What do you do "wrong"?

[SpringerLover]

My dogs eat raw and kibble in the same meal often.

Buzz's rabies is "expired" and will not be updated.

Bailey isn't expected to walk well on a leash unless we're out in public mingling with other people.

Buzz used to get on the furniture uninvited all the time when he could.

I've never taken an obedience class?

Buzz is a shameless begger, and by that I mean he just steals things off your plate if he can.

Mostly though, my dogs are good in the house. I really couldn't live with them if they weren't. I prefer dogs to ask to be allowed on furniture, and I'd much rather they didn't beg while I'm eating... but I'm also kind of lazy. I manage a LOT and train a little for house manners, but they're there. Mostly!

 

[oakash]

Jack still doesn't know how to walk on a leash. That may be stemmed from me not taking him on walks like... ever. Last one was two months ago? Eh, they run at the park every day.

We still laugh when Jack jumps up, before remembering that we are 'trying' to make him stop. I wish we didn't have to make him stop, it's fun!

We play games with him where we'll run away and he'll jump and 'bite' our sleeves. There was someone running at the dog park, and Jack sped towards him, and leaped in the air pat the guys face. That had to be a bit shocking.

Suzie bothers the cat. Not any way that would hurt her, but she annoys her.

Jack barks. A lot. Technically that's one of the reasons we got him (according to my dad) but it's so freakin' annoying at night. So I squirt him with water. I get grumpy when I'm sleeping.

Yeah, all of these are about Jack. Suzie is the angel dog, and whatever she does wrong, she's smart enough to cover it up.

 

[Southpaw]

Well I'm kind of a rule nazi so you will not see jumping, barking, begging, or dogs (...other than Lucy) on the furniture if you come to my house. Manners are muy importante to me.

But, I suck at some things.

I'm horribly inconsistent. Today you can explore the entire 6 feet of your leash and sniff and wander. Tomorrow I will disown you if you're not at my side.

I mix raw and kibble. Juno's breakfast tomorrow is half Sojos, half kibble. Because I didn't have enough Sojos left for an entire meal, and was too lazy to make another batch.

I like leash corrections. Juno & Happy would not be good on leash without them.

Leash laws? Screw those. If I want to let my dogs off leash, I do.

I leave Happy to her own devices at the dog park. Me and Juno walk around. Most of the time I couldn't even tell you where she is. She's deaf and independent and has no loyalty to me and just wants to sniff the fence and eat poop... So I let her.

 

[Laurelin]

As per the other forum you are psychologically torturing your dog if you are gone over a normal workday. Even slightly. Even 3-4 days a week.

I really think dogs are more adaptable than dog people tend to think sometimes. So what is better? Anyone who works gives their dogs to shelters?

 

[Emily]

As per the other forum you are psychologically torturing your dog if you are gone over a normal workday. Even slightly. Even 3-4 days a week.

I really think dogs are more adaptable than dog people tend to think sometimes. So what is better? Anyone who works gives their dogs to shelters?

LOL yeah for sure. Because I've always lived with someone else it's never really been a problem, but Blossom typically doesn't come to work with me (and when she does, she's kenneled mostly anyway) and is crated at home from when I leave to when my roommate gets home, which is typically 6-7 hours.

Sometimes I feel guilty but then I remember that she was living in a chainlink pen in the basement of the pound. I think it's better for her to spend a work day in her crate but live with me and get to go hiking, jogging, bitework, agility... etc.

 

[AdrianneIsabel]

I do feel guilty that I work such long hours but then again I only work four days a week and one dogs gets to go to work with me each day and plays in the morning and at lunch. So, three extremely long days alone in trade for four active days? Meh, it could be worse and it pays for the food.

 

[Katem]

As per the other forum you are psychologically torturing your dog if you are gone over a normal workday. Even slightly. Even 3-4 days a week.

I really think dogs are more adaptable than dog people tend to think sometimes. So what is better? Anyone who works gives their dogs to shelters?

People can have such unrealistic expectations sometimes. Many people can't stay home all day. Yet, some how their dogs survive. Not to mention that being home all day does not mean that the dog is having a better life. Doesn't matter that the person is around if the dog is being ignored.

It pisses me off that staying home is so often regarded as a better situation, if not a prerequisite for dog ownership.

 

[Laurelin]

I do feel guilty that I work such long hours but then again I only work four days a week and one dogs gets to go to work with me each day and plays in the morning and at lunch. So, three extremely long days alone in trade for four active days? Meh, it could be worse and it pays for the food.

Mine is similar. 4 longer days (extra hour) then I get a day off/short day. So three really active days. And it pays for food and agility and all that. I let myself feel guilty though. My dogs don't seem to mind at all.

How does one pay for dogs and life without a full time job? I don't know how it's possible. Anyways, I've done calculations showing how much time I'm home percentage wise versus time in away. Makes me feel a little better.

 

[DJEtzel]

How does one pay for dogs and life without a full time job? I don't know how it's possible.

I frequently wonder the same, yet I make it work month after month. I only work 12 hours a week regularly... Two of those are teaching classes which lets me pay for training classes, which helps a lot. And, we have a roommate. XD

 

[milos_mommy]

I think the problem is, lots of people work long days, some with commutes on top of it, but when they get home, they either want nothing to do with or don't have the time for their dogs.

There's nothing wrong with leaving your dogs for 8, even 10 hours, at a time, even on most days....but if you get home, the dogs only get a short walk or let into the back yard, and then they're expected to lie around while you eat your lean cuisine and do your laundry and watch the Ellen you DVR'd, no, that's not fair.

If you come home after 10 hours and throw the ball for your dogs for 45 minutes and take them for a long walk, and have the sense to leave them with some stuff to do during the day (bones, puzzle toys, whatever), most average pet dogs are going to be more than fine.

