As I write this, it’s Lyra’s third day with us.
She’s napping in her bed next to me while I work, soft lo-fi beats playing in the background, and my cup of coffee is still hot.

But don’t be fooled by this scene of serenity.

The weeks leading up to getting her, her first few hours, first night and, as I foresee, many more moments to come have been high-alert, high-stress.

I’m discovering the world of puppy-parenthood, and it feels like a full-time job and then some. I’m also discovering that so much of raising her is about dealing with stress.

Her stress. My stress. My partner’s stress.

Hers is primal: new noises, new places, new people, the fear of abandonment. Much of training her is teaching her to self-soothe, to enjoy her own company and that of others, and to approach new situations with curiosity rather than fear. (Treats are a game changer.)

For us, it’s different.

Our stress more abstract: worrying for her wellbeing, the existential question of whether we’re good puppy parents, trying to decipher every clue in her behaviour and health.

But really, it comes down to the same thing: fear of the unknown.

It’s our first time as puppy-parents, and our whole life has been turned upside down.
So now we need to learn to self-soothe, to enjoy her company, and to approach new situations with curiosity.

Who is training whom?

Much of our human stress is exactly that: a primal response to an abstract world.
Bringing it back to its essence is the key to dealing with it.

And just like training a puppy, it’s all about repetition, repetition. Treat.

Wish me luck!

PS

Has something new ever turned your life upside down? I’d love to hear what it taught you.

Meet Lyra :)