Your strengths and weaknesses as a dog owner

[CrystalGSD]

Just as the title says thought this might be a nice little discussion, especially since Chaz's activity has been down lately ;;

Mine:
Weaknesses: because of school and such I feel like I am gone for the majority of the day, and I feel like my dogs don't see me enough. For example, I'm going to be at school for 10 hours today... I'm also for a very emotional person so (usually this pertains to Crystal) if the dog frustrates me I have to take a break from training for a little in order to calm down. In a perfect world I would be able to maintain a positive attitude lol.

Strengths: I'm pretty consistent in the exercise department, along with the training department. Hero goes to the dog park at least 5x a week, and gets a long training session at least that often as well. I try to do it every day but life gets in the way. I also wake up early for Hero every single day (I smile in pain and sleep deprivation lol) He is not a dog that sleeps in past 8 am at the latest. So that's fun haha

 

[milos_mommy]

I don't even currently personally own dogs, so this is based on past experience:

Weaknesses: to an extent, how much exercise the dogs get depends on how busy I am. They'll always get what they need, but there are a lot less fun outings and long leisurely walks if i have a lot going on.

Sometimes I slack on consistency with training...but I still think I'm better than most people, even dog people. But sometimes if they're charging the fence or pulling on the leash or something I'm like uggghhh I have to do this training exercise AGAIN?!! If it's a real issue though I'll make sure I stay on top of it.

Strengths: I guess because I'm pretty knowledgable at training I don't get annoyed with the dogs for misbehaving because I know they're either confused or I inadvertently rewarded the behavior. At least in my family/experience if a dog is barking incessantly or jumping the owner will be like SHUT UP!!! GET DOWN!!! And I don't really do that.

And even though I list consistency in training as a weakness, I do a lot better than most people.

 

[Slick]

Strengths: I am good at being consistent with training and daily life, and also think I do a good job of breaking down tricks into manageable progressive steps.

Weaknesses: I should exercise Leo more than I do. Also, sometimes I have these freaking muscle spasms where I click at the completely wrong time for NO REASON. I don't even know why :rofl1:

 

[JacksonsMom]

When I get busy (currently in school full-time, working part-time, among other things) I get a lot lazier with the dogs. I usually am just tired and feel like chilling after being at school from 9-6 a few days a week but I do set aside almost all of my free-time towards being with them. Jackson is now 7 1/2 and is able to chill a lot better than he used to but still after a few days he gets super antsy. So anyway, I could be better at getting him proper exercise instead of just lounging.

I'm also bad at enforcing many rules. The dogs are beggars and I know it's because I constantly reinforce the behavior by feeding them from the table. Meh.

Ever since we got Lola, I've found myself to have gotten lazier with training. Jackson and I used to work on tricks all the time and we haven't much because Lola is always there and I've been too lazy to teach one to go lay down while the other is working lol.

Strengths would be that I always make sure they get let outside enough (if I can't get home, I make sure someone else can), I spend basically all of my free time with them even if it's just doing my homework in the same room with them laying by my feet or having him go run errands with me. He just loves being WITH me so anything we can do together I try to jump on the opportunity. I'm not the type that feels comfortable with being gone for 9 hours and then come home to let them out for 10 mins and then leave again. Like tomorrow night, I know I won't be getting home until 6 and then my aunt's birthday dinner is at 630 --I'd honestly rather skip it and come home to the pups after being gone all day.

 

[StompinT]

Strengths: my dogs get enough exercise, and get out of the house often. I'm good at making sure that happens. I'm also pretty good at setting rules and reinforcing them.

Weaknesses: I want to do too much, and tend to not cement the basic foundations in a solid enough manner, building enough duration and distraction before moving on. Bad, bad, bad. Also, I'm very inexperienced as far as training to the level I'm currently trying to train to.

 

[lancerandrara]

Weaknesses: I can be impulsive and emotional when it comes to dogs. Never angrily, but I'm both quickly encouraged and discouraged. LOL. I tend to go on intense spurts of suddenly wanting to get something right with Lancer, whether for any behaviors or nose work. I either go all out for hours a day, or I don't work on anything for days. I'm sure any learning would be much more consistent for the dogs (and more efficient lolol) if I were less impulsive, in many ways, and split training sessions more sparingly!

Strengths: I really enjoy environmental/confidence work using food. It's very rewarding to see Lancer go, "Hey, this isn't too bad anymore! I get more food/this is now fun because of food!" I also enjoy working on conditioning, fitness, and body awareness exercises, despite not being working dogs.