This Is Whose Blessing You Want to Get Before Starting a New Relationship

Dog Breeds For Busy People

If you’re in the office 24/7, yes, you can still have a fur baby — just not one that requires a lot of attention, exercise, and stimulation. Although these pets might not pounce on you as soon as you walk through the door, they’ll love you just as much as their more rambunctious counterparts. And they’re equally as cute — promise.

1. Bullmastiffs: With a tough-looking exterior, these pups are really softies and extremely loyal to their owners. They only need a couple of short walks and bathrooms breaks to get by because they’re far less energetic than other large breeds.

2.Basset Hounds: These adorably droopy doggos are super laid-back and easygoing. Because of this, they don’t get anxious or stressed when their humans aren’t around, even for hours at a time.

3. Pugs: It’s no secret that pugs aren’t sporting dogs. In fact, they love lounging on the couch (or bed if they’re allowed) and long naps. Even when you’re away, they’ll likely be curled up, waiting to cuddle upon your arrival.

4. Bull Terriers: This independent breed likes to keep busy, but that doesn’t mean they need constant attention. Toss ’em a toy, and they’ll be entertained for hours while you’re in and out of the house.

5. Chow Chows: Chow chows are known for that cat-like personality, which is what’s to thank for their ability to be left alone for a good portion of the day. They’re quiet, meaning they tend not to bark, and did we mention they’re totally cute?

6. Beagles: Take your beagle for a generous walk before and after work, and they’ll be set for the rest of the day. They’re intelligent and energetic, so, much like bull terriers, a toy will keep them preoccupied — and quiet — during the hours alone.

7. Peekapoos: Expect to be lavished with love and affection while you’re home (Peekapoos love their human time), but they are perfectly content being by themselves, too, especially when they have a toy to play with.

8. Lhasa Apsos: Unlike many other small breeds, the Lhasa Apso is stress-free. Tiny but mighty, these furry little friends are hard workers who will keep busy by quietly protecting your house during the day.

9. Golden Retrievers: Somewhat surprisingly, despite how much they love their humans, Goldens are pretty good at hanging solo. They’re highly trainable, so if you give them a task (say, guarding the house), they’ll be happy to do it when home alone.

10. Greyhounds: These racing dogs really love lazing. They spend a good deal of their time sleeping on the couch, so leaving them home during the day really just gives them the chance to do what they enjoy most​​

Dog Breeds For Flexible People

If you’re a stay-at-home parent, a freelancer, or simply in a profession that allows you to be at your house or apartment frequently, then these people-loving pups are a safe option for you. The smart, social, and active doggos in the following list would make a fun and vibrant addition to your day-to-day.

1. Labrador Retrievers: Unlike their golden counterparts, labs — the most popular dogs for families — require pretty constant companionship. Because of how social they are, they tend to struggle when left alone too long.

2.Border Collies: Border Collies are a brainy bunch. Their intelligence level means they become quickly bored without much mental stimulation. They are also high energy, so expect to reach for that leash pretty frequently.

3. Cavalier King Charles Spaniels: As companion dogs, this breed lives up to their purpose. They enjoy spending lots of time with people and even experience anxiety when they’re apart from their owners too long.

4. Jack Russell Terriers: This dog needs a human that’s as much of a bundle of energy as they are. To be happiest, this breed needs a lot of entertainment and physical activity. In fact, they often get into trouble without their owner around and keeping them engaged.

5. German Shepherds: This beautiful, noble pet is really a baby at heart. German Shepherds become distressed when left alone and bored. Because they were bred to be working dogs, they thrive in mentally and physically stimulating environments.

6. Australian Shepherds: If not entertained, these dogs will, quite literally, be left running circles around you. Due to their herding background, they need an owner who will enable them to be active and engaged.

7. Bichon Frises: Bichon Frises do best when they have their human buddy around. Like Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, this pint-sized companion dog can become easily bored and even distressed in their owner’s absence.

8. Vizslas: Vizslas were bred to be hunters, an activity they did with humans, so, unsurprisingly, to this day, they love hanging out with humans. These short-haired sweeties experience anxiety when away from their people.

9. German Shorthaired Pointers: Equally as active and social as Vizslas, this hunting pooch has a similar response to being alone too. If they’re not getting their paws dirty, they’re known to become bored and/or anxious.

10. Toy Poodle: This teeny tiny pet is as gentle and loving as you’d expect. Because of this, they crave attention and affection from their human families. And without it, they can suffer significant separation anxiety.

1. Is Our Relationship Moving at the "Right" Pace?

“After moving in together, many couples notice they have doubts about the progression of their relationship," licensed psychotherapist Christine Scott-Hudson says. “Each partner may experience uncertainty about their own or their partner's timing and may suffer if they relate their partner's faster pace to being pushed or their partner's slower pace to feeling unappreciated or undervalued." Once you're sharing a space with your S.O. 24/7, you may be more sensitive than ever to the fact that you're not on the same page about things like engagement, in-laws, children, and more. If you're experiencing doubt about how — and how quickly — your relationship is moving forward, start talking about it with bae ASAP. See if you can recalibrate your expectations and open up communication.

2. How Should We Be Handling Our Finances?

There are plenty of romantic elements about moving in with a partner, but money is also at play… and that's not so romantic. If you and your significant other didn't have an extensive conversation about finances before the move-in actually happened, you may be finding that your new roomie has financial habits that make you feel uncomfortable now that you're sharing bills. Certified mental health professional and relationship expert from Maple Holistics Adina Mahalli suggests seeking outside help when possible for this kind of issue. Sign up for a financial management class together to help put those doubts at ease. If that's not doable for you, try setting up a very clear budget so you can get back on the same page.

