The Plott – PlottingTheWay

The Year: 2019

Wow did 2018 fly by?! This year was definitely one for the books and went by so fast. It’s crazy to think about where my life is now verses 2 years ago. So much has changed and, honestly, I have really changed. When I first started this blog a little over two years ago I was so confused about what direction I wanted my life to go in. I didn’t know where I wanted to live or what career path I wanted to take, and I think, that was partly because I didn’t completely know who I was. I didn’t know what to do to make myself happy.

From 2015 to the end of 2016 I was just so confused and my mind was spinning in a million different directions. I had tried moving states, different jobs, working out more, making pros and cons lists and nothing was helping to ease my anxiety or any of the life decisions I was trying to make. Finally I just said, “Fuck it, why am I doing all of these things that don’t make ME (the most important person in my life) happy?”. That is when I started making decisions truly for myself (and Mason of course 🙂 ). And that decision was probably the most important (and best) decision I have ever made.

Fast forward to now, the beginning of 2019… I am happy. I made the decisions I needed to in my life to truly make me happy. It was really hard, but in the end trusting myself (and my gut at times) to truly do what was best for me was really the best for me.

Dog Mom Tip #26: Don’t be afraid to trust yourself. You are the one who knows yourself (and your pup) best. You are the one is in control of your happiness.

Cabin Fever

Who doesn’t love to snuggle?! I know I do… especially in the seasons of colder weather. Mason loves to snuggle too and with him being almost 100lbs, he is like a human basically (which obviously makes for the best cuddle partner 🙂 ). Shawn (my boyfriend) also loves to snuggle, so we are obviously big cuddlers in our house hold. One small problem… we only have a queen size bed.

We can all fit in the bed together comfortably. However, the biggest problem with having a queen size bed is Shawn moves around a lot so he always ends up kicking Mason out of the bed at some point during the night. I hate this. It seriously breaks my heart when I wake and Mason is no longer cuddled up like a donut beside me. But I mean what can you? Maybe Santa will bring us a King size bed for Christmas?! haha doubtful, but we can keep our fingers crossed for the day we are able to upgrade!

On another note, we are sooo excited for Christmas this year (we have all really been in the Holiday spirit). We will all be heading down to my parents on Sunday and will be spending Christmas Eve Eve and Christmas Eve with my Family. And then heading to Indiana to spend Christmas Day with Shawns’ family.

With that being said, we hope everyone gets the chance to spend time with their loved ones and make wonderful new memories over this Holiday season.

Dog Mom Tip #25: You and your pup are never too old to believe in magic (or Santa Claus :)) … Merry Christmas!

Colder Weather

The time has come… the warm weather is gone and fall is officially in full swing. I personally HATE the colder weather, however, Mason is a big fan of it. He loves being outside in the cooler weather and laying out on our patio. Which means he is constantly wanting to go outside.

The hardest part of being a dog mom in the colder weather is you constantly have to layer up to go outside. Extra sweat shirts, sweat pants, socks, warm shoes, jackets, gloves, scarves, hats, etc. It is exhausting honestly, but it is a must because I hate being cold. However, one thing that makes this process a little easier and less time consuming is to have my “dog walking clothes” set out for the week and kept by the door either hanging up with the dog leashes and poop bags or in this cute little basket I have by the door.

This way I am not running up and down stairs and constantly searching for the items I want to wear to walk Mason and I am keeping them organized. Mason is not very patient waiting on me, so anything that streamlines the process of getting out the door, I know, is much appreciated by him.

Dog Mom Tip #24: Remember, your dog gets stress out too. So anything you do to make their lives less stressful/easier is much appreciated by them.

HELP: Calling all pup parents!

Okay… I need some advice. As you all know, Mason HATES the vet. And I am really struggling with how to handle that situation. He is due for his shots that are needed for him to be boarded/go to doggie daycare. Plus his nails are desperately in need of a trim!

The problem with going to the vet is not only that Mason despises it, but that it is very expensive. Mason gets so anxious when we go to the vet he has to be put to sleep (which is very costly, about $400, because he is so big and they have to double dose him). So, as you can imagine we avoid going to the vet at all cost, but the time has come where it is needed.

