u/Embarrassed-Mix9367

Go check on your pets! 🎇

Trigger warning for sensitive content..
My dog is okay now and resting comfortably but I went to check on him with the fireworks happening apparently 2 doors down and found that he was not only as far back in the tight corner of our tiny bathroom where the toilet is but he had the water hose wrapped around his neck and couldn’t get out. I looked around and saw the toilet seat was a bit askew and realized he had struggled to get out, his eyes were red and glossy and his breathing sounded strained and my partner and I panicked to get him free asap. Absolutely crushing situation and we called the vet and he is resting and breathing. 😓 all of this to say - please go check on your pets and loved ones! 🐾🎇

Hello, I’m 37 and recently had a conflict with my partner about his delay in cleaning up the house after we had a party. I cleaned up almost all of it (happily) but after a day and a half went by I started to get really grossed out by the stuff he said he would clean but hadn't gotten to you yet, I felt frustrated and a bit activated. We started talking about it in couples therapy and our therapist (who I love) kept asking questions about my need for control and how my trauma of growing up with a hoarder may have impacted my anxiety about how we maintain our home now. I noticed that I got really hot and activated when these questions came up and I felt super defensive about wanting things to be tidy – I'm not even a clean freak I make messes every day and have to come back around to tidy things up but our home absolutely looks super lived in and we always have a layer of dust and dog hair everywhere and it's impossible to keep up, I've also been fine to leave the dishes in the sink overnight and get to it the next morning if I'm too tired to do it so I'm not even a major clean freak or anything. But she started to insinuate that I'm overly worried about how things "should" be or not wanting to be judged by the neighbors for having left out all our crap, including chicken skewers and watermelon, etc on a hot summer day.

Now I'm wondering how my childhood has impacted me since I grew up with my dad as a hoarder (he was born in 1936 and grew up with parents who were refugees and then had to get through the great depression) so when I was a kid he would save broken sinks and mattresses and old magazines and mail and like three green beans that were left over lol. He would get very angry and yell at us if we moved his piles of mail off the couch, he would yell at our cleaning people if they moved his stuff and we rarely had friends over and whenever we did I was always super embarrassed. When we got a little older I remember my brother and his wife saying they wouldn't bring their kids to our childhood home because of mold and mouse droppings and that it just wasn't safe. I myself love to hold onto some things and I always see a second use and second life for lots of stuff but I'm terrified of ever becoming like my dad so I've gotten good at figuring out what I'm actually going to use and is worth saving and what can go and is not necessary to be held onto. And I’ve gotten good at cleaning and getting into a flow while listening to audiobooks so I’m not dreading the task. I tidy almost every day and I do my best to clean the house each week but it's very hard to keep up with even in a one bedroom apartment– If we clean the toilet once or twice a month we would consider that a win - but I wish I could afford a cleaning person to come by once or twice a week so that things were actually clean. I don't want a house that looks like no one lives there but I do want a house that is tidy and not filthy with mold growing or bad smell smells or dirt and hairs all over the bathroom floor.

All of this to say– I would love some resources or insight any of y'all have about how my upbringing may be affecting me negatively as an adult. My therapist framed it like “if the house doesn't get cleaned for one or two days what will happen?” As though to say that it wouldn't be a big deal which, yes we would survive but we would also have to live in a dirty home for those two days which I would rather not do personally. I’m trying to figure out if my reaction was extreme or normal or what I need to investigate about this childhood trauma and how it impacts me now as an adult. Thanks for reading and thanks for any helpful comments

Hello! This post is a friendly reminder to modify your dog walks/outings when temperatures rise. Sidewalks and roads get much much hotter than the air temperature that you see in your weather app and dogs’ paws do get burned and they can have heat stroke. Senior dogs and dogs with shorter snouts are at a higher risk because their ability to pant to cool down is limited.

Hopefully you all already know how to modify your walks and are aware of the signs that your dog is stressed/Ill in every season. You as the human handler also need to keep yourself safe in extreme weather. It's crucial to accept the financial loss and put the welfare of the pets in your care as the main priority. You can arrange with clients in advance by letting them know that the walk will be a limited amount of time outside where they can do their business and get a few sniffs in, ideally in the shade and near a clean body of water if possible, and you can offer to spend the remaining time inside in the AC with them giving them pets and playing with toys, etc. You can also use little bits of treats and throw them around the house so the dogs have to sniff them out, which is really enriching for them and gives them mental and physical exercise even indoors.

For anyone who is doubtful that it's worth it to take the small financial hit versus prioritize health and wellness, here are two different clients communicating with me about their gratitude for my conscientiousness. In one case it's a new client who is leaving their dog walking company because they are continuing to walk dogs without modifying outings through a heat wave. So, keep your pets and yourself safe, it will help your business in the long run, not to mention it's the right/humane thing to do.

💬New Client: Gosh, thanks so much! I just checked out your website, and I really like how much you listen to the dogs. Most dog walkers I know don’t care that much. I would love to meet you. Due to the fact that \[my dog’s\] nose and tongue are tiny, \[dog\] has trouble with heat. She can’t cool down well, so she gags.

Me: Thank you for saying that! Yes, it breaks my heart to see other walkers who seem to care less about their wellbeing.

New Client: Up until finding you, I used a dog walking service, and they are walking the dogs through this heatwave. I can’t bear the idea either, so I don’t want to keep employing them. How do you prefer to be paid? Cash? check?

Me: Aw man🥺 poor pups. Sounds like \[your dog\] is really lucky to have a caring and thoughtful parent!

New client: It’s just being humane. I was just outside, I can’t imagine forcing dogs to walk in this. But some people do, and it crushes me each time I see it.

……

💬Me: Hello and happy summer! 😎☀️🌊 Due to the extreme heat and humidity forecasted for Thursday, July 2nd \[Dog Walking Business\] will be modifying all outings. All outings will be 20-minute potty breaks, or shorter depending on the needs of your pet. If you would rather cancel your outing for tomorrow (no fee for canceling) please just let me know. Thanks and stay safe & hydrated!

Client: Thank you so much for being so conscientious. I think let’s cancel this week since \[mom\] will be home and a mid day walk is not in the cards.