3. Can I Handle These Quirks Full-Time?

In the glow of a new relationship, your sweetie's idiosyncrasies may seem more cute than annoying. But when you're dealing with them front and center, day in and day out? Maybe not so much. “Once you move in together, your rose-colored glasses start to wear off and seemingly endearing traits become more irritating and harder to overlook," DatingScout dating expert Celia Schweyer notes. “Living together means you have to experience real life with your partner." Navigating those real-life annoyances while keeping your relationship strong requires communication and compromise, Schweyer says. Speak up (respectfully) about the habits that bother you, and come to the table with suggestions that will allow you and your partner to live in harmony without changing who you are. It's better than bottling up your frustration and becoming resentful.

4. What if We Start To Feel Like Roommates?

If, after living together for a while, you and your S.O. start to feel less like romantic partners and more like, well, roomies, don't panic. It happens. But it may create some doubt. Matchmaker, relationship expert, and Platinum Poire founder Rori Sassoon tells us that roommate syndrome can be solved by putting in some serious mutual work. Both of you will need to step up your game, communicate, and figure out how to get the dynamic back on track.

5. What If My Partner Starts to Hate My Quirks?

Just as you might suddenly doubt your relationship because your significant other's quirks are on display full-time, you may start to get insecure about how they perceive your quirks. “You will become more relaxed in your own home and less willing or able to keep up a show," marriage coach and relationship expertLesli Doares says. “This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it can come as a surprise." Be open-minded about hearing your partner's feedback and don't shy away from trying to improve on some of the habits that cause issues.

As a Power of Women honoree, Mariska was recognized in regards to her work as an advocate for sexual assault survivors. She took the stage and used her platform to discuss rape and assault conviction reversals, shining a light on the recent overturned ruling in Harvey Weinstein's landmark NYC case. Here's what she said:

Today I want to talk about reversing convictions, and more specifically I want to talk to you about how impossible it is to reverse mine. It’s impossible to reverse my conviction that survivors matter. It is impossible to reverse my conviction that what happens to us matters, and that our society must respond to survivors with a more a compassionate, holistically, deeper, and more nuanced understanding of what healing means.

It is impossible to reverse my conviction that after a trauma, survivors can reclaim lives of hope, of possibility, of audacious risk, beautiful intimacy, and glorious, glorious abundant joy. And I stand before you as evidence of that statement.

It is impossible to reverse my conviction that we must listen to survivors as experts on what justice means. It is extraordinary how little their voices are consulted, let alone incorporated, in the process of deciding how to repair harm. Justice is not a one-size-fits-all journey.

It is impossible to reverse my conviction that patriarchal impunity has to end. Patriarchal impunity is when a male-dominated system exempts perpetrators from punishment. Studies show that only 20% of all rape cases in the U.S. are reported to the police, and that between 5 and 0% of all rapes result in a guilty plea or a conviction. So why do 80% of victims not report? Because they're met with a system that grants impunity to perpetrators; a system that blames victims; a system that accepts only those victims who are experienced as "real" rape; a system that completely misunderstands the neurobiology of trauma, which causes behavior in women that doesn't fit the picture of how a "real victim" would act.

Is that change needed that victims should just pull themselves together? Just buck up and report anyway? No. No, it's the system that receives them that needs to change

It is impossible to reverse my conviction — and the conviction of my extraordinary team, The Joyful Heart — that the backlog of untested rape kits can be brought to zero; that the testing of all new kits must be mandated; that we need a statewide kit tracking system; and that survivors have the right to access the status of their kits.

It is impossible to reverse my conviction that grammar — yes, grammar — that we use when we speak about rape must change. In the sentence, "A woman is raped," there's a crime and there's a victim, but there's no perpetrator. Where's the perpetrator? Where is he? Statistically, as we know, most likely he's walking free. He's so free that he doesn't even appear in the language about the crime that he committed. Is that not extraordinary? It's extraordinary that in the very grammar, the perpetrator goes free. Reintroducing perpetrators in the language of rape will make some very unwieldy grammar, but that's the nature of change. It's unwieldy, it's messy, it's uncomfortable, but it's necessary.

Hargitay continued on in her prolific speech to describe that rape shouldn't be considered a "crime of passion" because it's "not simply the next step in the trajectory of his passion" when a man takes a consensual hookup too far and assaults a woman against her will. She stated that it's "an exercise of power," doubling down that the language we use is important.

The speech went on to address that rape is both about power and control, as a "construct" that was "built, and assembled, and reinforced over time." She noted that there are people with these positions of power — and she specifically called out those in the entertainment industry — that could make a difference and aligned themselves to victims and survivors.

After this and some other remarks, Hargitay specifically called out the Weinstein conviction reversal. She said:

I do want to say something about the Harvey Weinstein conviction, specifically about the reason that it was overturned: too many women's voices. Too many women's voices were allowed to speak. Hallelujah! Amen! I can't imagine anything more beautiful than that. The Daily podcast episode talked about how it was so risky for the prosecution to have that many women testify. Risky to let women speak? You're damn right it is!

Too many women speaking brings change. Too many women speaking shakes the establishment. Too many women means we get listened to more, and people might actually hear what we have to say. Look what happened when women started saying just two words, right? Me too — just as an example — a tidal wave of change. Me too.

And then of course, there was the response: the Me Too Movement. The backlash. The examination of whether the changes that have come are lasting, or are even positive. Of course there's a backlash! What did they expect? For women to speak repeatedly, loudly, together, with a purpose — for there to be no backlash? The backlash is evidence of how powerful those voices were, how powerful those voices ARE.

Watch Mariska Hargitay's Full Speech Here

Turns out that your TV heroes really can be your IRL heroes after all. Long live Olivia Benson! Long live Mariska Hargitay!