I Think My Dog Hates Everyone Being At Home Just As Much As I Do

Before the world turned completely upside down, pets had just as much of a daily routine as their owners, but their lives have also changed. Despite the fact that you're now home with them 24/7, a day in the life of a dog in quarantine might not be everything they ever dreamed of. My own dog is living proof of this, and on National Pet Day, I feel like I need to honor his... frustrations.

Just like in the movie The Secret Life Of Pets, many pets are quite used to the ability to do as they please when their owners are at work all day. Thanks to coronavirus, pets everywhere are experiencing a disruption in their normal day. Some hilarious pet parents have even taken to Twitter to share their pet's thoughts on the new state of things.

Our family's 1-year-old dog Obi (yes, like Obi Wan Kenobi) is not exempt to this trend. I've noticed quite the change in our beloved little dachshund/chihuahua mix. He has developed somewhat of an attitude since being at home with us all throughout the past few weeks, and it is less-than-fun.

Pre-pandemic, I worked from home writing while my kids attended school and my husband would head to work mid-afternoon each day. Now, we're all here. All. The. Time.

Obi definitely has some big feelings about our new quarantine routine:

8:00 a.m.- "Whyyy aren't they awake yet? They used to wake up sooo much earlier. I'm hungry. I should whine a bit so the little ones will hear me and wake up the big people."

8:01 a.m.- "Whining for a solid minute didn't work. Time to bark."

Before quarantine, Obi would spend the majority of the day curled up at the end of the ottoman where I rest my feet while I write and keep my toes warm. He stayed pretty chill all day, save for the occasional stretch or stroll around the living room. (My preferred work space when my kids were still going to school each day and I had the house to myself for seven glorious hours.)

9:00 a.m.- (In the living room) "Where is she? Did she forget about me?" (Walks to bedroom)

9:01 a.m.- "Ooooh, she's at her desk again. That must mean the little ones didn't go to school... again. Guess I should go nose around in their room and knock over their LEGO creations. Better yet, let me garble up some tiny pieces. They're big enough for me to sound like I'm choking on them, but small enough that I can poop them out later. They might *think* I need to go to the emergency vet, but it will be a wasted trip."

Just like my work-from-home routine has changed (Yes, I'm now cramped up at a desk in the corner of my bedroom. Help me.), Obi's daily routine has changed as well. My two boys are home all day every day now, and quite honestly they have been a terrible influence on my dear, sweet dog. He sees them running amok, being loud and joins right in. They get bored and mess with him, he gets mad and pees on the floor. The stress of it all is maddening.

10:30 a.m. - "Is that an Amazon delivery next door? Time to bark as loud as possible for the next five minutes until the coast is clear. They might be trying to infect my people. Can't have that."

Noon- "Those little kids are eating again. I'm not. Must nip at their feet until they feed me sandwich crust."

12:01 p.m.- "Just got kicked in the face by the 5-year-old. He didn't want to share his lunch. Time to go chew on the couch cushions in retaliation."

I'm constantly having to play referee between the dog and the kids. Half of the time, I can keep the boys entertained with their iPads and the TV, but this does not appease Obi. Obi thinks they should be his constant playmates now that they're here all day, and gets super frustrated when they don't oblige.

3:00 p.m. - "Time for a long walk! Must pull on my leash as hard as possible so we can walk as fast as the little ones are riding their scooters. GO FASTER, MOM!"

4:15 p.m.- "Little ones are watching TV... again. Nope. Not on my watch. BARK. PLAY WITH ME. BARK. PLAY WITH ME. BARK. PLAY WITH ME." (Spins in circles as fast as possible, jumps on couch, runs through more LEGO creations, then leisurely drags butt across living room carpet.)

Sometime between dinnertime and bedtime, I usually feel like I'm just going to lose it after all of the day's chaos. But honestly, I think this is Obi's favorite time of day. We go for another walk, he gets plenty of attention from me and the kids, and things are basically back to normal for him. It's like everyone's come home from school and finished the work day like before.

Quarantine may not be my favorite way of life, but things will hopefully return to some sort of normal at some point. I know Obi will be just as happy as I am when he can finally spend his days curled up at my feet again.