I have considered using a mobile/ at home vet service, but this makes me nervous as well. I guess just because it is something new and I don’t know how Mason will react. I have heard good things about it from a friend who has used an “at home vet” service before. However, that is the only the account I have really heard of personally of someone using a mobile/at home vet service for their pup who has anxiety regarding the vet.

Have any of you all used a mobile/at home vet service before?!

I would love to hear about your experiences and any tips you may have for dog with anxiety regarding the vet. Please help!!

Dog Mom Tip # 23: Don’t be afraid to ask for help/advice regarding your pup. Sometimes we dog moms don’t have all the answers and need a little guidance from time to time.

Withdraws

As you all know, I HATE being without Mason. He is my comfort. Today is day 4 without him and I am having some serious withdraw issues. They were supposed to be replacing our sliding glass doors at our loft yesterday. So I met my mom Saturday afternoon with Mason so he did not have to be home during the construction.

I was so ready to get Mason back yesterday, however, because of the weather they had to reschedule replacing our doors to today. I had to spend another night without my baby cakes. I know they can’t help the weather and Mason of course enjoys being at my parents with Tessa, but I can’t help to feel selfish and want him back with me now haha

I am really trying hard to be patient, but it hard. Our house doesn’t feel like a home without Mason. I am missing him terribly, but I am going to have to wait till tonight to get him back. It is seriously crazy what a difference it makes not having Mason there… it changes my whole mood (in a not so good way). Luckily, Shawn has been extra snuggly to make up for Mason not being there with us 🙂

Do any of the rest of you all have separation anxiety from your pups? Or am I just a crazy dog mom?

Dog Mom Tip #22: It’s okay to be a crazy dog mom… they are our fur babies ♥

Light of my Life

We always love a chance to celebrate anything… especially Americas’ Birthday! 4^th of July is such a fun holiday and always a great time to get friends and family together. However, it definitely is NOT one of Mason’s favorite holidays, that’s for sure!

Mason HATES fireworks. He is terrified of the loud noises and the dramatic effects that come with them. A few years ago we made the mistake of taking him on a walk on the evening of the 4^th of July. This did not go over well… at all. The fireworks started to go off and he got scared, slipped his harness and hide under a car. It took almost a whole bag of treats to get him out from under the car. This year we will be taking a few precautions to make sure Mason is all safe and sound from the “scary” fireworks.

We will be doing his night night potty walk before dusk. This way we can avoid being outside during any firework shows.
Mason will have his favorite blanky and toys by his side. This way he can feel secure in his surroundings.
When the fireworks begin and he starts to get anxious, I am going to take him out on our patio to try to show him that everything is okay and he is not in danger. Mason is very smart so I am hoping this is helpful in showing him there is no need for him to stress out.
We are going to make sure and have Benadryl handy just in case it does get too stressful for Mason. We have consulted with our vet so we know this is safe to give to Mason and works for him to control his anxiety in stressful situations.
We are going to skip on going out to watch fireworks this year and watch them with friends from our apartment. Mason always feels the most comfort when he is with us so we are hoping we can be his “security blanket”.

Hopefully these few tricks will help Mason be stress free this 4^th of July. If you guys have any other helps hints, we would LOVE to hear them.

Dog Mom Tip #21: Sometimes we have to give up things we want to do to be there for our pups. However, you have to remember it is all worth to know they are happy and safe.

Report Card

I am happy to report this weekend was a success… for both Mason and myself! You all know how nervous I was about Mason getting boarded for the weekend. However, as soon as we arrived at For Paws Unleashed, almost all my fears disappeared.

My mom and I took Mason and Tessa together Friday morning. I thought it would make Mason feel more comfort to have Tessa by his side, and I was definitely right. As soon as we walked in, Mason was, of course, stuck to me like glue. He would not leave my side and I could tell he was suspicious about what was getting ready to happen. However, all the staff immediately came up to him and started loving on him making him feel right at home.

As we started to say our goodbyes and the staff began to take Mason and Tessa back, Mason started to resist. He kept trying to pull away from them and come back to me (this is so hard to see as a mom 🙁 ). I then asked if I could walk back with him to make the transition easier. The staff let me walk part of the way back until we got to the “staff only” area. Mason then walked straight through the door and didn’t even look back. My mom and I finished filling out the paper work and as we were walking out to leave, we could see Mason and Tessa outside already playing with their cousins Hank and Bennie! In that moment, my anxieties completely vanished and we were off to Norris Lake for a great weekend.

