loose use of the term "futon" so I'll apologize now. However, I don't think she reads my stuff any more. I think I've hidden away sufficiently.

Although he has a gorgeous house built by my dad, Jack prefers his old carrier, which was his bed when I first brought him home. It betrayed him by flooding Friday night during a heavy rain, which sent both Jack & Chie into the wooden house. I cleaned out the carrier, but Jack had not gone back into it for any of his naps all day Saturday.

The cloth mats I used to cushion his carrier (thick woven placemats - perfect size) had gotten damp & I'd pulled them out of the carrier & left them piled just outside. When I noticed Jack perched morosely on top of the pile, trying to sleep, it occurred to me that perhaps he liked that cushiony stuff. I needed to launder the placemats, so I'd have to find something else for him. Or... make somethine else.

I raided my grandmother's ample store of rags --- threadbare towels, ripped shirts & other clothing --- & picked out the softest pieces along with a smooth rectangle of linen. I spread the rags around, folded it into the linen, & started sewing the edges. I added intermittent single stitched knots to hold the insides in place. Jack's new futon was just the right size --- slightly too big for the floor of the carrier.

No sooner had I laid it in his carrier than Jack lay down on it.

However, Chie suddenly developed an interest in the previously unappealing carrier. A slight tussle developed & the futon ended up outside on the porch.

Hm.

I returned to the rag box, & sewed another, slightly firmer but more heavily filled, doggy bodypillow. This longer, peanut-shaped futon went into the deluxe doghouse, & Chie immediately nestled up against it. But as soon as she had to pee Jack got up to investigate & ended up possessively hugging the bodypillow in the dog house, & Chie happily collapsed on the first, softer cushion.

I hadn't realized that Jack & Chie would appreciate something soft to sleep on; this is the first time that I've seen Chie sleep inside anything, carrier or doghouse, unless it was raining. I thought all this time that she preferred to sleep just outside my door because it was cooler.

But maybe dogs like sleeping on beds too.

I guess I'll be raiding that rag box more often. I think we'll need more futons. I wonder if I should buy some foam for pillows too, or would that be tempting fate? Who knows how many pieces my hard, finger-poking (yes, I sewed some parts with a needle & thread) work will be in tomorrow morning when cozy sleep is no longer in vogue.

But I guess it's worth it if I can get cute pictures like this.