goldiilocks

I've noticed that my dog is much more affectionate and happy when I am sober. When I was always drinking I would go into this dark place full of sadness, and he would just lay in the corner and look sad too. Now when I wake up every day sober and full of life, he runs to me, licks my face and it's almost as if he is saying, "You're back! You're still with me! Yay!". And then he tries to climb on my lap, not a comfortable task since my dog is 90 pounds. Anyone else have this experience with their animals?

Chuck48

I now take my dog on much longer walks and spend more time with him, so he rewards me with much more affection than he did in the past!

JJay

My pup knew when I was drinking. She wanted no part of me. Usually she's cuddled up right next to me every night but if I'm passed out drunk in bed she won't even come in the room.

goldiilocks

Thats how my dog is JJ. He would always try to stay away from me, and I was never an angry drunk, but I am guessing he could tell that something was "off".

hollowx

Pets can sense these things. I used to have a dog and he would like when I was sober the most too.

JJay

I wasn't normally an angry drunk either. I just think she could sense something was "off" and that this wasn't the owner she's grown to love and adore when I had been drinking.

JJay

Wow, I didn't realize I had almost said what you said word for word

Taking5

Animals are a lot more sensitive and smarter than we give them credit for. They definitely know.

Xune

Maybe it has more to do that being present and sober, you're more aware, attentive and receptive to your pets?

Fandy

when i was 3.5 months sober (the first try), I adopted a little shelter dog...Sammy was 4.5 years old.

every time I've slipped (3X i think since feb. 2010), i always know that i HAVE to dust myself off and not keep drinking, because I have to take care of him....the cats tell me that they do not like the smell of booze too.

Scolova

My 9 month old dachshund has seen me angry, but has never seen me drunk and angry (big difference) Not that I would beat him, I was the type of drunkard to just sit around and yell the worst BS that popped into my head.. Resentment stuff.
My two year old dachshund knows about those days and I think he is grateful to have the 'sober me' around, he gets more walks now too.

goldiilocks

I think apart from the fact that they are really receptive, they can also smell the booze on us very easily and are able to recognize a pattern in our behavior associated with that smell. If you've had your dog long enough they remember how much happier their owner was when they weren't boozing it up and basically ruining themselves emotionally. I'm happy to see my baby happy. They say dogs are a reflection of their owners, as in, if you are always anxious so is the dog. I think there is a lot of truth in that. When I was drinking all of the time I was always either depressed or in a state of general despair. So maybe those emotions transferred to him.

Anna

My beautiful cat, Kimmy, knew when I wasn't 'there', and if it wasn't for her constant love for me (when everyone turned against me), I wouldn't be here. Rest In Peace my lovely girl.

MythOfSisyphus

I'm sure the can smell it on us, too. They have keen noses.

Rose2012

My little dog shows a lot more anxiety when I'm drinking, I only realized that the last few weeks because he was so zen for the 3 months when I was sober. I'm sure he picked up on my own anxiety, I feel so guilty about that.

Hevyn

I'm sure my mastiff appreciated me getting sober. I used to hurry through our walks (she was a puppy then) so I wouldn't have to be away from my stash too long. My lab would always stare at me - just steadily stare - as if to say, "I know what you're doing, and I'll try to protect you." It wasn't my imagination, because he doesn't do that now unless I have the flu or something .

least

My dogs knew when I was drinking cause I didn't give them the care they deserved. I'm glad to say the two dogs I have now have never known me drinking.

Fernaceman

Yep. Animals definitely know. Same experience happens to me. When I am actively using (especially drinking) my dogs or dogs I have contact with are scared to death of me. When I am not using, they love me. Goes to show everyone around me enjoys me a lot more sober.

God Bless.

wpainterw

Well, I've never had a 90 pound dog (the most I got was a 72 pound setter) but I agree that the dogs "know". I'm not sure they know that alcohol does what it does but they do know mood changes. And I'll bet it upsets them because, like kids, they probably think that it's because of something they've done.
Well, we're always told that recovery never works unless one does it for oneself. It won't work if you do it for your spouse, your parent- whatever! But, if you're a dogaholic like I am (chronic, irreversible, progressive and terminal pathological dog dependency) and you have to do it for someone, you'd best do it for the dog! You might have to go somewhere (like jail) where you couldn't have the dog. You might die and the dog would have another owner. You might drink and drive and kill the dog.
But I guess even those thoughts never worked for me. I had to do it for myself. Because I realized that this illness was making me miserable and was within a week or so of killing me. I was running out of time...
My current dog (weight only 25 pounds) has never seen me other than stone cold sober. I'm proud of that. He's proud of that. We're happy together He's small and may be lower but he's my Higher Power.

W.

Thepatman

My gold fish used to look at me worried I would drink it's aquarium dry. LOL