Hey guys! Today’s blog post is all about Owen! Ever since I became a mom to my human kiddos I definitely feel like it’s harder to give Owen as much attention now that he has new siblings. But I honestly make an effort every day to sit and play with him and show him how much he is loved! So many people told me that my dog Owen would be less of a priority to me once I had kids – it’s honestly shocking how many people said that! The truth is, I love my FIRST fur baby just the same. I even care more about his wellbeing now that I have to share my attention with his new siblings.. So today on my blog I thought it would be a great idea to share three things Kevin and I have done to try making sure Owen remains a priority in our lives! And gets the attention he deserves! I also mentioned on my blog early this week that I am ditching the weight loss resolution this year and instead I’m focusing on accepting myself as I am by taking care of myself mentally and physically in 2019. So I feel like all of these things I am doing with Owen are helping me do just that! I hope they help some of you too! And I want to be upfront that this post has been graciously sponsored by Kibbles ‘n Bits! I received product and compensation, but all opinions are mine!
So here’s what we’ve been doing with Owen…
Family Walks
This might sound like a totally obvious idea, but go on family walks! The reason it seems obvious is because it’s one of the easiest and best things you can do for everyone in your family. Owen absolutely loves going on walks just like any other dog out there. He’s even figured out that when we spell the word W-A-L-K, it means he’s going out on walk. Ha! He’s one smart cookie!
And he’s not the only one that likes going on walks, our daughter Molly loves it too! She’s always begging to go outside no matter what time of day it is! She’ll come in from a full day at the park and still want to go on a walk. This girl loves being outside.
And our infant Riley also benefits from being outside. Towards the later part of the day, around 5 PM, he starts getting really fussy. I think he’s just tired and getting ready to go to bed around 6/6:30. So to keep him from getting too fussy, putting him in the baby carrier and taking him outside really helps! So, as you can see, going on a walk not only for benefits our poochie, but it’s also great for our kids!
And what parent out there has time to exercise by themselves these days?! Or at least exercise as much as you want to. So a family walk benefits everyone because everybody gets out and gets some exercise. And exercise is so important for my mental well being. When my body moves, I just feel better. It changes my entire day. And I honestly think Owen’s very favorite part of the day is when we go on our family walks, too. He gets a morning walk and evening walk before bed as well. But the family walks when we’re all together are definitely his favorite.
Get the Kids involved
One way we’ve been able to continue to give Owen love and attention is by getting Molly involved with the things we do with him. As I just mentioned, we go on family walks a lot. But we also have made it Molly‘s responsibility to feed him to get her move involved in his everyday care. So now she feels like he’s her responsibility and therefore, she wants to be around him all the time! One of the things she does every morning is give him his food. It’s so cute! I have this scoop that we use to measure out his food and I’ll fill it up and hand it to her. Then she’ll walk ever so slowly and carefully over to his bowl to put the food in making sure not to drop one piece! She takes this job very seriously! Ha!
At first, she wasn’t super into feeding him because she would put food in his bowl and he wouldn’t touch it. Owen has always been super particular about his food and really picky! So I think it would feel disheartening to Molly when she would try to feed him and he would walk away. Bless her little heart! But now that we give him Kibbles n Bits, he’s so much more excited to eat it and Molly gets the gratification of seeing him enthusiastically eat the food she just put in his bowl. Plus, it gives him 100 % nutrition and a balanced diet for a grown poochie (yes, we call him poochie!) – which works for me! Btw – he eats and loves the Bacon and Steak flavor.
Take a Nap Together
As I get older, I am realizing how much a nap can totally change my day. And as parents to human children, it’s hard to find time for yourself never mind set aside extra special time for your fur baby. So by taking a nap together you really kill two birds with one stone! I remember before we had kids, Owen and I would snuggle up on the couch or in bed for hours on Sunday afternoons. After kids, I really missed that! I remember random times during the day when I got a moment to sit on the couch and Owen would come snuggle up by my legs and it would give me such a feeling of nostalgia. It made me sad that we didn’t do that anymore.
So now, I’ve started making time for myself to take a nap once every week or two. Kevin will take the kids and I’ll grab Owen and head upstairs to take a mid-afternoon nap. I know it means a lot to Owen! And honestly it means a lot to me too! Getting the exercise he needs is important, but giving him the love and affection he deserves is just as important! And you get a MUCH needed nap as a parent to kiddos! Ha!
Well that’s all I have for now. I hope all you pet parents out there find this helpful to connect more with your fur baby and as a bonus, feed your soul – even on the days when you are stretched thin. In 2019, I am already on my way to a happier, healthier me and I think Owen is too! How do you stay connected with your poochie? Any other tips for me? I always want Owen to know he is part of the family and so so so loved!
