Becoming a pet-parent is fun and beautiful, but doggies require a vast amount of time and attention, which can sometimes lead to your relationship with your partner taking a back seat.
Personally, as work from home pet-parents our two doggies spend most of the day around us causing us to get stuck in a mum/dad role and forgetting how to be partners to each other. Like parents to human kids, there are many reasons why couples need to spend time together, away from your fur-children. Below are the 5 reasons we believe you need some alone time with your partner.
1. Because you’ve been spending time apart.
Have you ever had the feeling where you’d see your partner the entire day, and yet still miss them? Well, along with being a pet parent, there’s work, managing the household, and personal admin which leaves very little space for quality time together. Days usually go by where you and your partner feel like two ships sailing past each other.
The importance of quality time in a relationship is to show love to your partner and make them your priority. Note that having the doggies sleeping at your feet during quality time does not count. Spending this time together will allow you to lavish them with attention in ways you can’t entirely do when your fur-kids are around. Try and adopt a no phone policy during this time.
2. To re-connect emotionally and intimately
Bonds are built on intimate and emotional connections, thus, to have a strong partnership you need to maintain this emotional intimacy throughout the many stages of your relationship. While being pet parents you’ll deal with demanding external factors where you would need to lean on each other for support. For this, the bond between the two of you need to be as connected as the day you fell in love. Take some time away from your fur-kids to share personal feelings and display affection without being distracted.
3. Because you deserve to de-stress
Houston, we have a problem! In 2019 studies showed that South Africa is the second most stressed country in the world. Note that this was pre-pandemic, where it proven that South African stress levels subsequently increased by 56% after 2020.
Stress has devastating effects on the economy, whether through reduced productivity or the increased burden on health care systems. Therefore, the importance of finding time to just relax has climbed. Spend alone time with your partner to unwind without worrying about your day-to-day responsibilities.
P.S. I am changing the title of this section “Because the country needs you to de-stress.”
4. It's also good for your dogs
Leaving your fur-kids for an extended period can be daunting and pet parents often avoid this. However, research has shown that being around your dogs all the time could lead to a common canine affliction called, separation anxiety.
Quite simply, separation anxiety is severe distress when a dog is separated from their owner or left alone. It’s a problem that causes both people and dogs much suffering as it can manifest in an array of distressing behaviours, it can be difficult to treat, and can provoke stress and guilt on the part of the owner.
A key principle in managing separation anxiety, and the general foundation of a healthy relationship is to train your dog to be independent during the hours you are together. Thus, making it easier when it's time for you to getaway.
5. It allows you to be spontaneous
Building a routine with your doggie is vital for their well-being, but the days where you and your partner could spontaneously lock-up and leave for a long period isn’t as easy as when you both met.
The significance of spontaneity between partners is all about feeling alive and adding novelty to a relationship that has been consumed by routine tasks. A couple needs time away from the fur-kids to connect, have fun, and be as spontaneous as they desire.
As a final note from one pet parent to another, needing time away from your fur-kids doesn’t make you a bad dog mum or dad. In fact, many (if not most) of us require alone time in order to be the best that we can be. Having time and space to recharge without your fur-kids around allows us to remember our own identity and nurture our own spirit. There’s no need to feel guilty about taking care of yourself and your partner in this way.
So go ahead! Book your fur-kids into a Pawlife doggie hotel and take that much needed rendezvous with your partner.
Comments