Those of us who have kids and dogs know another level of stress. If you've seen Marley & Me or have rambunctious dogs of your own, you'll relate to this...
I have 2 young Portuguese Water Dogs-- a wonderful breed but one that requires a lot of attention. I call them my little shadows, they're always right there next to me. If they aren't seeking attentiong from me or my husband, they're wrestling and playing with eachother.
Today I had a client session from my home office, and I typically hear them at my office door or playing in the hallway. After my phone call, I left the office thinking that they were surprisingly quiet today. I praised them, but should have known better. Too quiet is typically not good, right?
I go downstairs and find the entire contents of my purse spread out on the ground. I nearly trip over a tube of lipstick as I notice another tube of lipstick about 75% gone (yes, they ate the whole thing). They also ate a pack of gum, a nail file, a tube of chapstick, and they unwrapped a birthday present I had just gotten for my sister (fortunately they didn't eat the present itself).
I was initially frustrated, thinking, "what's wrong with these dogs!"
Then, I took responsibility.
I know that I can't leave stuff on the table with puppies that are into chewing.
Feeling like we have have a sense of control over our lives is a key to stress management. It's actually made me feel better to think about what I did than that I have unruly dogs that will eat everything no matter what.
It's interesting how taking responsibility can actually make us feel better, and learn what to do differently the next time.
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