OkcPets Magazine March 2022

March/April 2022 • OKC Pets 25 popping up on my Amazon were going to be necessary versus those that would just take up space and cost more money? There was a lot to think about when bringing a baby into the world, and with all of my planning for our little girl, I hadn’t considered what my pets might need. Although our dogs might not have required a gift registry to keep them happy, I found that anything to make their lives and mine easier was helpful to have on hand. Of course that included stocking up on a few months’ worth of dog food and treats. More than that, my time and, quite frankly, my free hands became swallowed up for a while by my newborn. Doggy things that might have been helpful during that transition period would have been bones, puzzle treats, toys — anything to keep them engaged and active so my hands were free to hold a baby bottle. Do Everything You Can in Advance What are your pets going to need in the first few months of your baby’s life? Will they be due for shots or a grooming visit or more heartworm medicine? It usually takes several months for babies to start sleeping through the night. For my baby, it wasn’t until she was five months old. Because coffee and adrenaline can sustain you for only so long, I craved for everything else in my life to be as simple as possible until my baby could settle down for seven or eight hours at night. Research all the tips you can on how to get your baby to sleep through the night. But just in case it takes longer than you expect, adjust all your pet appointments accordingly to make your first few months as smooth as they can be. Be Realistic with Your Time When I brought Zoey home for the first time, I thought everything would fall into place. Our parental instincts would kick in, our schedules would sync within a few days, and time for all my other re- sponsibilities as an adult would just happen naturally. Boy, was I in for a surprise! It was a tough lesson, but I had to learn that I was not ca- pable of being a supermom — if such a person even exists. It just wasn’t possible to keep the house clean, do meal prep, run errands, work full time (after maternity leave was over, that is), be a good wife, and be the perfect parent to my dogs and my constantly needy newborn baby — all while running on three hours of sleep. To even try to accomplish everything to the standards I wanted would have meant that I neglected my own mental and physical health, which would have led to burnout and made matters even more difficult. For a while, I had to embrace the fact that things were going to be different. Daily walks and training for the dogs were going to have to be put on hold, and my hands would too often not be available to give my pets my undivided atten- tion. I felt guilty about it at the time. Looking back, I’ve learned to cut my past self some slack. I did the best I could with the little time and energy I had, and you will too! Just remember that there is no such thing as a perfect parent. Keep your pets involved by introducing them to the baby, and prepare for their needs as best you can ahead of time. The newborn stage is a short one, and after a while, you all will settle into a new routine. Even if the playtime is less and the walks are short, your pets will still love you the same, and the bond between you will nev- er, ever fade away. For more information visit our website! ¨ pawparazziresort.com ¨ (405) 201-2991 117 NW 142nd Street, Edmond, OK 73013 N EW P R OG R AM S F O R 2 0 2 2 ! THE ENRICHMENT CLUB AT PAWPARAZZI D For pups 16 weeks and up D A totally new experience for your dog, unlike any other in the state! Dogs participate in groups of 3-5 and learn in a “Montessori”-type setting in daily stations, encouraging physical, social, cognitive and sensory abilities. Examples of daily “stations” include art projects, obstacle courses, trick of the month, K9 Klimbs®, Fitpaws®, weave poles, cavaletti poles, flirt poles, group play, chill zone/story time, puzzle toys, snuffle-mats, bacon bubble machine, visual and auditory stimuli and much more! PEP — PUPPY ENRICHMENT PROGRAM Our exclusive program is designed for puppies between the age of 8-16 weeks and will focus primarily on encountering a wide variety of sensory stimuli building skills through directed play, and developing confidence and trust. This is a structured program and includes the following: D Potty training D Crate training D Socializing D Grooming D Mock vet exams D Collar/leash introductions D Schedule/routines D Introduction to left turns, right turns, etc. D Noises — Vacuum, kids, babies, barking and many other loud, scary noises!