Since bringing home my golden retriever puppy back in December, my life and daily routine has been completely turned upside down.
This school semester, I’m lucky enough to have all of my classes over the course of two days: Monday and Tuesday. That being said, those days are incredibly busy. Add in having to care for a 6 month old puppy who’s energy seems to have amplified over the past couple of weeks. Needless to say, I’ve had to reconfigure my schedule to accommodate all of my new responsibilities.
The beginning of the week is very hectic. I’m lucky enough to have a friend down the street who takes Byron for walks during my six to eight hour periods of back to back classes. Before crying for help I was dealing with a ball of energy constantly biting at my ankles while trying to get through class presentations, and trying to listen to lectures while the little monster chewed on my glass coffee table. I’ve never experienced a more ear piercing sound. Neither have my classmates.
After those two intense days, that leaves plenty of free time throughout the rest of the week to get caught up with work and relax. Or so you’d think.
Here’s a typical day in the life of Byron and I on one of my days off.
Our days usually consist of lots of walking, playing, attempting to work, eating, and sleeping.
6:30 AM: Early morning walk
7:30 AM: Work and breakfast
9:30 AM: Long morning walk with multiple dog park visits
12:00 PM: Back home for more work and lunch
2:00 PM: Afternoon walk (sometimes back to the dog park)
4:00 PM: Work
7:00 PM: Evening walk
10:30 PM: Last bedtime walk
11:00 PM: Sleep
Byron and I have established a basic routine during the week. Of course not every day is the same. But as long as it starts with watching the sunrise while having our early morning cuddles, it’s always a great day no matter what.
With the weather getting warmer and Byron’s energy intensifying, we can’t help but be outside for most of the day. We walk a lot. Some days we walk over 20,000 steps. I’m actually finding it hard to fit in a decent amount of time to get work done. But the most important part is that we’re having the time of our lives. Watching him grow has been the highlight of my year and he makes every day that much better (and that much more tiring!).
As this online semester drags on, days of exhaustion are becoming more frequent. But I’m having more fun than I’ve ever had while going to school. Byron holds me accountable for getting outside (a lot), staying active, enjoying the little things, bringing me back to reality, having fun, and realizing what’s really important. The life of a puppy is simple and vibrant. I strive to be more like Byron every day.
Images Credit: Allegra Smith-Herriott