Ahh, Owen is so adorable! I don’t have a dog myself but I’ve always wanted one. Too bad, dogs aren’t allowed where I live 🙁
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
http://charmainenyw.com
Maybe you can get one in the future one day! They are the best!
So adorable. My Memphis looks so much like Owen.
Are you going to be doing a bachelor blog?
Hi Ali! You re so right! Unfortunately after my granddaughter was born, my beagles took a back seat to her. I recently decided I needed to give them all the attention they used to get and I am so LOVING it! My granddaughter loves dogs so it’s working out beautifully. They love being around her because she is always walking around with food, and beagles LOVE to eat HA!
Love your blogs, you are so real. Keep up the good work and Happy New Year to you and your beautiful family. 🙂
I think our doggies getting put on the back burner is common for many of us when kids and grandkids come in the picture! That’s why I am hoping people read this blog post. I think we need to actively remind ourselves to love on our for babies each and every day!
Owen is such a cute dog! What breed is he! We also love dogs and our Siberian husky is 3 years old! The kids love playing with him outside and taking him for walks at the park!
He is a mix. We got him from a rescue. His momma is a Manchester terrier. They didn’t know who dad was. But we did a doggie DNA test and it said he has chihuahua in him!
Ali, he looks like the doggie in the Hallmark movies! 💜
awwwww!
Love this post! I also love that Owen is a mix of two of my favorite breeds – terrier and chihuahua 🙂 Another thing I think is important is letting your dog socialize with other dogs if/when they can, like during walks or trips to a dog park.
My husband and I aren’t planning on having baby humans anytime soon, but we do have a baby dog…and you’re right, that doesn’t stop people from telling us “Just wait until you have kids, you won’t even know you have a dog!” I know there’s no harm meant by that comment, but I could write a blog about my thoughts on it (I’m sure you and other followers could too)!
Isn’t it so funny how people say that? I don’t get it!!! When I got home from NYC yesterday I was sooooo excited to see Owen! And well, everyone else was asleep and he was the only one to greet me. Ha!
Ali. Love it.
We have a rescue as well and he is part of our family just as much as he was before we had our baby.
What doggie dna test you did?at the vet!
Gosh I don’t remember. We did the test like 5 years ago right after we adopted him. I’ll try to find it in emails.
I HATED when people would tell me my dogs (who are my other children and loved beyond measure) would take a back seat. One thing I have found to be so comforting and rewarding is having our dogs come upstairs with us while we play with our 10 month old in his room. Our dogs are gigantic so they take up some space but my son and the dogs love it.
I have started to let the dogs in his room while I put him down for a nap. In my mind, any extra time together, even if we are not actively playing, is beneficial.
My son starts his day by leaning down and kissing each dog and letting them lick his face. His face LIGHTS up. The dogs even get a kiss before I do haha The bond between a child and dog is so very special!
Owen ALWAYS comes in Molly’s room when we do stories at the end of the day. Riley comes too. We read stories as a family!
Cute post! I am a proud dog mom, but not a mom to humans yet! So many people have told me that the dog would take the high road when we do have babies. I am told this SO many times that I am going to make sure that it does not happen! We love our pup! I’m glad that when you had Molly (and now Riley) that Owen still received all the love and attention. I am sure it does take adjusting, but I’m excited to see how our dog interacts with our babies (one day)! 🙂
Definitely takes adjusting, but there is time, room, and enough love for everyone!!!!
I LOVED reading this! About to have my first human baby and with everyone telling me how much less attention and love my fur baby will get it makes me so so sad. I think you’re right… you have to continue to make your fur baby a priority and feel loved. I can’t wait to see fur baby be a great big brother to his new little sister 💜
Congratulations on having your first baby! You are going to be in awe of motherhood! It’s a trip!
Thank you for the post about Owen! I am due with our first baby in less than a month and have been SO emotional about our two dogs! Worried they will feel less loved & about how they will adjust as they have always been our babies and are pretty spoiled! So many people tell us the same thing that they wont matter as much when we have our baby & i was worried i was being naive thinking theres no way that could be true.. so glad to hear its not for you guys & for Owen! I cried at Christmas just because it was their last one being the center of attention! Haha! 🙈❤️🐶
We had similar feelings before our granddaughter was born. She ended up living with us. Our rescue was her advocate even in utero. Mom was diabetic and needed insulin. He would cover mom’s belly and growl when I came to give her shots. I had to put him out for everyone’s safety. Once she was born we couldn’t forget him. He was everywhere she was. We didn’t let him in her room while she was still in the crib, but he slept across her doorway. So he got all the extra loving a newborn would get. Our only problem was he was tall enough to put his muzzle on the changing table and he would eat the strings off all her bibs.! He definitely stayed a very important part of the family.
yes, Owen will always be your first baby!! I think your kiddos would love celebrating his birthday/gotcha day!!
