Go, go, go...or slow, slow, slow?

[Doberluv]

A lot of people here, myself included a couple years ago, like dogs with loads of drive, that love to work, work, work, that are a challenge. These dogs need lots of exercise and mental stimulation to be well balanced and happy. Owners love the go, go, go lifestyle and love doing all kinds of sports and other dog events that include a whole other realm of a social life for the owners as well.

I was an avid hiker when I lived in Idaho and loved doing agility with my Doberman. He was a dog that demanded lots of training and socialiation. He thrived on learning and practicing new things every day almost. He did have an off switch, but if more than a day or two went by withhout at least a walk, his face just looked depressed and bewildered.

Since he has been gone and I'm left with my two senior Chihuahuas, I have come to rely on the YMCA for my own exercise rather than daily mountain hikes. And these two dogs have spoiled me in a way because they're couch potatoes. They like to play. Jose` loves to play fetch and take walks. But he is not unhappy to not have a walk for a few days if need be. He can run through the house if I entice him to retrieve a ball. And there's the yard. They can romp and wrestle, run around etc and get some exercise. They are completely undemanding and love almost nothing more than to cuddle on my lap or just lie beside me on the floor, follow me around a little bit, watch what I'm doing in the kitchen with their little tails wagging. They don't have a very high energy level and they're really quite laid back and relaxed, even as puppies. I have come to like that a lot in a dog. No, a stuffed animal wouldn't do. I do love their little quirky personalities and taking walks, playing with them and teaching them a few new things here and there and I love their perkiness and spirit. But I love having dogs that are low maintenance.

Have you only had dogs with high energy and high exercise needs? Or do you or have you had both kinds of dogs? Do you like a highly spirited, active dog that prefers to be doing something stimulating most of the time or do you like a more laid back, couch potato dog that can be livened up when enticed or invited? Or... do you like an old, lazy dog that can hardly raise his head up off the ground.

[Renee750il]

Mine are pretty much the best of both worlds. They'll crash and snooze when I'm busy, but when it's time to GO they are ON. Pretty much the same as me

Kharma, especially, gets a lot of her stimulation mentally. I can look at her and see the wheels turning, lol.

[Saeleofu]

My ideal dog is capable of both - fairly high drive, with a fantastic off switch. Both of my dogs fit that fairly well. Gavroche actually turned out to be higher drive than Logan, and Logan's drive has dropped considerably since I got him - mostly maturing is my guess. Both dogs have great off switches, though Gavroche's is better.

I would like a high-drive dog when I am finally able to do all the stuff I want to do with the dogs. For now my boys are perfect, really. I secretly want a malinois, but at the same time I don't. I just want to borrow one to work with for a while lol.

At work I always pick the high-drive dogs everyone else finds annoying and want to take them home lol. Others would rather have the cuddlers or the lazy dogs. Not me! If you're barking and jumping and running, I WANT YOU!

[Beanie]

I was just thinking this afternoon when I was home for lunch... my sister and bro-in-law have a pattern with Henri. They have to take him to the dog park for about an hour every day and let him run around or he gets unruly. And I was thinking "if only letting my dogs run around for an hour wore them out..."

I've been at the house working the past few days, so the dogs have been crated more than I would like. Auggie isn't horrible about this sort of thing but Payton gets very, um... difficult after a couple of days. He starts to drive me insane, and of course I feel terrible because it's MY fault he's driving me insane. One day last week I finally had it and I flung open the door to the backyard and yelled "GO OUTSIDE AND PLAY" at him while I was making dinner. I opened the window so I could keep an eye on him while cooking. He ran laps in the yard for at least ten minutes... every time I looked out the window to check on him, he was still running in a circle... when I was done I let him back in and he still had Crazy Eye going on.
ugh ugh ugh ugh ugh and like I said, it's MY fault he gets like that, because it means I'm not doing what I should be with him. So I can't really be mad. This next month or so is going to drive us both to the brink of insanity I think. x_x


BUT.
I like him that way. I mean really. We called my sister one day to ask if Henri wanted to come over to play, and she said he was too tired because he had been at the dog park. My mom (with Georgie) and I looked at each other and were like "...wait what? What is "tired?" What does playing at the dog park have to do with it? Were you at the dog park for like a WEEK?" The only time I ever broke Auggie was two days of agility and a third day out in the heat doing sheep herding... he was OUT OUT OUT then. That's the ONLY time in almost seven years he has ever been fully exhausted. I love it which is why I actively sought it out again (see Payton.) I really wouldn't have it any other way.

[monkeys23]

I've only had go, go, go, but they do have decent off switches. That is if Lily has had her minimal running requirements met for the day. She starts creepin' on me and chasing her tail if she hasn't. Um yeah, they wrestled on my head this morning before I got up, LOL.

[FG167]

I've had both and have discovered if my dog is not go go go, I am lazy, lazy, lazy. I get these sorts of dogs on purpose so that I *have* to be active and cannot laze around for no reason. I love it.

[AdrianneIsabel]

I love my beach bums with workability, their chill out mode is just so pleasurable. My go,go,go dogs are even twitchy in their off switches, I love them but in a world where I didn't sport I would prefer my bullies.

[elegy]

I like 'em go go go. Mushroom has always been a couch commander, which I find boring as heck. He's a good boy, and having a snuggly lazy dog is nice sometimes, but mostly? I want a busy high energy dog, even if he can't settle in the house.

[rubygirl]

Originally Posted by Renee750il

Mine are pretty much the best of both worlds. They'll crash and snooze when I'm busy, but when it's time to GO they are ON. Pretty much the same as me

Kharma, especially, gets a lot of her stimulation mentally. I can look at her and see the wheels turning, lol.

^^^ this is exactly what i like and what I currently have in my dog. It's great.

[BostonBanker]

I like the go button to come fully installed. Meg is what most people would consider the best of both worlds - she'll go on a big hike if I go, but will lay around the house for 3 days straight if I'm lazy. Gusto isn't one to give me even one day of lazy And I love him for it.