Old Dogs

My dogs and I have a daily routine. There are certain times when they eat and each knows exactly where to stand to eat. I feed them in the same order and the same  place every day. We go outside at set times each day. Some trips outside are quick outings for them to relieve themselves and come right back to the house. Other times are play times when they can either find things to do on their own or Rob and I organize games for them. The have bedtime routines, too. First they have their yogurt, then they go out, then they get their cookies and go to bed.

I think routines are good for them. They know what to expect and what's expected of them.

Morgan is now in a situation because of her knee injury,where her regular routines are disrupted and she must learn new ones, and Morgan is angry.

The first two days went along pretty smoothly because Morgan was in pain and scared and so she just did whatever we told her to do. But, on Sunday morning Morgan woke up angry and let me know right away. Because she can't do stairs, I fed her in the living room while Rob took the others to the garage for their usual morning routine. I offered Morgan her bowl of kibble, but instead of eating it, she pushed the pieces around in the bowl, then just looked at me defiantly. When I told her to stop pushing the pieces around and eat them, she flipped the bowl over with her nose sending kibble all over the place.

Next I told her to come to the front door so I could help her into the yard. Instead, she made a quick three legged run for the stairs to go to the garage with the others. I grabbed her and carried her into the front yard. All day she tried to get around the new rules and go along with the rest of the pack. Rob finally  got her to eat using the power of cheese as an incentive.

Today has been much the same. Morgan must now unlearn her old routines and accept new ones. Eventually she will accept the inevitable, but for now she's angry and wants everyone to know it.

Morgan and I are old dogs. Neither of us like change. We like our old safe, comfortable routines. Change is stressful and makes us irritable. We're both fighting this change and we'll both have to accept it.

But we don't have to like it!