You come home from work, exhausted, and there’s your dog, with all of her pent-up energy and excitement.
Waiting for you.
Along with dinner prep, soccer pick-up, dirty dishes from breakfast, the unread newspaper, and phone calls to return. Sigh.
Your dog is an item on your To-Do list – let her outside to do her business AND feed her, right? Not quite.
Here’s WHAT YOUR DOG WANTS versus what you actually give her:
A GOOD LONG WALK versus let her out in the yard
A GAME OF CATCH versus more time alone in the yard
HANGING OUT WITH YOU IN THE KITCHEN versus the yard
REVIEW OF TRAINING SKILLS AND COMMANDS versus the yard
A RIDE IN THE CAR TO SOCCER PRACTICE versus back into her crate
Here is the solution. Surprisingly, there IS one that doesn’t make MORE work for you.
Combine the items on your To-Do List with your dog.
Cancel your gym membership and walk for exercise instead. Take your dog with you.
2. During a commercial for Say Yes to the Dress, do 3 minutes of down/stays with your dog. At the next commercial, play a game of fetch.
3. Get a floor mat and put it on the kitchen floor. Teach your dog to stay on the mat so she can be with you while you are cooking but is not underfoot.
4. Get a seat belt or car seat for your dog, and take her with you to soccer practice.
By incorporating your dog into your list of things to do, you won’t be adding to your responsibilities. You’ll just have some very happy company doing them with you.
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