One thing in dog training resources keeps giving me paw pause. Dogs need structure. Dogs need a schedule. Dogs need consistency.
Just typing it out, my palms are sweaty. I don’t know if it’s because of the coffee, or I still doubt myself after seven years with Matilda and Cow.
Can you get in touch?
We don’t train every day. Sometimes, all structure disappears. Sometimes we have perfect days, we have plenty of exercise, training time, playtime and fresh meals, and I remember brushing my teeth before bed.
I was diagnosed with ADHD about a year ago, but I don’t want to talk too much about it here. And I know you don’t have to have ADHD or depression or anxiety to have anything to do with it.
Neurotic or not, cooking, caring for yourself, caring for human family members, earning money, keeping your home clean, and brushing your dog’s teeth can be tough juggling.
If you as a dog owner are struggling to “do it all” and are constantly feeling guilty about it – you are our friend.if you do not – You are also a friend, but Please Teach us your way.
keep our home clean
I have to admit, I’m very jealous of pet influencers on Instagram who can improvise their dog for breakfast and have a clean, bleached, and clutter-free home around them.
I take a lot of cute photos and videos of my pets, but when I upload them, I realize there’s fluff on the carpet, a shoe in the corner, that hair tie I’ve been looking for, a phone charger, Plastic bags…just stuff. And it feels bad.
One thing that helped a lot was our robot vacuum.I have got This Kenmore. About $150, a relatively cheap model. I’ve never had one before so I don’t want to buy more expensive ones.
Although basic, it helps. When I run it, I have to supervise it and pick up loose dog leashes, shoes with laces, dog toys, or anything else on the floor that might be “choking”.
As a result, my rugs are cleaner and my living room floor is cleaner than ever.
But it’s still hard. Organizing, donating unwanted dog toys, and reducing useless purchases can also help. Of course, less cleaning = less cleaning.
do less
I don’t think I’ll ever regret not cleaning as often.I found a nice groove to keep our home clean and odor free, more important than removing clutter and making it Look OK. We are healthy.
No matter how much time I spend with my dogs, I know that on the day I put them on the vet’s desk for my last visit, all I’m thinking about is if I could do more with them. If only we could go to the park more often, if we played every day.
But I’ll also regret not taking more pictures because I’m embarrassed by the mess.
When to seek help
disorganized, spontaneous, and you. Your dog doesn’t care if there’s fur on the couch or utensils in the sink.
But this struggle can affect you and your dog.
If you’re constantly overwhelmed, you may not have time to go to the park, meet training goals, or basic grooming like trimming your nails and brushing your teeth.
When it’s a mess, they don’t have enough room to run around in the living room to play or pull their camera out.
My clutter still haunts me, and one of the worst effects is…about four years ago, Matilda and Kauf both ate the dark chocolate I left behind and they had to go to the ER in the middle of the night. I almost lost my dog. Just thinking about it makes me sick. It’s definitely not from coffee. It was the hardest night of my life.
Getting help with my ADHD helped a lot, as did finding shortcuts, tools and resources, but admit I still struggle at times…just admit it’s a step in the right direction.
So…everything is there.
If you’ve ever felt guilty about managing responsibility and chaos Life As a dog parent, please tell me you can connect!
If you can’t, any suggestions are appreciated.