If you haven’t been to Norris Lake, you are definitely missing out! This was my first trip there and I can tell you it definitely won’t be my last. The lake was SO beautiful and clear, you could literally see 20 feet down. We spent the weekend hanging out with family, playing on the Lily Pad, fishing, hanging out at the Tiki bar and riding on inner tubes and boats! It was seriously a blast!

When we went to pick the pups up Monday morning, I was a little nervous to hear Masons’ report. The staff said Mason was un-trusting at first, but seeing them with Tessa and using her to lead Mason was a big help. He ended up warming right up, playing great in his play groups and having an awesome time.

I am just so thrilled with how this past weekend went. It could not have went better for both Mason and I. We faced our fears and I am not longer worried about traveling without Mason.

Dog Mom Tip # 20: Your pup reads and reacts off of your emotions, so be brave and don’t be afraid to face your fears.

Weekend Getaway ♥

So this is a big week for us! With summer in full swing we are heading to Norris Lake this weekend with my family. I am so excited to be out on the water and enjoy the sunshine. We are staying at a super cute Airbnb on the water, however, there is one HUGE downfall… No dogs allowed 🙁

As you all know, I love taking Mason everywhere with me. And it honestly gives me anxiety not being with him… He is my comfort. Usually when we travel out of town Mason always stays at my parents, however, this time we are all going out of town. So Mason is getting boarded.

I am super nervous about this. Mason has been boarded before, but not in like two years and he has never been boarded here in Kentucky. Mason is so weird about meeting dogs on the leash and gets anxious in new places. I am hoping since my parents dog (Tessa) and two of my cousins’ dogs (Bennie and Hank) are all going to be boarded there as well, Mason might feel more at home.

I got him an upgraded room with a TV (I thought the noise might be comforting to him) and will also be bringing his favorite blanky and toy squirrel. I am not sure what else to do to make his stay this weekend go seamlessly as well as me not having to stress about him and enjoy our family lake trip.

I would LOVE any tips or tricks you all use for your pups when boarding them to eliminate their separation anxiety and to make them feel more at home.

Dog Mom Tip #19: Separation anxiety is a real thing for not only our furry friends, but also for us dog parents as well. Be sure to take the proper actions to make you both feel comfortable when apart.

I will be sure to update you all on how our weekend getaway goes with both us and Mason ♥

Where do we go from here…

I’m sorry I haven’t posted in a while. I have honestly started at least five posts and just haven’t been able to finish them. I guess what I am struggling with is what direction I want this blog to go. I really enjoy writing about my life/mason, but is there such as disclosing too much? I guess I have started to question if people will get mad at me if I write about things I truly feel… but wasn’t that the whole point of me starting this blog?

I don’t know why I always craw back into this shell of me caring what people really think about me or being scared that people will get mad at me. It is something I think I have struggled with my whole life… feeling like I have to make everyone like me. I think I would be considered what they call a “people pleaser”.

But why do I really care if I please everyone? Especially people who don’t like me for me and don’t even respect my opinion. That’s why I started this blog to be able to express how I think and feel freely. I am going to continue to write about Mason/dog tips and my life experiences. However, I am thinking of incorporating my career and adding a design section to my blog… what do you all think?

Dog Mom Tip #18: You can’t make everyone happy, so only worry about those who truly care about you too… like your pup 🙂

Out with the old, in with the new

Wow, can you believe 2017 is over? I definitely can’t. 2017 was full of lots of love and laughter, but it also came with its share of pain and heartache. Of course I know life can never be perfect, but it doesn’t keep the painful things that happen from still hurting.

This past year I would say the most painful experiences have been losing a few friendships that I thought would be life long. I thought these were people who would stand beside me no matter what happened in life. However, they proved to be the opposite. They abandoned me when I needed them most. Which really really hurt and it still does honestly.

However, through losing these friends, I gained life experiences. I have definitely been guilty of being “too nice” to people. And after this, I found out I don’t have to be nice to everyone. I found out how confident and strong I can be. How I can stand up for what I believe in and how I am not going to let people walk all over me.

Even though losing these close friendships was devastating, in the big scheme of things, I don’t think they were ever truly friends anyways. Here is to a New Year and fresh start❣

Dog Mom Tip # 17: Always cherish those who are your true friends, including your pup.