Caring for a new puppy after a pet loss as an occupation

Previously I told you about a father who recovered his life energy through taking care of a new puppy. He was badly depressed from the loss of his family dog. By engaging in care of the young puppy that his family welcomed into their home, he recovered purpose and energy in his daily life in his old age. 

Using the perspective of occupation, I would like to analyze the occupation of taking care of the puppy through the perspective of

  the form of the occupation of taking care of the puppy,

the function of the occupation and

the meaning of the occupation.

First, let’s imagine how the dad spent days with puppy.

Situation

Misato’s dad retired in his eighties and enjoyed a peaceful life. But their family dog passed away after 17 years of loving companionship. This depressed the dad, who stopped going out, but when he stayed home saying that he felt lonely. He lost an important purpose in life, caring for his longtime companion dog in his retirement. Misato, her mom, and her sister worried about him and decided to get a new dog for him.　

The form of the occupation:

When the rest of the family welcomed a toy poodle puppy, the dad started taking care of the puppy himself. He was always with the puppy, paying attention to it, adjusting the temperature of the room for it, feeding it and potty-training. He worked with the puppy on a daily basis. Now, the puppy is always next to the dad watching TV programs. Misato's dad enjoys playing with the puppy with a doggie toy. When the puppy indicates it wants to get on his lap, her dad lifts it onto his lap, smiling to it in pleasure.

Now he goes walking with the puppy outside, and he enjoys interacting with the neighbors about the puppy. Dad and the puppy are very friendly and always together. They look happy to be together, almost like a granddad and his grandchild. The occupation of taking care of the puppy frames his life. Keeping it busy, stable and fulfilling. The puppy belongs to Dad and the family and has a good life. Misato's dad has recovered a purpose back into his life.     

The function of the occupation

Losing the family dog after 17 years together, Misato's dad lost an important purpose in his daily life. He became depressed, and lost his pleasure in and energy for life.

When the puppy showed up, due to the planning of his family, the dad began taking care of it. Caring for the puppy gave him a purpose in his daily life.　Caring for the puppy helped him shape his own routines in the morning and in the afternoon. His life is not empty any more, but is busy enough for someone in his late 80's years. His life shifted from a one with nothing to do any more to one that was a full and peaceful life.

 He also recovered a social life in his neighborhood, when walking outside with the puppy and greeting and interacting with the neighbors. Taking care of the puppy helped him realize that he is needed, useful, and valuable to others. The puppy’s being with him and growing healthily promotes his self-confidence and gives him hope to live for tomorrow. Through taking care of the puppy, he gains a purpose in life, recovers his wellbeing and reestablishes a peaceful life in old age.   

The meaning of the occupation

For the dad, taking care of the puppy is the first step of recovery from an otherwise empty life. He chose to step forward and get engaged in caring. He always pays attention to it to meet the puppy's needs. Being with the puppy much of the time, playing with it and walking with it, he is happy and confident. They always enjoy the mutual interactions of his caring tasks. Repeating and accumulating these activities in their everyday life, they make their daily routines and establish a fulfilling life. Caring reshapes his routines in morning, afternoon and evening, and establishes a peaceful and fulfilling life in his old age.

Caring is co-occupation. Co-occupation is an occupation which multiple participants are engaged in, act mutually and influence each other. The participants share events and experiences. Caring and being cared for show the dynamic features of co-occupation. Participants (even human and pets) can become familiar and responsible, and learn to trust and understand each other. Through caring and being cared for, Misato's dad and the puppy grow closer and trust each other, somewhat like a granddad and his grandchild. 

The occupation of caring shapes their daily routines and also constructs a stable and fulfilling life for them. Misato's dad lost a major purpose in his life for a while after the death of the longtime family pet. But now he is quite busy, caring for the puppy. The emptiness that occupied him has disappeared. Watching the puppy eating the food he feeds it, playing around his feet, being playful with him, or even sleeping nicely next to him, her dad has found himself useful and happy. He is confident that he has something to offer the family and looks forward to his future life with the puppy.  

Through this co-occupation, the dad and the puppy established a trustful and peaceful occupational place that works for them to develop and maintain their well-being.