A Big Shout Out to Single Pet Parents Nailing It!

Being a single parent to dogs can be just as challenging as being a single parent to children, especially if your dog has struggles. You are not alone

This is a post I’ve been meaning to write for some time, as someone who has been both a long-term single parent to my son and a long-term single parent to my dogs.

I wanted to give a special shout out to all the single pet parents out there, especially those of you with Romanian or foreign rescue dogs, because I KNOW how challenging they can be at times.

I remember, a very long time ago now, when I first found myself as a single parent with a 6-month-old baby. I remember how scary it was just working my way through each day and trying to keep in check all the worries and fears that would surface.

My son is of course all grown up now and few years ago moved into his own place, and so I found myself once again, sole parent & adult in the home, but this time to my dogs.

Surely that’s not similar you say...

Well, no it’s not as such, but there are similarities. I find myself at times having familiar thoughts, fears and worries, and I don’t have dogs who can be challenging to live with, but I DO KNOW exactly how overwhelming that can be.

Even if you don’t have a dog that struggles in certain situations, like those that overreact, are fearful or are simply hyper crazy, time-consuming adolescents, it can still be a difficult path to navigate at times.

Having no one to just chat to when your dogs do something funny or to share a little win with, as well as having no one to (bitch at) I mean talk to when your dogs do something ‘naughty!’ 😂 Of course, it’s only ‘naughty’ to us, to our dogs it’s just normal doggie behaviour! 🐶

Of course, we could pick up the phone and talk to people, but it’s not the same as those snippets of ‘in passing’ conversation. It’s not the same as being able to throw out a question because you have something on your mind, or would like someone else’s opinion or perspective, the way you can when there are other people living in the home with you.

Being the sole earner in the household and responsible for all the bills can often bring pressure and financial worries with it, as well as no one on hand to just help with day-to-day life. There is no sharing of household jobs, everything falls at your feet to deal with or take care of.

And don’t even get me started on the number of rental properties that will not accept dogs (who by the way make less mess and do less damage than most children 😉) making even finding a stable & secure home in the first place a total nightmare!

Then there are the worries and fears of what will happen to our dogs if we're taken ill, who will help us with their day to day care or what will happen to our dogs if the worst should happen? Who will take care of them?

Then of course there are those days and nights when your dog is poorly, and you are so freaking anxious about them, you just want someone to lean on and tell you it will be ok. Someone who will make you a cup of tea, watch over your dog while you sleep for an hour, make sure you eat something and take care of yourself.

Someone to talk things through with when you don’t know if you’re doing the right things. Should you call the vet, should you keep them warm, or will they be too warm, should you try to get them to eat or leave them be, are they sleeping too much, should you be worried, and then if a vet visit is needed, the worry and anxiety of taking them by yourself, especially if vet visits are distressing for them.

For those of you with dogs that have struggles, all of that can be hugely exacerbated of course. Especially if you have a dog that is uncomfortable with strangers and visitors to the home. That alone can make forming a support network a challenge in itself.

Or if you have a dog that overreacts to things out on walks or a dog that can’t cope with being left alone even for short periods, both of which can be stressful, upsetting and draining on a day-to-day basis. 💕

When you find yourself as a single parent with a dog who is struggling, it can create a great deal of anxiety, feelings of loneliness and overwhelm (especially if you don’t have a huge support network to call upon) thinking you must be doing everything wrong for them to be this way, and despite how much you love them, sometimes even feeling a little resentment that your life has ended up being somewhat adversely affected by an experience you thought would do nothing but enhance it.

This is just one reason why I love my Adopters Coaching Group so much.

One of the aims of creating the group was to provide a support network to Romanian and overseas rescue adopters, a community of people who KNOW exactly how you’re feeling, who have been through or are still going through the things you are.

A community of people who really do understand how it feels to not know what to do for the best, to not know how to approach the challenges in the best way and who have agonised about whether things will ever change.

I know those kinds of things are of course not exclusive to single pet parents, but I do know from years of personal experience how much harder it can be at times, when you are the one having to take care of everything 💕

I have more than a few single pet parents in the group, and I know how awesome it is for them to reach out in those moments when they feel alone, overwhelmed, or worried, and for them to have somewhere they can share those wonderful win moments with people who truly understand how significant they are.

So today, I want to give YOU yes YOU THE SINGLE PET PARENT a high five and a hug! 🤗

I want you to know you are doing an amazing job. 🥇

I want you to know that your dog is lucky to have you in their corner. 🐶

I want you to know that you may at times feel lonely, but you are NEVER alone. 💕

I want you to remember there are many people out there with the same hopes, dreams, fears and worries as you. People who will not judge you or tell you you’re being silly or tell you ‘It’s only a dog’ and you shouldn’t be letting its emotional struggles rule your life.

If you aren’t already in my community Facebook group, please feel free to come on over and join us. https://www.facebook.com/group...

There are lots of tips, information & resources in the guide units of the group, and you will be in great company with a bunch of people who are passionate about their wonderful Romanian & overseas family dog members - even if they do drive them to drink on occasions! 😅

But that’s relationships, right? No relationship is perfect, they all need to be worked at and it’s no different with our dogs at times – I’m pretty sure we frustrate the hell out of them quite often too 🥰

So here's to you guys 🥂 I see you, I hear you, I feel you 🐕🐾🥰💕

Categories: Living with Romanian Rescue Dogs