The New Adventures of the Interrupting Puppy
January 5, 2009
Dakota
This year Santa really delivered to my family. We received a new puppy under the tree! Dakota (a Puggle – pug/beagle mix) arrived Christmas morning and we haven’t been the same since. She is an adorable and loving addition to our busy family. She is also a new challenge in our daily lives. I must admit every once in a while we have wondered “are we nuts?”
We are not rookies at the puppy training game, but I did need a refresher course. I got back out my handy puppy books that I found helpful in rearing our other dog, Reagan. Puppies for Dummies by Sarah Hodgson (www.dummies.com) has become our puppy training bible. In reading about how to train a new puppy, I realized how much of what I read related to what I tell my organizing clients. Training a puppy has similar principles to time management. (Organizing and Time Management are like peanut butter and jelly – each are good, but together they are better) Establishing a routine is the foundation to keeping your house free of messes (puppy and human). Schedules, routines, and good habits are things we can’t live without. We wake in the morning and we sleep at night. We eat breakfast, lunch and dinner around the same times each day. Knowing what to expect keeps us feeling safe and sane!
I am finding that in establishing a new routine for Dakota, I am in need of changing my own routine to fulfill her needs. I am being interrupted to constantly take her outside to go to the bathroom. With my two boys home on Christmas break, introducing the new puppy to Reagan, and keeping a vigilant eye out for puppy mischief, I am just keeping my head afloat. Interruptions are a huge time management obstacle. New life changes, even minor ones, require us to readjust our schedules and habits. Creating a new habit usually takes 3 weeks. Perseverance is a necessity. I am up to this challenge! How about you? What are your new challenges for the New Year?
My next post will have to be on organizing all the stuff you “need” for a new puppy!
For more tips on organizing, visit my website at: www.afreshstartorganizing.net/tips.
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