I’ve gotten married last November, and from what I have seen for the past months, my dogs didn’t like it a bit. Well, maybe except for Sheero, who loved my husband, Marc. The other two, Harry and Choknat, hated the new setup—and they hated Marc.

As much as Marc loved dogs, he didn’t like having them inside the house—or at least inside the bedroom on the bed. My dogs were used to that (they used to sleep beside me). I actually felt them getting sad on my wedding day (seeing them watch me from the gate was pretty heart-breaking). Somehow, they knew that that day would change their lives.

Lucky for them, my husband and I live in the same house as my parents (our house is separated, but there are shared areas as well). I still got to be with them at least twice a day. But before they actually allowed that kind of setup (without whining and annoying the heck out of my dad), I made sure the transition wasn’t abrupt. I have known long before that there are dogs who don’t do well with abrupt changes. I don’t know if mine were, but from what I see, they seemed fine.

I’m guessing my dogs adjusted well due to these two reasons:

  1. The transition period was long. Marc was frequently visiting our home even before we got married, and stayed there for long hours. The dogs were used to seeing him. Aside from that, I didn’t transfer my computer room (where my dogs and I spent most of our time) immediately after getting married. Marc and I used that room for about a week or two before slowing transferring the equipment to our new home.
  2. They’re family. I think this was the biggest factor. Harry and Choknat are brothers, and they know it (I’ve seen these two stick up for one another). Sheero is their mom. I observed them from afar and saw how these three pooches amused themselves in my absense. They can play and enjoy one another’s company even without me. They don’t get bored.

Anybody out there who had the same experience with their pooches? Knowing about these little things can make a huge difference in your pet’s behavior you know!