Daily routines have changed and continued to change. First of all, I had retired with a my plan already in place of writing a novel. Steve, being in the 'marketing world' had brilliant ideas of me getting into a blog routine, as well as Twitter to help find my writing style and quite frankly to just write and pull in readers. Every author that I read about states how important it is to just write and read each day. Got that all planned and started and then a slight hiccup came along. I received the diagnosis of breast cancer 5 months into our new routine. Without going into all of the details, the outcome was good, however, it did take a toll on me and I am still working through some of the muscle and joint aches. It will all be fine, just lots of positive thinking, kicking aside anything to do with negativity, and having Steve's wonderful, loving support.
Steve on the other hand, was the BIG support cheerleader as well as pulling off a highly intensive marketing job. Worry does cause stress. So now you have two adults who are both equally worried about each other and working together to get it all cohesively based on the love and respect that we have for each other. Luckily, we also have four wonderful children and now four beautiful granddaughters who help us in our journey along the way. (Three of the granddaughters arrived that very year, just as the miracles that they all are!)
Getting back to "Puppy Love," we had talked of getting a pet once I was home to be the principle care taker. Neither of our jobs would have permitted us to have a pet, especially a puppy to train and prepare for life in our home. Leaving the home at 7 AM and not returning until 6 PM and sometimes even later for me did not work for owning a pet.
We researched in the meantime, which is a lot like planning a vacation. It helps in stress reducing, just knowing what will be taking place in the future while doing the planning and research. The decision was made for a goldendoodle based on a dog breed that is as close to hyper-allergenic and intelligent as one would hope for. Animals of all kinds can bring us so much joy and happiness and are able to be true and faithful companions. They know when we need their support intuitively. Sometimes, due to our schedules, we may neglect to stay connected with our human friends, however, this is not possible with our pet friends. They need our connection on a daily basis. They need our love, time and attention. It is a proven fact that staying connected feeds our souls and helps to lead us to long life.
Dogs live for today. This is something that we as humans need to be reminded to work on, as we are better are regretting the past and worrying about the future, even though this will not change a thing. When we live in the present, we have more enthusiasm and joy for life. Dogs can help us find a balance in our lives. We need exactly what dogs need, which is our exercise, a dose of love and some structure to our daily routines. A balanced life helps the stress fade away into the background. Your mood elevator will go higher in so many ways.
Have you ever gone deep into thought and wondered why you were placed here on earth. You can lose your way, just as dogs can. When a dog is brought into a loving home, he begins to feel more fulfilled and this in turn makes our lives more meaningful. It sounds too simple to be true, yet I can tell you that in the last 48 hours, Steve and I have had this conversation in many different ways. Having a dog helps in finding everyday life exciting. Your dog can't wait until you come home, go for a walk, play with him, feed him. Everything is an adventure. We can learn so much by observing how our dog has enthusiasm for the simple joys of everyday life.
If, like us, you start with a puppy, it is worth taking the time to read up on some of the joys and even frustrations if you are not prepared for your bundle of joy. There will be no doubt that within the first few weeks you may want to use the word exasperating frequently. You may start to witness some behaviors that will take you over the edge. For example, most puppies are house trained by 4 months, but it happens only with diligence on the part of the owners to prevent accidents during this time.
Plan on the kind of crate that you want for your puppy. Crate training is the most highly recommended kind of house training. It must be the right size, never used as punishment and your puppy will love having a place that is his very own. Oh yes, do be ready for a little crying the first few nights once he must go in to sleep alone. Try placing his blanket, a favorite safe toy and maybe an old piece of clothing that has your scent on it. All will be helpful. He will not want to mess up his living space and if you are mindful of timing to get him out where you want him to relieve himself, everyone comes out a winner. Crates teach security, trust and understanding.
All I can tell you is that this little bundle of joy that we have living with us now is one of the best ever stress reducers that one could find. Even though others may disagree, neither one of us were ready to be taken away by the men in the white suits but the quote from Bernard Williams of "There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face," is so very true. Lipstick and all !
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