Summary: Sonam shares her journey with her 7-year-old Indian male dog, Groot, who has experienced changes in residences, routine and behavior. She's concerned about how Groot might react when she needs to leave him for her wedding, especially as she works long hours. Sunny Luthra provides advice on maintaining consistent routine, gradually introducing Groot to a boarding center before the event, and the importance of regular, rigorous exercise. Sonam is also advised to deal with her own anxiety, possibly through journaling.
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How can a busy dog owner manage their dog’s anxiety around changes in environment and routine?
Hi, This is Sonam Sharma and I am parent to a 7 years old Indian male dog, his name is Groot. I adopted him when he was 25 days old. I have made him shift houses in Hyderabad.. to cities… (To Kolkata and back to Hyderabad). I have seen it all.. a puppy who used to climb my pony, chew whatever came in front of him.. from my footwears to all the cables and chargers.. to walls and wooden furniture.. to plastic tiffin.. to combes.. to my lipsticks🤦♀🤦♀.. I have seen his behaviour go from him sitting calmly at the house parties we hosted to so much bad that he bit me, my parents, one of my friend.. to him back to being calm and not being insecure.. and still after going through all through it feels Like I got him yesterday and wonder how he is so big already.. He is my child and I and I can leave world for him❤️
Thanks for sharing this story. Yes dogs behave according to the changes in the environment and if we change their routine then also they behave differently.
So what you can do is start following a routine(for walk, feeding and play) and keep it consistent with him.
During your marriage and shifting, you can keep the dog in a good boarding center and then bring him back when you are settled and can follow the routine again with him.
Dogs thrive when we keep the same routine even if we change their environment then also they adapt very quickly if we follow the same schedule with them.
I am a chef.. so my life revolves around my work.. I am out for good 15-16 hrs everyday.. so I have trained him to stay alone at home for long hours.. but I have never kept him away from me for even a day.. while I am thinking of keeping him in a boarding but I am scared to death about what if he bites someone there.. what if he doesn’t eat (as he doesn’t eat unless I am also eating at the same time).. what if he is not comfortable there.. I wouldn’t be able to enjoy my marriage thinking my boy is not comfortable.. so majorly I am worried that my anxiety will make things worse for him.. but I am not able to calm myself down..
So if you have not kept him in a boarding yet then you can do that 2-3 times before the marriage when you are there in the city only so that you both get an habit of separation.
You can also give the complete history of your dog’s beahvior to the boarding center so that they can provide care as per that.
But a schedule will help him immensely and calms him down too, and it will help you too if you start brisk walking with him for at least 45 mins on a scheduled time.
Brisk walking releases anxiety from dogs and from humans as well.
We are already having a routine and structure walk consistently since 3 months now.. but it’s only for 10-15 min. Not brisk.. but I do make him go up and down on the stairs of 2 floors 5-10 times before getting inside home after walk
10-15 mins is very less from a dog’s perspective, see if you can increase it to atleast 30mins if your dog is physically fit.
Will try brisk walks as well.. I am a dog lady.. whichever street I go I happen to attract all the stray dogs there❤️ and that’s why I am scared about what if I am walking Groot and other dogs come and start attacking him.. so the walk is majorly only for him to do potty.. although whenever we get another person to join us we stretch the walk to 25-30 min.
See the issues are with me.. not with Groot.. I am the one with anxiety and I am the one who is scared of all things going bad..
And I have not been able to figure out how to overcome it..
I need that training that you and aakash (dog mantra) provide..
But I am currently in Hyderabad.. and you guys don’t come here to train people like us😞
Any kind of structured exercise can help, a brisk walk too.
Anxiety = too many options (in your case it is too many bad things)
You can start journaling and write everything that is going on in your mind. It will help.
Yeah.. that I can start from today itself. Thanks😊❤️
Thanks for taking out time and for understanding my anxiety and helping with solutions sunny😊
🙂 Always here to help.