I can confidently say that my life would be a heck of a lot different (aka boring and meaningless) if I wasn’t a dog mom. I’d have more money, less messes to clean and more solid sleep at night, but my bed would be empty and my day would be bland. Wynston has shaped my life into one of excitement, entertainment and adventure. From our beautiful travels to our simple daily routine, my life revolves around my dog. I want to give you a glimpse into my daily dog mom life, as there’s a never a dull moment!
Walking a Day in My Dog Mom Life
When Wynston and I aren’t traveling, our days are similar in that we have a routine. Dogs thrive on a schedule, and I think it’s important that I adhere to our routine for Wynston’s sake as much as possible. Sure it differs sometimes depending on our plans, but for the most part our schedule remains the same.
Morning
Believe it or not, Wynston doesn’t wake me up in the morning. He sleeps as long as I sleep. It’s my cats who stir us. (Surprise, surprise). I like to get up early, especially during the hot summer months, as I feel more productive when my day gets started around the 6:30am mark. So when I get out of bed, so does Wynston. I’ll use the bathroom as he does his morning stretches, then it’s time for a walk. Half asleep, I take Wynston outside to do his morning business.
After our walk, it’s breakfast time! I feed all the animals, fill up a cup of ice water and head into my office. I like to take my time with morning emails, Facebook scrolling and getting caught up on news. Then Wynston will join me in the office because he knows it’s time for a dental chew. “Who wants a dental?” I ask, as we walk into the kitchen together. If I’ve finished my cup of water, I will brew some coffee to jump start my energy.
By this time, Wynston is ready to enjoy his dental chew and head back to bed while I get to work. Must be nice, eh?!
Late Morning
After a morning of productivity, I like to take Wynston to the park around 9am. Depending on how nice the weather is, we’ll hang out for a bit so Wynston can do his business again and enjoy the outdoors. We have a beautiful dog park in our apartment community and it’s just a short walk from our home. I appreciate the convenience and how well the park is kept up.
Then I’m back to work! Wynston is always near by. If he’s on the couch, he’s in my eye line. Otherwise he’s laying on his bed next to my desk or in his Gen7Pets stroller. During the summer I never take him outside potty past noon because it’s WAY too hot. I have to wait until the evening when the sun starts going down.
Afternoon
Typically Wynston and I have a midday play session before his nap time. It gets me out of my chair and allows me to spend some time smiling and laughing with my boy. If I’m having a rough day I will spend more time than usual with Wyn. No matter what’s going on, I always have him to lean on. He always brings me joy.
Evening
I feed Wynston dinner around 4pm. Right after he eats, I’ll take him to the park again to go potty because there’s a shaded area. After that he likes to spend time running around with the cats or hiding one of his many chew bones. We may play a game of fetch or hide and seek…whatever he’s in the mood for. I also have a small agility tunnel set up in my office for our daily fun time.
I take Wynston out to go potty one last time before bed, which is around 9pm. This ensures he won’t have any potty accidents before the next morning. Out set potty routine helps keep his bladder under control, and I highly recommend it!
How does being a dog mom affect my decision-making?
My daily life completely revolves around Wynston. My timelines depend on his schedule, and I always put him first. Some days we’ll have activities planned, like going on a lunch date or heading to Gamma’s. On these days I make sure that a majority of our routine remains the same. If I were to write out my daily agenda for a random person, I’d clearly be defined as a dog mom!
But how does my dog mom agenda affect my daily plans otherwise? Well, I always consider Wynston first and foremost. I ask myself questions like do I need to leave him at home or can I bring him? If I have to leave him, how long will I be gone? Do I need to take him out for an extra potty break? Do I need to feed him early or extra because of my plans? If I bring him, do I need to pack his dinner and a toy?
I keep a Happy Planner to stay organized. I don’t write down my daily routine since I obviously don’t need reminders, but I jot down anything out of the ordinary like activities and appointments. I like to plan ahead for such events to be sure Wynston is taken care of. His well-being is always at the center of my decision-making. I admit that I’m unlikely to do something if Wynston isn’t invited. But if you invite him or you want to go to a dog-friendly restaurant, count us IN! ๐ Call me crazy or obsessed, but I love my dog mom life and I wouldn’t change it for anything.
I’m so proud of my dog mom life. Some may call it obsessive, others have called it “unhealthy.” But I wouldn’t change a thing (and I really don’t see anything wrong with it)! I’m grateful that I have a dog whom I love and cherish who feels equally about me. We’re an unstoppable team.
Wynston only makes me stronger. He inspires me. He motivates me to get up in the morning. And I appreciate him for all of the times I felt like I couldn’t go on anymore but he forced me to do so. My dog mom life is the best life.
So tell me, do you consider your life to be a “dog mom life?” Tell me about it! What makes life with your dog unique?
Eliza says
Love this! Thank you for sharing!
Dogs do thrive on routine and I am so glad you are reminding people of that. I know of so many households which feed their dogs “whenever” and sometimes walk them and sometimes don’t. It is hard on those fur babies.
My day is very similar to yours except for two key things. 1. The poodles always wake me up. They are raring to go by 6:30am and even if I ask them to “go back to your beds” they will, but 10 minutes later there is a wet nose in my face again. 2. Rarely do I have to plan my outdoor activities around heat, but rain is another matter!
Have a great day Amanda and Wynston!
Amanda says
That must be a poodle thing – Khloee would stalk me in the mornings and she was ALWAYS the first to wake me up! She was just stare at me like a creeper!
Rain is basically your equivalent to our heat. It sucks when we have to plan our activities around icky weather! xoxo
Dalinda says
When you work at home and have a sweet pup by your side your days naturally involve and revolve around them. Some people may thinks its weird but its not any different then having a human child to care for. My two human kids are 28 and 23 so we are an empty nest. My three Chihuahuas plus two felines fill that nest back up ๐ . The getting up at 6:30 is a no go at our house but we also don’t have the 115 degree temps you all are having.
Amanda says
You make a good point. My days have absolutely evolved into revolving around Wynston since I work from home. I agree that it’s not too different from having a human child, except dogs are way cuter ๐ My mom and stepdad are also empty nesters, but their dog and cat have given them an entire new daily routine. I think that routine is very helpful for humans, and our dogs assist in creating that for us. Especially those of us who work from home.
Viv says
Love that you are such a dedicated dog mom! As a fellow dog (and human) mom, I work in the pet space. Found you via WordPress. I have mine @ FlyteLiving.com and just wrote up on Architecture for Dogs
Amanda says
Hi Viv! Thanks for reaching out! I will check out your site ๐