back to the grind.

After an incredible week-long vacation with my family, I am back! Claire spent the week at sleepover camp at Bark-O-Lounge with her friends and is just exhausted from having so much fun! We are both extremely happy to be reunited, though. I was having some serious withdrawals from my baby. I got back late on Saturday night and she slept curled up right in my arms - so cute! Every time a trip is in the near future, my friend Elizabeth always has to sit and listen to me talk about how I know Claire will be fine while I'm gone, but it's me who has a tough time! If only she could fit in my pocket and come everywhere with me...!


As great as the Thanksgiving trip was, and as wonderful as it is to be back with Claire, it's always tough to get back into a routine after having some time off. Not only for me, but for Claire as well. Dogs are creatures of habit, and they tend to fare better with a schedule. For us, things may change a bit daily, but they mostly stay the same from week to week. Claire has breakfast and dinner around the same time each day. She goes to school on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. On the days that she goes to school, we sleep in a little later and she gets a biscuit when she gets in the car. On the days that she stays home, we get up early to start the day with a mile-long walk, and she gets a biscuit when I head off to work. When I come home, we work on training for a little bit and then have playtime. On the weekends, we spend the afternoons at the park. Claire goes to sleep around the same time each night, regardless of the day's activities. Our schedule is a bit more flexible than some, but it works for us, and Claire is comfortable with it because she knows what to expect!


This week may be a little difficult as we readjust. For instance, as I type this, Claire is running back and forth from the kitchen to where I'm sitting on the couch and whining to go outside for the third time in fifteen minutes - not because she needs to go potty but because she just wants to be outside; Mondays are usually school days for her so she's not used to spending the first day of my work week inside. My goal is to have her back on track by Wednesday - keep your fingers crossed!