#179 - My Dog Is Burning Me Out

“I did not sign up for this.” It’s the one little sentence that flashes in your brain as you clean up another accident, watch your dog blow up over the sounds of a car door three blocks away, or spend yet another Friday night at home alone. It’s one little sentence that sends you, and pet parents all over the world, into the pit of guilt, despair, and shame. This week, Emily is joined by Valerie Bogie, Veterinary Social Worker, Pet Harmony team member, and overall empathetic badass. Valerie walks through what caregiver burden, burnout, and compassion fatigue actually are (versus normal stress), why "just push through it" makes things worse, and what to do instead.If you’ve ever found yourself crying in the bathroom over your pet’s behavior, you’re not alone, and there is help out there. TLDL (too long, didn’t listen): 3 Key Takeaways 1️⃣ You’re not alone – New research found that among dog owners managing behavior challenges, 78% met criteria for elevated caregiver burden, 53% reported feeling alone, and 40% reported social isolation. 2️⃣ Pushing through doesn’t build resilience, for you, or your pet – Life is a rollercoaster, and you need the release at the top, not just to keep climbing… forever.3️⃣ "Name it to tame it" is a real thing – One small thing at a time will lead to large lasting changes.For the full episode show notes, including the resources mentioned in this episode, go here.Amazon Affiliate StorefrontFind products we recommend at the Pet Harmony Amazon Storefront.As an Amazon Associate, Pet Harmony earns from qualifying purchases.More from Pet HarmonyPet Parents: enrichment ideas and practical behavior tips📸 Instagram & Facebook: @petharmonytrainingPet Pros: relatable moments and support for your work with pets and their people📸 Instagram & TikTok: @petharmonypro📬 Sign up for our weekly newsletter: https://petharmonytraining.com/join/Subscribe & ReviewIf this episode resonated with you, please take a moment to subscribe and review. It helps more pet parents and pros find us. Thanks for being here! 💛If you're a pet professional thinking about joining our PETPro mentorship program, we're hosting an open house!It's totally free, live, unscripted, and us being 100% ourselves while helping our people, so you can see if you like working with us in real time as much as you do listening to us on our podcast.Go to https://petharmonytraining.com/experience to sign up. Come see if we're full of