I needed this, thank you ! I am pregnant with my first babe, and I keep hearing that from people too. My pup Heidi means the world to me and my husband, and I want to make sure she knows how much she is still loved after the baby is here. Walks and naps, sounds good to me!
Lovely photos! I love all the little things you are doing to spend more time with Owen. but have you even checked the ingredients on this food? It does not sound like a great food for dogs. I am really shocked that you would choose this food over all the other great foods that are out there for dogs nowadays. Corn, Soybean meal, … and thousands other ingredients that cannot even be pronounced!
Didn’t post my comment, I see.
Don’t think people don’t share my opinion, because they do. And their comments probably aren’t being posted either.
I’m actually 6 months pregnant right now with my first, and I hear all of the time how my two dogs won’t matter once I have our son. It’s become my biggest pregnancy pet-peeve, and I know things will change once he’s here but know I’ll always do my best to make sure they feel loved and are well taken care of. I’ve followed you since day 1, and have noticed that since you’ve had kids you’ve always still made time to post about him and include him in your photos! So thanks for sharing these new photos with you and Owen, and that it’s possible to take care of the whole family!
❤️🐾❤️ Our kiddos are almost 30 and 34 and growing up, we always had one and then two dogs. Loving and taking care of pets is a wonderful way to teach your children responsibility, compassion, sympathy and kindness. Love that you and Kevin and Molly adore sweet Owen. I’ll bet Riley enjoys watching Owen, too?!❤️🐾
I don’t have any human children. Just my fur baby Vito! His love is unconditional. And I couldn’t love him more. Monday & Tuesday he goes to my nieces house where he gets to spend time w his 4 yr old human cousin Mason. They are best friends. Wednesday & Fridays he goes to doggie daycare. And Thursday are his day of rest. I so enjoy coming home to see how excited he is to see me, now matter how long I’ve been gone. And yes the walks we take together are so awesome. I’m so happy Owen brings so much joy to your whole family. Keep focusing on all that’s important Ali and thanks for always sharing with us. Have a blessed day.
Owen goes to doggie daycare sometimes too! So important for him to socialize with that other doggies! And he loves it! But he loses his MIND when we come back to pick him up! Ha!
Oh Ali! You are just the most nurturing and beautiful person to animals and babies! Just love you and your pretty blog!
Awww Debbie! You are the sweetest! Thank you! xoxox
Hi Ali!
I watched your story yesterday where you blogged out different workout clothes! If you read this, can you please post the link for the “never settle” workout top? I didn’t take it down during the story and now I can’t find it! PS: you and Owen are adorable! Thank you for sharing! Dogs really make our world go round ❤️
I think it may have sold out! Did you check fabletics website?
I did!!! Got it! Thank you!!! ❤️
I am a HUGE dog person! I love how much you love Owen. It shows and always has. He is obviously a very happy poochie.
Hen is the best poochie I know! In fact, I should go snuggle him now while the kiddos sleep!!! I will as soon as I am done commenting back to ya’ll!
I really love the way you take care of Owen even though you have a lot of responsibility with 2 children. I always worry about the doggies in a house with children. Parents are overwhelmed and do not find the time for them. It is wonderful that you have found a way to do both successfully.
So nice that you wrote about loving our pets. We had to put ours down earlier this year due to health issues. We still miss our Milo terribly but the memories of such a loving dog brings joy to our hearts. Yes, remember to love your fur babies because they’re only here on earth for a short time.
I am really pleased to read your article. I am a volunteer in cats sheletrs and SO MANY people abandon their pets! It saddens me and makes me angry.
Have a nice day.
Emeline (Paris, France)
I’m sure Kibbles N Bits is paying you for this post… are you really feeding this to Owen? It is one of the worst foods you could feed your dog. You might want to consider taking down this post so others dont think this is a good food. Read the ingredients.
Loved reading this as well as all your posts! I am expecting my first human baby in April and I am nervous as to how my fur baby is going to react. It has been just him and I for the past 6 years , so this will definitely be an adjustment for him.
Ali, grain free dog food is the way to go since dogs are carnivores. My vet. refers to most bagged dog food, “cancer in a bag.” There are much healthier choices out there for our fur babies. ❤
I wish I could nap with my furst baby now that I have an actual baby (almost 3 months old!), but he’s a Frenchie, and Lord, do they snore! Even when they’re awake! 😂 Also, disregard the above commenter because it’s been proven grain-free leads to heart disease in dogs. Nothing is wrong with dogs eating grain! 😊
Thank you so much for sharing this and loving Owen so well! We have 2 dogs (They are our world!!!) and I’m expecting our first baby (a surprise as we had always planned to just be pet parents haha) in May. I’m honestly terrified of how things will change for our girls and am so determined to make the transition easy for them and make sure they know they are still so loved!