Another update in the keeping it real department, when you have a schedule-loving dog.
Schedule-Loving Dog
Pandora loves a good schedule. A lot of dogs are this way. A lot of people are this way, and just don’t realize it.
Pandora knows we got upstairs by 9:30 or 10:00 p.m. and she gets antsy when I don’t make the move to head toward the bedroom. She will be that way for a good twenty minutes before realizing that mom and dad are watching a show and it’s going to be a tad longer. Little Miss, also knows our morning routine; I will shower, then head downstairs and send her outside for potty time. While she’s out doing her thing, I quickly get the cats fed – if I wait it’s chaos. And Pandora knows that when she comes in, she gets to lick up any remnants the cats left behind. Then she’ll watch me empty the dishwasher and start my tea. The moment all the normal tasks are done, Pandora grabs her frisbee and throws it at my feet.
She lives for frisbee time.
Pandora knows when we should be awake, sometimes she’ll give us an extra hour, but that’s about it, she’ll start rolling on us and grumbling if we laze too long in the bed.
She is a schedule-loving dog.
When The Schedule is Broken
Now, I learned with my twins that you can’t be too rigid in your schedules. Yes, I did learn that the hard way. It was a desperate attempt to retain as much sanity as possible on very little sleep.
And Pandora is no exception. Every Wednesday her friend comes over the day, but sometimes her pal can’t make it. And Pandora gets irritated. She gets antsy when 8:45 comes around, by 9:00 she’s downright obnoxious barking at every little thing. By 9:15 she resigns herself that her friend must not be coming over and she gives me the stink eye. The next time her friend arrives, Pandora is slightly more aggressive, like she’s saying, “Where’ve you been?!”
My work schedule isn’t always consistent, it has some semblance of a pattern, but it’s not a perfect time match every single day. Pandora knows it is a workday when I put on my work pants. She gets quiet and tries to block me from heading downstairs. I think she understands that I’ll be back, but when I get home, she always acts surprised that I survived to get home. Some days, I feel the same, LOL.
Our schedule is a tight regimen. But it’s consistent enough that she knows what to expect.
A Daily Structure is More Important than a Strict Routine for Your Dog
As your dog gets more comfortable in their new home, it’s useful to mix up their routine every so often to prevent separation anxiety, and lessens both your and your dog’s stress in case you can’t make it home in time for a regular feeding or walk.
Preventive Vet
When The Schedule Goes Way Off
My little schedule-loving dog does not take major detours well.
Ten days ago, I took a trip across the state to see my son’s jazz concert. I stayed the night. Little Miss stayed home with Dad. When I got back she was okay. She was disturbed, but she knows I’ve done a few trips like this before. She is a Mama’s girl. When I’m not home she’s depressed. She won’t bark unless someone is right at the door.
But a few days after I got home my husband had to travel for work. He was gone for three days and two nights. Pandora has never known Dad to not come home. She wasn’t depressed, but she did turn into an insane guard dog. Anyone driving down the street (rush hour was a nightmare) sent her into a tailspin of hatred and spittle-flying barking. At night she wouldn’t relax. She’s always attuned to any movement, but instead of lying there deciding if it was something she needed to note or not, she would pounce into guard position and growl and bark. Then instead of curling up and snoozing away, she’d lay at the foot of the bed, staring at the bedroom door. Probably the only time I ever felt she wouldn’t listen to me if I tried to stop her from going after a person, in a vicious mode.
The Break
Apparently, that chaotic week broke her. She’s been extra barky. We were making some progress, but now it’s like back at square one.
In an effort to gain some traction I’ve had to go back to basics with all training just to regroup her to listen to her no barking commands. And it’s taken three days to get some results – she’s good with everything except barking and jumping. We were making headway on the jumping, but that took a dive. I’m pretty sure it’s because she’s a schedule-loving dog.
The Lesson
Pandora has her fear of cars, and she gets depressed when I leave, so I’m assuming a routine is something that gives her more confidence. This break from the normal was a bit too much for her.
I don’t know how I could have made this better for her, but I know that getting her back on track, meant just going through all the training basics that she’s knows to get a foothold on dealing with the barking again.
If you have a nervous dog, it may be helpful to get a nice routine for them. But not a super strict one.
Pingback: Are Australian Cattle Dogs Good Watch Dogs? - Stubborn Dog, Novice Owner