Relaxing together

Written last night:

Today began tense, after a night sleeping on the floor due to a broken bed, and ended, is ending, oh so relaxed. 

I have Zing to thank.

Really, don’t you think  that when I relax Zing will too? I do. Then he won’t bark when left alone. 

Cassi, our dog trainer, seemed to think — no promises! — that it might not take long. 

Here’s the trick, if you’re a dog. (People may adapt the plan):

1. Listen to lots of calming music. (Cassi says classical; I like piano solos on Pandora).
2. Put four drops of calming liquid in your water bowl. 
3. Plug a calming device into a wall socket. You get it at the pet store. It looks like an air freshener and releases something good in the air. Humans can’t smell it, but dogs find it relaxing.
4. Curl up on your human’s lap. Preferably, she is lounging in the green velvet chair. 
5. Listen to the music, get stroked a lot. 
6. When you get tired of that, slide onto the ottoman and snooze while the human writes. You could also let her read. She shouldn’t talk, unless it is to say soothing words to you. 
7. Dim the lights. Close the doors to the other rooms so they don’t distract you.
8. Do this often. Do it now. 
9. Occasionally your human may have to leave, but all the other calming things will remain. 
10. Your human should leave you a treat that keeps you busy. If you don’t like her choice (such as peanut butter frozen inside a rubber toy),  let her know by not touching it (Humans can be slow but if you keep working with them they eventually get the idea.) Pretty soon you will have just what you want, like one of those bones filled with cheese. You enjoy the appetizer, then gnaw on a flavorful bone for hours.
11. What? 
12. Your human is back home … Don’t let on, but you never missed her.