LLast week our family adopted a puppy. Not for Christmas – I have too much respect for Dogs Trust for that – but in a way, for Christmas. I work from home. The slow season in December is the perfect time to do what your pup is asking of you. That means spending half your waking hours paying attention to your puppy’s twitching and snorting sounds, just in case you miss the developmental milestones that are heralded for six-year-olds. Accidents on the floor continue for several more weeks.
For those of you who have never potty trained a small dog, here’s how (in general terms) how to potty train a small dog. After they snooze, eat, or play, you watch hawkishly for signs that they’re about to unload. The indicator eventually leads them to a specially prepared area outdoors where he finds himself observing them inconspicuously, hoping to let nature take its course. Ta. While they are doing the act, repeat whatever mini-mantra you want to associate with the act. In our case, it’s a cheerful “Let’s go!” – When you’re done, give them a hug and praise them. Then repeat it 5 or 12 times a day until the kids get the hang of it.
In some ways, it’s more stressful than giving birth. After all, the baby keeps everything on the premises. You don’t want to leave it with you for too long, but if you miss an important moment, everything is basically fine. Babies grow up to be much smarter than dogs, so I know there will be a day when I can explain how the toilet works and leave it to them. Puppies are different. Puppies learn by association, so every failure feels like the beginning of a lifetime of small problems. There is little downtime for routine time-wasting activities and constant vigilance is required. However, here’s the problem. I think that might be a good thing for me.
Let me explain. As you probably know, mindfulness is the act of being fully present in the moment, without worrying, noticing the taste and texture of your food, the feel of the ground beneath your feet, and even the sensations in your body. and engaging practices. Or judgment. Obviously, I’m not good at that. You could blame it on your job, the tech industry, or your dopamine addiction, but there are so many other things to worry about that you spend most of your life burdened with distractions, unable to understand what’s going on around you. Never concentrate on being. . I listen to podcasts while I do the dishes. On my way back from my school run, I reply to an email from the editor. When I wake up in the morning, all I can do is not throw the fire hose of news in my face, so I ingest the news as quickly as possible to coincide with my first dose of caffeine.
However, this is not the case with small dogs. Now every morning at 6 a.m., coffee in one hand, flimsy compostable bag in the other, perfectly attuned to every quiver in this little guy’s furry derriere. can be found. I don’t have time to listen to the news, so I just take a quick look at Blue Sky and find nothing but the cool morning air, the roots of my new best friend, and the faint smell of earth (sometimes, yes, not very pleasant). There is no. ). I’m like a monk meditating by staring at a candle flame or a blade of grass, my focus narrowed to one point.
Perhaps this could be how I finally “mastered” mindfulness and meditation. Not out of a beautiful love for the universe, but out of genuine concern about the condition of the carpet. For now, I’m just enjoying the quiet and peace my dog provides, even if his little adventures always end the same way.
By the way, let me be clear that I’m not saying this is a good reason to get a puppy. I may be very chill about these things now, but I don’t want to get mad at Dogs Trust.
Adrian Childs is absent
