Time Well Spent

It is simply amazing how technology has allowed us to control and manage nearly ever facet of our lives for our convenience. We multi-task at work and at home, programming the TiVo, the Roomba robotic vacuum, even our preferred ring tones, etc. In our world, where everything is prerecorded, edited, and set to our specifications, I'm seeing more new pet parents whose lives are strict routines in which their time is critical.

Not surprisingly, a new puppy or dog coming into their lives can present major inconveniences in their compartmentalized lives. They discover that the wants and needs of their new pup cannot be programmed or scheduled as easily as the TiVo. The dog's needs happen at all hours, even at 4:30am to use the potty. This was not on the agenda!

Dogs and puppies certainly don't live by the technology based culture that drives many of us. They have no idea that 4:30am is not an ideal time to go potty. Dogs cannot be set to only need us when we can fit them in. For them to be successful, we need to adjust our lives to provide them with time and availability.

Right off the bat, I try to get puppy parents to realize the things they can control and manage (mealtimes, routines, exercise, play sessions, and training of course). They can keep the structure to their lives once they come to terms with the idea that a dog is not a device that can be turned on and off at their convenience.

Fulfilling a pup's daily needs gives us an opportunity to experience a completely non-technical aspect of ourselves. We can play fetch or go for a walk with our companion outdoors in the sunshine, and most importantly connect with another being in a way that we simply cannot through even the most advanced technology. In the end, the companionship we receive is far more valuable than time.