Pawrent shares story of rowdy adopted shelter dog and his wholesome transition to become her resident couch cuddler and hike partner, says: ‘It is okay to feel overwhelmed. You’re whole life just changed.’

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    "Every weekend, we hike for miles in the mountains."
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    Hey everyone! I turned to this sub many times while I was looking to adopt, during adoption, and after adoption so I
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    thought I would post an update to bring to light the process of adoption. Before adoption I had been looking for months for a dog.
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    Everyone in my life wanted to remind me of the commitment it took. I didn't save that much money up, a couple hundred and
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    I eventually came across a dog's photo on the shelter page and decided to just swing by and check him out. I fell in love.
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    After adoption | (not surprisingly) got very overwhelmed. The very first time I had to leave the dog, I left him crated and when I went home for lunch, he had
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    dug his way out and tore up the carpet in the process. I was "completely-in-over- my-head" feeling for at least three months. And if I am being honest, I still
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    feel the cloud of responsibility over me, but that is an OKAY feeling. It is okay to feel overwhelmed. You're whole life just changed. The
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    routine will be different. No more can you just go out for dinner or take a vacation without considering what to do with he dog. It's stressful, but for me, I just developed a new way of thinking.
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    For example, we took a trip to San Diego. We had been many times before but this was the first time with a dog. So the new plan required us to take a
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    few extra steps. We found a dog friendly hotel. We found dog friendly restaurants and breweries. And overall centered our focus of what we could do with our dog by our side. It
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    made going to this familiar place a whole new adventure and very rewarding. There are days when he gets into the
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    trash or I have to spend extra money on him for vet or day care bills and I feel angry but then those rewarding moments when you snuggle up and it all
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    melts away. I do believe I have been more active since getting him. Hiking is so exciting with him. Every weekend, we hike for miles in the mountains.
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    It has been a full year since I have had my dog. I don't regret it. I still feel overwhelmed. But I know that I am
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    doing my best to give this dog everything I can. I just wanted to make a post in case any other potential
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    adopters are out there or if you have already adopted and you're feeling overwhelmed.
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    lari... You chose such a majestic pup! Great advice. My two huskies are so easy. Now. I have
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    forgotten, maybe on purpose, what huge challenges they were in their early years. :) I wish we had mountains to explore, and
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    that vacation sounds awesome.

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