Lately, I have been feeling much sadness when I think about how much time I have allowed my daughter to take away from spending quality time with my dog. Many of you can relate to the tough balance between your dog and your family. I have decided to create some important shifts in my life to create more balance between my dog and my human family. In this post our Salt Lake CIty dog training company, will share these learning experiences with you. After all, we need to create time for our dog to create the dog obedience we so strongly desire. Of course our dogs are part of our family as well!
1.) Create awareness around your challenges or problem areas.
“What is creating the most frustration, anger or fear in your life?”
For me I get caught up in feeling much anger with the amount of time that my daughter takes. I lived alone for many years. I could immediately take my dog out for a walk upon awakening in the morning. Now I have a whole morning routine with my daughter that needs to be done before I can take my dog for a walk outside. Now obedience training seems to take too much effort.
2.) After you have created awareness around your problem areas, practice shifting.
Shifting your emotions will cause you to feel more energized, and you will also create more time to spend with your dog.
Here are some options to help shift your emotions.
- Focus on gratitude.
- Breath through your belly for a few seconds or a few minutes. This will help the emotion flow through you.
- Visualize what you want to create instead.
- Live in the now. Put the past in the past and leave the future in the future.
I breathe through my emotions. As my mind drifts into worrying about time I bring it back into the now. I then, visualize what I would like to create with both Iris and Seiki. As I do this, I find I am able to have the time for my dog in beautiful outdoors of Salt Lake City. Dog training has become a part of my life again, and I am not allowing my anger to run my life!
2.) Commit.
Create your mind to see your dog and obedience as a priority. One way to help with this is to create a commitment statement such as “I commit to spending more time with my dog.” Hang this statement where you can easily see it.
3.) Recommit.
If you didn’t follow through with spending time with your dog recommit the next day. It is better to focus on what you are wanting to create than to constantly focus on your past and beat yourself up for not spending time with your dog the day before.
4.) Create a schedule.
Commit to certain days or times that are especially dedicated for your dog.
5.) Wake up an hour earlier.
This will allow more time in your day. Make sure you use this extra time day to spend with your dog through obedience training and play.
6.) Leave extra time.
This will allow plenty time to accommodate your dog’s obedience training needs and your children’s needs.
I have found an extra 30 minutes works great for me!
For more tips on creating time with your dog, click here.
Your turn! Which option above will you apply this week to create more time with your dog? How else can you create more time with your dog?
Namaste!
Johanna Teresi, Professional Owner and Trainer with Four Legged Scholars LLC Dog Training, Salt Lake City
This post came at the perfect time! I have two big dogs + my mother-in-law is visiting right now for two weeks. My dogs have only ever seen her once before, so you can imagine their excitement at her being here. Great tips, especially waking up earlier to spend quality time with them. I think that’s exactly we need to do to bring some balance.
Hi Vanessa!! I am super glad that this post was helpful for you!!! I really hope you have a great time with your mother in law and have the time to spend with your dogs as well 🙂 Please let us know what else we can do to support you.
Hi Johanna, I really like this post. It’s so difficult to get the balance right, and I also have clients beating themselves up about not having time. The six items on your list are great things to put in place. Changing how you feel and addressing those issues are key – focus on doing what you can, not what you can’t.
Kathie! Wow what great insight! I love it! I totally agree with compassion and celebrations! I am noticing this past week I spent much more time with my dog. I also realize it was still way less than before my daughter was born 🙂 I am learning to celebrate the small accomplishments and allow some time to be better than none! I am so glad this information was valuable to you! I am going to read your blog now! Namaste!
Ugh, so need this all day everyday, but this past week especially. It was my son’s first birthday so we’ve been all topsy turvy trying to plan a party and live our regular day to day lives! And with the rain, I haven’t wanted to go on walks, and our poor pups have suffered! I feel I still give my pups time, it’s just not productive time! I’m usually so exhausted by naptime, all I want to do is snuggle my boys on the couch instead of working on their training. This is a good reminder to sit back, recommit to my promises to myself and my dogs, and GET THE JOB (aka the training) DONE!
Vanessa! First of all you will succeed in training your dogs because you are just honest! Thank you for being real! Recommitting is key here. I am wondering if there is way to have the “and.” Can you relax with your dog’s on the couch and train them? I am also wondering if there is a way to get more support so that you aren’t so exhausted on the weeks that you have more stuff going on? I have a group on Facebook called Parents Supporting Parents. You are welcome to join it! This is group is about FREE help. People give because they want to give or do trade. Honestly as a single mom, I delegate. Of course I feel the way you do at times too. I realize though that asking is crucial to success. I delegate the cooking and cleaning to my roommate who lives with me for free. I am wondering if there are ways to delegate in your life? Maybe your mom would like to help with some tasks on weeks you need it? Let me know if you need further support on this! I am very proud of your success and the video looked awesome! Also know that you are not your goals. Your value is deeper than that! So remember to talk kindly to yourself! Love you!
Johanna! I LOVE your devotion and commitment to your dog and how to balance your daughter and your dog. This is so inspiring for me as I have had several living situations that involved taking care of other people’s dogs and I, too, had to balance my time so that I felt I was giving quality time to each dog and not feeling overwhelmed or resentful or guilty! I hadn’t realized all the emotions that were wrapped up until now. I intend to have a dog again in my life and feel this is wonderful mental, emotional and physical prep! I so appreciate your somatic approach as well to working with your frustrations and how you direct your mind to take better charge of the situation to make it win win and focused on the positive! You are brilliant!!
Michelle! I am about to cry. I am so grateful that this post was so helpful for you! Also the wonderful compliments you left warms my heart. You are a true soul of the heart! I am excited to hear about your life as you bring in a new family member. What a great learning experience for you! Yes our dogs teach us about our emotions and thoughts for sure! How wonderful you realize this! Your bond with your new doggie will be amazing because your commitment to be conscious is huge! Namaste!