3 Things to STOP Doing if You’re a Stressed Pet Parent

If you're feeling overwhelmed and burnt out trying to reach your goals with your dog, and feel like you can’t find the time, motivation, or mental energy you need, I’ve been there. After years of struggling in this area, here are three things I've learned that you can implement today!

🛑 Stop following and/or mute accounts that are making you feel like s**t as a dog owner. I loveee so many wonderful creators on social media, and am constantly learning from brilliant folks online! However, if content is making you feel guilty, ashamed, stressed, anxious, or contributing to a negative mindset for you as a pet owner, it may be time to mute some of those accounts. I know it gets said all the time, but you are not those people, and they are not going through or experiencing life the way you are.

✅ Follow accounts instead that feel like they are lifting you up, bringing you joy, and supporting you right where you are!

🛑 Stop fighting your reality. For a long time, I tried to pretend that Mu wasn't ever reactive, or that us living in a city didn't mean hiking 3x/week was not feasible, or that I didn't work a 9-5 - but the reality was, those elements were real, and they did impact our day-to-day.

✅ When I stopped fighting where we were at and instead focused on working within the restrictions and challenges we faced, things immediately started feeling easier, more manageable, and we did more!

🛑 Stop trying to do it all alone! When Mu was young and my school transitioned back to being fully in-person, I tried to manage all of his care when I desperately needed support. Money was tight, and I would try to run back over lunch to let him out (which I didn't really have time to do) instead of hiring a dog walker, I took him to tons of socialization and training classes, I tried to manage his training without any help, and in general was putting a lot on myself without utilizing my network.

✅ Once I began leaning on friends and family for help and really budgeting my finances to be able to hire support when I needed it, I found myself so much more energized and excited to get to do things with him because I wasn't operating from such an empty cup.

Let me know in the comments what else you'd recommend for someone ready to change the cycle of overwhelm and burnout they're experiencing as a pet parent! ⬇️