 

[AdrianneIsabel]

I don't know but I venture it's very different from lifestyle to lifestyle. I own my car, Denis owns his motorcycle, we own two houses, we eat well for the most part, we travel when we can, we train our dogs with clubs and classes in sports that require equipment either being owned or rented, we trial, we like having a nice things, we like having iPhones and a PowerBook, I don't shoot professionally anymore but my camera and lens are worth thousands, we like having a nice vacuum, we moved into a house with a workable (yet trashy) kitchen only to tear it out and rebuild it paycheck to paycheck, we plan to do the same to each room as we can afford it, we planted fruit trees, useless pretty flowers, we redid the grass even though we probably could have survived with the dirt and crab grass, and the list goes on.

If we cut out the luxuries I suppose we could make do but I'm not sure I would enjoy my life without the things the benefits that make it my own.

Le Shrug.

 

[noludoru]

I think the problem is, lots of people work long days, some with commutes on top of it, but when they get home, they either want nothing to do with or don't have the time for their dogs.

There's nothing wrong with leaving your dogs for 8, even 10 hours, at a time, even on most days....but if you get home, the dogs only get a short walk or let into the back yard, and then they're expected to lie around while you eat your lean cuisine and do your laundry and watch the Ellen you DVR'd, no, that's not fair.

So. . . in the confessions camp. . . I totally do this, too. :rofl1: (Well, I have been the last few months.)

Middie does okay with it. He'd obviously be happier if we went out for some hard exercise, but all I've been up for lately is eating and crawling into bed.

 

[Dizzy]

If I didn't work, I wouldn't own dogs I don't think! I couldn't afford it!!

I'm very very lucky that my other half works from home, but Bodhi was brought up with a full time working me she knows how good she's got it now!

Now I don't feel guilty, just insanely jealous I don't get to see them all day and he does!! And if he doesn't, they go up and stay with his mum and potter about!

I do feel guilty though... When I left Bodhi all day. I think you're a bit odd if you don't feel bad about that. But it's life.

As for what I do wrong... A lot probably! I'm also inconsistent, I do try to be consistent but sometimes I just can't be bothered!

Our dogs get on the furniture... I don't pick poo up off the property every day, sometimes there's a poo minefield.

I give them scraps... Which means they hang around waiting for them when I cook. Then I get annoyed with them being under my feet and shout at them to get out the kitchen (see the inconsistent bit).

I'm sat here right now and watching Fred jump up all over the other half as he's just walked in.

You know, the usual.

 

[sassafras]

Sometimes I let them out to play in the backyard right after they've eaten.

Also, as my dogs do actually play with each other very actively in the backyard, I do sometimes use it as a substitute for other exercise if I'm pressed for time.

 

[milos_mommy]

Also, as my dogs do actually play with each other very actively in the backyard, I do sometimes use it as a substitute for other exercise if I'm pressed for time.

That's bad? Oops. What's the point of having more than one dog, then?

 

[misfitz]

There's nothing wrong with leaving your dogs for 8, even 10 hours, at a time, even on most days....but if you get home, the dogs only get a short walk or let into the back yard, and then they're expected to lie around while you eat your lean cuisine and do your laundry and watch the Ellen you DVR'd, no, that's not fair.

Even this could be fine for some dogs. I think it really depends on the individual. Obviously keeping a large, high energy dog this way in a small city home wouldn't be such a good life. But a pair of small dog in an average sized suburban house, with a doggy door and each other to play with all day? And then they get to hang out on the couch with you while you're watching Ellen. I don't see a problem with that. Especially if they get to be involved in family activities on the weekends, etc.

 

[*blackrose]

There's nothing wrong with leaving your dogs for 8, even 10 hours, at a time, even on most days....but if you get home, the dogs only get a short walk or let into the back yard, and then they're expected to lie around while you eat your lean cuisine and do your laundry and watch the Ellen you DVR'd, no, that's not fair.

*looks at the dogs* *looks at her computer* *looks at the dogs*

Meh, the three munchkins have done this their entire lives. LOL This past year, especially. We'd come home, let them out to pee, then crash in front of the TV. They would either just laze around too, or play with each other. They are just fine with it.

Chloe has a similar schedule at home and is perfectly happy with it, too.

 

[PWCorgi]

One of the reasons why I like working in the evening so much is because that way I can spend the morning exercising the dogs, and then I don't have to worry about doing it when I get home. And I worry about them less when I'm at work.

When it was just Frodo I NEVER worried while I was at work. He's such a slug anyway, he's just going to sleep whether I am home or at work.
With Siri, I worry all the time, lol. If she won't pee right before I leave for work I stress that she's in her crate needing to go. I stress if myself or Ryan is going to be late home from work. I'm sure the older she gets, the less I will stress, but for now...

I won't have another puppy until we have a house and I can either pay someone to let them out midday, or (ideally) live in half a double on the other side of Megan (SpringerLover) so that we can let each other's dogs out.

 

[AdrianneIsabel]

*looks at the dogs* *looks at her computer* *looks at the dogs*

Meh, the three munchkins have done this their entire lives. LOL This past year, especially. We'd come home, let them out to pee, then crash in front of the TV. They would either just laze around too, or play with each other. They are just fine with it.

Chloe has a similar schedule at home and is perfectly happy with it, too.

You could never do that with Malinois.



lulz. Jk

 

[PWCorgi]

*looks at the dogs* *looks at her computer* *looks at the dogs*

Meh, the three munchkins have done this their entire lives. LOL This past year, especially. We'd come home, let them out to pee, then crash in front of the TV. They would either just laze around too, or play with each other. They are just fine with it.

Chloe has a similar schedule at home and is perfectly happy with it, too.

Get ready for that to change with a Chessie puppy