Changes
March 13, 2010 at 5:02 am 8 comments
People say that dogs live in the moment; they adapt and go with the flow. I don’t know. People also say that dogs thrive on consistency and that a change in routine or daily structure can have an impact on a dog’s emotions and behaviors.
These past few days, Boogie seems mopier, needier and more restless than usual and I don’t know if he misses Wes, or senses a change in the mood of this home, or if I am projecting my own feelings onto his behaviors.
As of last week…. Wes no longer takes Boogie out for his first poop walk of the day. Wes no longer comes over at 7pm and plays fetch with him for 2 hours. I see Boogie run back and forth to the window, and he paces around the apartment as if searching for something or someone. I throw his ball but he loses interest after a few minutes, curls up on the couch instead and goes to sleep. At 10.30pm when we step outside for his potty break, he pulls me towards Wes’ apartment and I have to call him away towards me.
I’m sorry Boogie. Things change.
I am trying to stay strong and keep everything consistent but it is hard. I don’t want my moods to affect this little dog who continues to bring me so much love, joy and amusement.
How do other people cope with relationship breakups where dogs are involved?
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1.
aneil33 | March 13, 2010 at 5:18 am
Oh man, this is so hard to hear. I hope you and Boogie are hanging in there! Unfortunately, I can’t help you with advice from experience but I can sympathize. If my wife and I separated our two eskimos would be devastated.
I guess that just like humans, dogs need time to adapt and recover. Maybe changing the routine drastically would help? Instead of one thing at a certain time, do another. I wish I could be more help!
2.
lili | March 13, 2010 at 7:54 am
Thanks for commenting! I appreciate your sympathies… yes, this is hard! Yes, I agree with you… a drastic change in routine might help.
3.
barrie.lynn | March 13, 2010 at 2:39 pm
You and Boogie were fine before Wes and you will be fine without Wes! I agree with the first commenter that totally changing your routine should help both of you so maybe instead of the evening fetch you go for a walk or maybe, as the weather gets nicer, to a dog friendly cafe or coffee shop where you can sit outside and meet new people! If Boogie likes to tug, I would switch tug for fetch, stop by a farm store and buy a cheap lunge whip, tie a great tug toy to the end of it and you will have a very happy, very worn out dog in a half an hour 🙂
4.
barrie.lynn | March 13, 2010 at 2:41 pm
Oh and on the final potty walk? Have some super duper outstanding treats and when Boogie looks at you rather than toward Wes’s apartment, he gets one and YOU get a hershey kiss maybe?
5.
lili | March 14, 2010 at 3:28 am
Hi Barrie, thanks for commenting. Wes and I adopted Boogie together and we have been a ‘family unit’ for over 2 years, so these changes are hard on all of us. I am sick this week so I haven’t been able to take him out to different places but I plan to do so! I bought him a new giant squeaky monkey toy last week and I think this helps. The monkey is his #1 favorite toy right now, ranking high above the tennis ball…Though the noise gives me a headache and I hope the neighbors don’t hate me 🙂
6.
Sarah Owings | March 13, 2010 at 9:09 pm
I think both you and Boogie just need time to heal and adjust. I agree it’s very possible Boogie is expecting his nightly game of fetch if that was a regular part of his ritual, and I do believe dogs are capable of grief in their own doggie way. It is also very possible he is picking up on your mood and reading your social signals that you are unhappy. That’s okay. Over time Boogie (and you) will adapt to new rituals.
7.
lili | March 14, 2010 at 3:31 am
yes. It’s a matter of time…
Thanks, sarah.
8.
Bye bye Boogs « Boogie’s blog | March 30, 2010 at 8:33 pm
[…] I know… it’s a sudden change of routine – and right in the middle of his training program too! – but this might be really good for me/us. […]