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Originally Posted by electricevoix  Again just to clarify my fiance is not giving me an ultimatum that the dog goes or she goes. Trust me I found my soulmate, the relationship is going to end because of Mia. I would bet the ranch and everything I own on that. In any case like I've said i'm trying to break old habits of hers and looking for help so she can get used to a new style for her in our new home that's it.
To answer your question, every morning I wake up do my thing get ready and head downstairs. Once I head downstairs I immediately let Mia out, tell her to go potty and she runs into the bathroom with a pad i've laid out for her already and she does her business. She's already adjusted to the new layout of the house and where she goes to the bathroom. I finish getting my things together before I leave for work, i'd say about half hour. During this time she's running around, following me and I like to play with her for about 10 minutes before I leave the house. I'm out the door by 7. All depending on the way the work day goes I'm home anywhere between 8:30-10:00. My fiance is normally home anywhere between 9-10:00 (we both have the same profession). Regardless of who is home first, first thing I do is take off my jacket, let Mia out and tell her to go potty. She does have a pad in her caged in area which she normally does her business during the day if she has too. I wouldn't expect any animal or human to hold it in for that long. So she does her business in the bathroom, I clean up and proceed to get settled and comfortable till I go to bed. During this time she's following me around the house upstairs or downstairs, sits in the bathroom while I shower and then I try to watch a little tv to relax the brain after a long day. Normally between an hr to an hour and half. Normally during this time she's grabbing her toys and I know she wants to play so I play with her for a few minutes, she eventually gives up on the toy and wants on my lap so I pull her into my lap, relax till I go to bed then it's lights out for everyone, which ends up being around 12:30ish. |
It appears to me that you do care very much for your Mia. I'm believe you are looking for help in providing Mia what she needs and still have her in your life and I applaud you for this.
I was wondering if there might be a doggy daycare in your area where Mia could spend her days with other dogs and people and receive attention that you are not able to provide during the daytime. I know a lot of people have the same situation that you have in that they just can't be home for their pets during the day and they take their dogs to a daycare designed to meet that need and help your pup enjoy her day and still be able to enjoy her owner in the evening. These people praise all the attention and care their pets receive. I would suggest that the first thing to do would be to find a place like this that can provide care and attention for your pet during the day then go about working on behaviors at home in a way that is truly positive for everyone. If you can find a solution to address the hours you are away, the rest will come with positive reinforcement. Mia wants only to make you happy.
I do suggest however that you talk again with your fiance about your devoted Mia and allowing her to share your bed. Any reason she can't sleep with you on your side of the bed? It's difficult enough for Mia to learn to live with someone new who has different habits and patterns that she is not familiar with, if Mia receives the same level or very closely to that level of care that you had provided her in your prior living arrangements I am certain that Mia's ability to adapt to the other changes in her life would be much easier for her to adapt to.
Did you really mean to say "the relationship is going to end because of Mia"??? I find this extremely sad. That someone who says they love you would be so totally unbending if they understood your love for this pup and this pup's love for you. Everyone makes sacrifices when they begin new relationships but it is so much easier for the people in your pups life to make adjustments than for your pup to have to feel such extreem separation anxiety from the person she has loved with her whole heart for the last four years. I hope this is something you and your fiance can work out so that your Mia isn't the one who suffers. I wish you the best of luck in your new relationship, and pray that Mia's relationship with you is not what you end up sacrificing. I pray for peace in all your relationships. Blessings!