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| "Don't Rock the Boat" |
You’ve heard the old saying, “don’t rock the boat,” which simply means don’t cause any disturbances, don’t make any changes, or don’t make anyone upset. In other words, keep everything normal, and in a nut shell that defines the perfect world for a dog. Most dogs don’t like change, preferring their environment and routine schedule day in and day out.
I know Chloe hates change, anything that alters her world can easily get her upset. Not in a tantrum type upset, but more in a confused sense of upset. Through the years, I’ve learned it’s best to keep her apprised of the change as its unfolding. Take for instance, the latest interior remodeling work for our home, which is to replace old carpet with new floor tile.
As part of the work, I repainted the walls and ceilings ahead of the tile installation, which meant clearing the area of furniture and covering the floors with drop cloths. Undoubtedly, the space took on a new look with everything wrapped in plastic, and in a dog’s world that can easily become very upsetting, not for just its visual appearance, but also for the tactile feel of the temporary slick plastic below a dogs’ paws.
During the painting, I kept Chloe out from under my ladder by blocking off access with movable barrier gates, which are indispensable when we need to keep her out from under foot. Once portions of the walls and ceiling had dried, I had Chloe come into the space, allowing her to sniff and walk the room’s perimeter. It was way to gradually get her use to the changes, thereby reducing her confusion of the new. Yes, I know we’re only talking only about a new coat of paint, but in a dog’s world, …change is change!
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| Unsure about her environment wrapped in plastic. |
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| Looking a little confused with the changes going on. |
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