Filling My Dogs' Cups Before Mine Runs Empty

The next couple of weeks are going to be a little crazy.

Starting Sunday, I have 11 visits a day through Wednesday. It drops to eight visits on Thursday before climbing back up to 14 visits the following Sunday. Then it slowly tapers back down until I finally get my next weekend off on August 8.

I've done schedules like this before. In fact, I once did 17 visits in a single day. Never again. Fourteen is absolutely doable, but I know it's going to mean long days, quick meals, and very little time with my husband, kids, grandkids, or even my own pets.

As a professional pet sitter, that's one of the hardest parts of vacation season.

I'm spending my days making sure everyone else's pets are happy, exercised, and loved while my own dogs patiently wait for me to come home.

So before my schedule completely filled up, I wanted to do something just for them.

A Morning at Bark Park Omaha

We headed to Bark Park Omaha's Capehart Road location at 15306 Capehart Road in Springfield, Nebraska, just a short drive from Omaha.

If you've never heard of Bark Park Omaha, it's a private, members-only (or appointment-based) off-leash dog park and K9 social and athletic club.

Instead of hoping your dog gets along with whoever happens to show up, you reserve your own time slot. Once you're there, you have access to more than five acres of fenced property that is largely yours to enjoy. That means plenty of room to run, sniff, explore, and just be a dog without the crowds you often find at public dog parks.

The drive was easy, too. Most of Capehart Road is now paved, which is a nice improvement.

Exactly What They Needed

The second we walked through the gate, I knew I'd made the right decision.

Juniper took off hopping through the grass like a bunny. Then she'd stop, look at me, and come running back at full speed with the biggest smile on her face. Watching her run that fast made me laugh out loud.

Jedidiah had completely different plans.

He's a coonhound, so his nose was glued to the ground almost the entire visit. I think he tried to sniff every square inch of those five acres. He happily wandered from one scent to the next, making sure everyone knew he'd been there.

Could he have jumped the fence if he really wanted to? Probably. But he was having way too much fun inside the fence to even think about it.

Radar, our American dingo, was in his element. He lives to run, and this was exactly the kind of freedom he craves. Since his recall isn't reliable, I let him run until he was good and tired. Once he decided a treat sounded better than another lap around the field, he happily came back to me when we were ready to head home.

There was a small pool that could be filled so the dogs could cool off or grab a drink, plus a creek where they could splash around if they wanted. The morning was cool so we didn't utilize it that day.

If your dog wants to sprint across open fields, they can.

If they want to spend an hour with their nose glued to the ground, they can do that too.

If they want to wander through the tall grass or just quietly explore, there's room for that as well.

One Thing I'd Love to See

Nothing is perfect, and there was one thing that stood out to me.

I'd love to see more poop bag dispensers and trash cans throughout the property.

The only one I noticed was near the entrance, and it was completely out of bags. Luckily, I always keep extras in my car. But if someone forgot theirs, or needed another one after they'd already made it farther into the park, it's a long walk back, especially on a hot day.

More Than Just Exercise

People talk about spending quality time with their dogs, and usually that means going for a walk around the neighborhood or throwing a tennis ball in the backyard.

Those things are important.

But this felt different.

This was freedom.

This was exploration.

This was watching my dogs do exactly what they wanted to do.

As I watched them run, sniff, splash, and explore, I felt some of that guilt I'd been carrying disappear.

I know these next two weeks are going to be busy. I'll spend more time with my clients' pets than with my own.

But this morning reminded me that quality time doesn't always have to happen every single day. Sometimes it's about intentionally creating moments that fill their cup before life gets hectic.

And honestly, it filled mine too.

If You Go...

A few things I'd recommend bringing:

• Book your time slot ahead of time since appointments are required.

• Bring plenty of poop bags instead of relying on the dispenser.

• Wear shoes you don't mind getting muddy, especially if it's rained recently.

• Pack a towel or blanket for the drive home because wet paws happen.

• Bring fresh water and a few treats.

• Keep an eye on your dog's stamina. Five acres is a lot of space, and it's easy for them to run until they suddenly realize they're exhausted.

I know my dogs slept well after we got home.

And that's exactly what I was hoping for.

Now...let the busy season begin.