It’s no secret that Cam and I have a whole slew of big events coming up this year. With vet school graduation, our wedding, two sibling weddings, several friend weddings, a honeymoon, and a few shorter vacations planned, we certainly have our calendar mapped out and locked down for the foreseeable future. And while coordinating our own busy schedules is often a feat in and of itself, Mr. Fitz man now adds a couple additional steps to our spicy logistical samba.
Like any pup, Fitz has basic human doggy needs: He uses the bathroom somewhat regularly, sleeps pretty soundly, plays hard, and requires ample love, cuddles, and affection. Since Fitz came home with us last August Cam and I have practically spoiled the spots off of him. And yet, as we continue to plan ahead for all of our upcoming commitments it has become more and more evident that we need a solid plan in place for taking care of Fitz when we need to be away.
Growing up, my family was never really one to board our dog, Cocoa. For starters, he had been roughed up by other dogs in the past and had never fully recovered behaviorally in his interactions with other dogs. That information aside, we were also always a bit wary of leaving our beloved four-legged family member in the care of strangers for however long we had to be away. While we knew many people pursue this route and have great experiences, those few-and-far-between horror stories lingered in the backs of our minds and drove us to seek other options. As a result, whenever we went on vacation or were gone for the full day, we opted to make arrangements with a friend or family member who could watch our little man. It wasn’t easy, but we always made it work, for Cocoa’s wellbeing as well as our own peace of mind.
Now that Cam and I have a dog of our own and are in a new-ish city without the luxury of built-in babysitters, we’ve had to get pretty creative in our approach for finding doggy childcare. I have a good friend from work, Sara, who is an avid dog lover, so when our first major day-long event came around a few weekends ago and we needed to find a good option I asked Sara if she and her husband would be willing to watch Fitz for the day. Fortunately, they enthusiastically said yes, and Cam and I prepped Fitz for his first official day away while we had to attend a marriage-prep retreat. We were both a bit anxious as we packed Fitz’s day bag with toys, treats, and blankets – seriously, this boy is so spoiled! – but we knew he would be in good hands with Sara, Thomas, and their super friendly dog, Stella.
Dropping Fitz off in the morning went way better than either of us could have ever expected. As soon as we entered Sara and Thomas’ home Fitz was enthralled with the prospect of meeting new people, exploring a new space, and checking out a new dog. Indeed, as soon as he stepped through the front door, he was clearly enthralled by all the novelty and excitement, and he trotted around the house like a little voyager curious to examine every square inch of unexplored space. In fact, Fitz was so taken by the whole experience that he barely seemed to notice when Cam and I finally made our not-so-inconspicuous exit. As we buckled our seatbelts and drove away from our baby for the very first time, we took solace knowing that not only would he receive great care but also that he was likely about to have the time of his life.
Sara was an absolute sweetheart, and throughout the day she texted us with updates and pictures about what Fitz was doing and how he was faring with the new set of variables. According to her report, he did a whole lot of sniffing, roaming, and following Stella around, trying to engage her in play whenever possible. He also went on a two-mile walk, ate some yummy treats, and barely slept a wink: It was basically doggy paradise.
When our program ended and the time came to pick him up, Fitz greeted us at the door with unabashed excitement, but we could readily recognize a tired puppy who was currently living his best life. We chatted for a while and watched Fitz romp around with Stella before making our way out, thanking Sara and Thomas for a full day of fun with our little feisty beast.
Fitz was lights-out the second he hit the back seat of Cam’s car. He had clearly had the best day ever, and when we made it home, he plopped on the couch with such indulgence and gusto that we thought we might not see him for days: His slumber instincts were that strong. Unsurprisingly, that’s how much of our Sunday played out, too: Fitz fast asleep on his bed or shamelessly basking in the sun, infinitely wiped but also impossibly happy, snoozing away without even the slightest care in the world.
As Cam and I continue to plan for our many upcoming commitments, we’ve made a variety of arrangements from doggy daycare, to overnight boarding, to additional stays with Sara and her crew. And while all of it is new, foreign, and pretty dang scary and anxiety-inducing until we actually take the plunge for the first time, we have been pleasantly surprised by how well our pup continues to handle new situations and readily make friends in every environment he enters. It’s a good reminder that dogs – and people, for that matter – are ultimately strong, resilient, and capable of great change and growth, and that nothing is impossible if we are willing to push past our comfort zones and try new things for the very first time. And while I may never get used to leaving Fitz behind, I can rest assured that he has the strength, skills, and capabilities to not only survive but ultimately thrive in new settings and situations. For after all he is my little fur baby, and while he hasn’t yet mastered how to read this blog every week, he does know how to do one hard thing each and every day: Just like his mom, it’s in his DNA, and he never fails to leave me in a state of perpetual surprise and wonder.
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