Lately I've been feeling incredibly guilty because of the Dobermans, and I need to stop. It's no secret that Journey and Dance accompany me more and that I do a lot more with the two of them than I do the Dobermans. And it's nothing against the Dobes, except that their temperaments and needs are not suited to what I need/want from a dog, and therefore they get to do different things. They're still very well loved and are very happy being family pets/companions and no more than that. They go for walks, running has becoming a bit difficult but we will find a place for them to run again that is free from strange dogs, they get loved on, etc. They lead very happy lives. Probably better than most pet dogs.
And the hairy two are my dogs. The Dobermans are too in the sense that I currently live with them and care for them, but they aren't mine in the sense that all decisions are mine when it comes to them, and they aren't mine financially completely, and they were never meant to be sport dogs... or my dogs in the true sense anyway. It's only normal that I do more stuff with my own two dogs, and that those are the two I take with me to friends' houses and do different activities with. They are mine in every sense of the word. And the fact that I do a lot of training with them and activities like Flyball and Agility is just icing on the cake for Dance and Journ. They don't require that much activity, and I am certain that the Dobermans wouldn't even want that much activity. They are quite content to stay home and play a bit and go for walks and be cuddled.
So I shouldn't feel guilty. And I don't know why I do. Just because the hairy two get to do more does not mean that the Dobermans aren't loved as equally and don't get to do things too. They just get to do different things. They're different dogs and are happy with that. So it is aggravating me lately that I feel so guilty about them, because truly there is no need, an dit's eating me up for no good reason.
I wasn't going to say anything, but we almost gave Ripley to a girl we've known for years now, because he would have gotten the opportunity to be someone's special only dog who could go on walks and hikes nearly every day and just get a lot of one on one time like Dance and Journ do and I thought he deserved that (really, what dog doesn't deserve that?). She lost her Doberman unexpectedly last year and was looking for a sweet adult boy, and this particular situation would have been great for both her and Ripley. It wasn't an "I want to rehome this dog" situation (I truly didn't). It was a "this situation has the potential to do great things for both this person and this dog and it would be more selfish not to allow them both this". It turned out to not be the best situation after all, and so he's still here and will not ever be going anywhere else. I love him more than I could ever express, and nobody else would ever be good enough for him. And I know he is happy here. He adores me, loves the rest of our family, has a blast with Journey and likes Dance and Keira too, and nothing is missing from his life other than he has to share attention between three other dogs and I can't take him with me to all the training I do every weekend. But other than that, he lives a wonderful, happy, pet dog life with five people who adore him. He's not missing anything... so I wish I could stop feeling guilty. He doesn't care if he does Agility. He doesn't want to go hang out with strange dogs. He would not enjoy the activities that Dance and Journey do - and that's why I got Journey in the first place, was so that I could have a dog to do these activities with because my current dogs I knew were not suited and wouldn't enjoy it. And part of my unwarranted guilt is because I used to do SO much with him, but he was also a young, obstinate teenager at that time who needed it. Now he's a middle aged adult Doberman who is content to just go with the flow and hang out. I need to stop feeling guilty. I'm totally biased, but he has an awesome home and an awesome life that he thrives in. I know this... and yet. He's had a few behavioural things pop up this year due to life changes and just him maturing, so that added to my guilt despite it not being anyone's fault, but he's still a lovely, happy guy with a great life. We've just had to adjust and make some changes.
It's making me not want any more than two dogs ever again. I hate feeling pulled apart for no good reason. And I never used to feel this way. I don't know why I do now. I think it's just been too many changes in my life this year and I've accidentally deluded myself into thinking two of our dogs are lacking somehow, when they are very clearly not. Ugh. I'm not really looking for advice. I know I am doing right by my dogs and always will do what's right by them. I've been making an extra effort to do more of their favourite things with them, too. But do other multi dog homes sometimes feel this way also?
And the hairy two are my dogs. The Dobermans are too in the sense that I currently live with them and care for them, but they aren't mine in the sense that all decisions are mine when it comes to them, and they aren't mine financially completely, and they were never meant to be sport dogs... or my dogs in the true sense anyway. It's only normal that I do more stuff with my own two dogs, and that those are the two I take with me to friends' houses and do different activities with. They are mine in every sense of the word. And the fact that I do a lot of training with them and activities like Flyball and Agility is just icing on the cake for Dance and Journ. They don't require that much activity, and I am certain that the Dobermans wouldn't even want that much activity. They are quite content to stay home and play a bit and go for walks and be cuddled.
So I shouldn't feel guilty. And I don't know why I do. Just because the hairy two get to do more does not mean that the Dobermans aren't loved as equally and don't get to do things too. They just get to do different things. They're different dogs and are happy with that. So it is aggravating me lately that I feel so guilty about them, because truly there is no need, an dit's eating me up for no good reason.
I wasn't going to say anything, but we almost gave Ripley to a girl we've known for years now, because he would have gotten the opportunity to be someone's special only dog who could go on walks and hikes nearly every day and just get a lot of one on one time like Dance and Journ do and I thought he deserved that (really, what dog doesn't deserve that?). She lost her Doberman unexpectedly last year and was looking for a sweet adult boy, and this particular situation would have been great for both her and Ripley. It wasn't an "I want to rehome this dog" situation (I truly didn't). It was a "this situation has the potential to do great things for both this person and this dog and it would be more selfish not to allow them both this". It turned out to not be the best situation after all, and so he's still here and will not ever be going anywhere else. I love him more than I could ever express, and nobody else would ever be good enough for him. And I know he is happy here. He adores me, loves the rest of our family, has a blast with Journey and likes Dance and Keira too, and nothing is missing from his life other than he has to share attention between three other dogs and I can't take him with me to all the training I do every weekend. But other than that, he lives a wonderful, happy, pet dog life with five people who adore him. He's not missing anything... so I wish I could stop feeling guilty. He doesn't care if he does Agility. He doesn't want to go hang out with strange dogs. He would not enjoy the activities that Dance and Journey do - and that's why I got Journey in the first place, was so that I could have a dog to do these activities with because my current dogs I knew were not suited and wouldn't enjoy it. And part of my unwarranted guilt is because I used to do SO much with him, but he was also a young, obstinate teenager at that time who needed it. Now he's a middle aged adult Doberman who is content to just go with the flow and hang out. I need to stop feeling guilty. I'm totally biased, but he has an awesome home and an awesome life that he thrives in. I know this... and yet. He's had a few behavioural things pop up this year due to life changes and just him maturing, so that added to my guilt despite it not being anyone's fault, but he's still a lovely, happy guy with a great life. We've just had to adjust and make some changes.
It's making me not want any more than two dogs ever again. I hate feeling pulled apart for no good reason. And I never used to feel this way. I don't know why I do now. I think it's just been too many changes in my life this year and I've accidentally deluded myself into thinking two of our dogs are lacking somehow, when they are very clearly not. Ugh. I'm not really looking for advice. I know I am doing right by my dogs and always will do what's right by them. I've been making an extra effort to do more of their favourite things with them, too. But do other multi dog homes sometimes feel this way also?