Everyday is Friday
welcoming a new furry addition
When I met my spouse Kris in 2017, they were a package deal with their sweet chihuahua, Lucy.
I fell in love with Lucy, who was relaxed, sweet, and enjoyed a long walk around the river. In 2022, around the age of 15, Lucy started showing signs of “sundowning” and developed dementia. I’ll be forever grateful that Kris and I were able to support Lucy so well in the last year of her life until she passed away peacefully in April 2023.
I knew that I would need time to grieve our loss and rest before I would be ready to adopt another dog. I’m glad I could care for Lucy so well, and also caring for a dog with dementia requires a lot of patience, energy, and emotional strength. As the year progressed, I started to yearn for another sweet little dog, feeling a twinge of joy (and, I must admit, envy!) when I passed people walking their dogs on the path we take around town.
I started searching adoption agencies at the start of this year and on April 5th, we welcomed a furry new family member. Meet Friday:
Friday is a spunky, energetic, adorable, six-and-a-half pound chihuahua mix. The adoption agency told us that she was brought to Massachusetts from a high-kill shelter in Texas and is between 2 and 3 years old. She loves to play with toys, snuggle, and run laps around our living room.
While Friday isn’t a puppy, she hadn’t received training (except some potty training—phew!) before we adopted her. It was up to us to train her to feel comfortable and safe in our home.
I’ve never trained an animal before! My cats, Sam and Dean (yes, they’re named after the brothers from the show Supernatural, which I was really into when I adopted them in 2013) have settled into their own routines based on my routines. They eat their meals on a bookshelf in the dining room, with Dean on the upper shelf and Sam on the lower. They know when we yell “Boys!” that it’s time to come eat. They know that when we finish washing dishes at night, it’s time for them to line up for their “night treats,” three each from the container we keep in the freezer. I never explicitly tried to train my cats, though—we just developed these habits over time.
When we adopted, Friday, we decided to hire a dog trainer to help us acclimate her to our home with a focus on helping her sleep through the night and helping her feel comfortable hanging out in her crate when we’re not around. So far, Friday is an excellent pupil and is very treat-motivated (she takes after me on both counts).
But the training only works if Kris and I establish the routine in our own lives. If we don’t show up as caregivers to guide Friday through her training, then Friday can’t show up to improve her skills, either. This has looked like waking up early to train Friday on morning bathroom protocol, taking her on daily walks to stimulate her brain—so many things to smell!—and exercise her little body. Friday whines for things she wants—for us to throw a toy for her when we’re on a call or to give her a part of our “people food” when we’re eating—and I’ve been training myself not to give in right away and to allow Friday to cozy herself up in her bed and chew on a chew toy instead.
While Friday has certainly affected my routine, the disruption is also helping me establish some healthier habits with my workdays. I’m taking more breaks and spending more time outside. I’m going to sleep earlier to ensure I get enough rest. Kris and I are working well as a team, strategizing who will do what and when we will do it, and asking if the other needs help and support. I think Friday is doing a wonderful job, and we’re not doing too shabby, either.
If you've trained a dog before, I’d love to hear any tips you have to share!
I’ll end the letter today with a few cute pictures of Friday.
Take good care,
Dr. Kate