Talking with Dogs and Cats by Tim Link

Author:Tim Link
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: New World Library

16

Changes in Routine

We all have our daily routines. We get up, take a shower, eat breakfast, drink our cup of coffee, go to work, eat lunch, come home from work, eat dinner, spend time with our family, and then go to bed. Most of us follow this type of routine day in and day out, five days per week. The weekend routines, however, are a little more relaxed. So we may sleep a little later, exercise, run errands, go to a movie, or do any number of different activities. For most families I would venture to say that each week has five consecutive days of following virtually the same routine followed by two days of doing things a little differently.

Much like us, our dogs and cats also have their routines. They get up, they go outside or to a litter box to go potty a few times per day, they eat at least twice per day, they take frequent naps throughout the day, they greet you when you come home, they go for a walk, they spend some time with you in the evening, and then they settle in to sleep for the night. As dogs and cats integrate into your household, they begin to realize that there are five consecutive days when they don’t get to spend as much time with you during the day, followed by two days when they get to spend more time with you during the day because you’re at home more during those days.

But what happens when your day-to-day routine changes? For example, you get a call from your child’s school and are told that your child is sick. You then have to drop everything to drive to the school, pick them up and either drive them to the doctor or take them home to rest. What impact does this have on your routine and the way you feel? Do you feel anxious because you don’t know what the doctor is going to tell you? Do you feel guilty for taking time away from work? In turn, seeing your reaction, how does your child react, knowing that you aren’t acting like you normally do because of this unexpected change in your routine?

As you know, changes from our everyday routine can have a significant impact on how we feel emotionally, and those emotions can affect those around us, including our animals. Because of their sensitivity to their human companions’ emotions, reactions, and energy, they know that something has changed. If you come home at an unusual time, it throws off their routine as well.

Don’t get me wrong. Dogs and cats love to greet you and other family members when you arrive home, no matter what time of day it is or how long you’ve been gone. But they do wonder why you’re home early if you haven’t explained it to them.

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