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Thread: How much attention do you give your pets vs. what they should get

  1. #1
    God/dess fancygirl's Avatar
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    Default How much attention do you give your pets vs. what they should get

    So for those of you who don't know, I have an adult large breed dog who, if he had his choice would either be being fed, exercised or in my lap 18 hours each day. Obviously that's not going to happen.

    He used to go to doggy daycare 2-3 times a week before I stopped wanting to give money to someone who was wanting to become a backyard breeder.

    Now I occasionally bring him over to my friend's house who has a 2 pound toy dog and a big yard. He gets lots of love in a short period of time by the friend because I see my dog all the time-- my love is more spread out

    So, I've been trying to track his special time and so far:
    1. he and I go to the dog park 2-4 times a week. Each time, we spend an hour to two hours of him running and chasing, hanging out, or playing in water.

    2. he sleeps in my bed for part or all of the night (hey, I should get credit for that since he wakes me up with the random ear scratch or privates-nibbling sesssion [his, not mine. ew. getchur mind outta the gutter])

    3. about once to twice a week he and I will play ball out back for 15 minutes.

    4. He goes for car rides with me occasionally to the grocery store or just out-- not as much during the summer time because it's so hot I don't want him out much.

    Now, my dog seems a little restless and anxious on the days we skip the park and just overall seems restless during the summer time because I can't take him out in the heat as much. But he's still getting at least 5-7 hours of running around exercise and playtime, plus all the time on the couch, in my car, in my bed, or just near me. He probably needs at least another 2 hours of intense interaction to make him happier during the summer.


    Any opinions from rottie owners/former owners out there?

    and how about from just the thoughts and opinions of other dog owners out there.

  2. #2
    Peanut_Butter
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    Default Re: How much attention do you give your pets vs. what they should get

    I used to take my pup to the dog park 6-7 days a week for an hour or 2 each time, but since going back to school I can't do that anymore, so have a dog sitter who takes him 3 day a week for 3 hours each time. I walk over to pick him up so we can walk home so he still gets walks with me 3 days a week. On weekends I take him to the poark or hiking. We try to play with him every night for at least 15 minutes. He sleeps in bed with me every night. I used to take him with me on errands when I didn't have to leave him in the car longer than 5 minutes, but I can't do that at all in the Vegas summer so his car rides were cut down to runs through mc donalds occasionally.

    My dog requires a ton of attention becaus ehe is so high energy. Missing just 1 day of walking or the park and he turns into a destructive monster. I don't mind though..it's the kind of dog I wanted, and I like giving him all that attention. I feel bad that now during the week I can't do it and someone else has to. I love weekends and spend lots of time with him

    I would say to you try to walk him every single day, even if it's just for 10 minutes. Just to get the mail or something.

    Unfortunately, I've never owned a rottie, so I can't offer specific advice...But a long as yoru giving him attention and trying....thats more than I can say about some dog owners....

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    Member Tara_75's Avatar
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    Default Re: How much attention do you give your pets vs. what they should get

    I would increase the amount of backyard play time so that in combo with his doggie park time he gets some outdoor fun most everyday. Otherwise all sounds good.

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    God/dess Lena's Avatar
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    Default Re: How much attention do you give your pets vs. what they should get

    Bro and I live in a van. It's small, so we get a lot of each others attention. Like, if I'm sitting in the chair and want to get in the bed, he's probaby gotta get out of the way, or if he's sitting in the drivers seat and I'm in the chair and he wants to go back to his food/water, I've gotta get out of the way. So we're always tuned into each other, which is cool. He sleeps with me, and I throw the ball until he's tired twice a day. We have morning snuggles and we're pretty much together 24/7, unless I go to work or something. When I work, I make him go in his crate where people outside the van can't see him. I don't want drunk idiots messing with him, but I feel really guilty about locking him up like that.



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    God/dess VegasPrincess's Avatar
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    Default Re: How much attention do you give your pets vs. what they should get

    Hmm. don't have a rottie but i have my Pittie baby, so that's similar.

    My dog is super affectionate to the point where she follows me around the house. When I'm home she is always in the same room as me ...watching tv she's on the couch or the loveseat next to me. I feel kind of guilty about her being in the room when I'm doing phone sex, but also hey, I figure she doesn't know what the dirty words I'm saying mean. Lol.

    I do leave her in a cage when I'm not home...My boyfriend and I are home probably about 16 - 18 hours a day (either him or me not both of us at once lol) so it's not a problem at all. She has seperation anxiety and although it's much better than when I first got her, if left alone she gets anxious and tears up the house. So she has to be in a crate (which I might add is big enough for me to crawl in with her and fall asleep, which is no lie how I got her to like the crate in the first place. I slept with her in the crate.) but its never for more than 6 or so hours at a crack.

    She also sleeps in the bedroom with us. she has a dog bed that I try to get her to sleep on because she is so large, even though we have a big bed its not comfortable with all three of us sleeping in it plus she refuses to sleep next to one or the other, she has to sleep in between us, which I dislike because I want to cuddle with my boyfriend. That said if she does get out of her bed and crawl into ours during the night I let her.

    I also walk her once a day for about 30 minutes, and I have doggy play dates with her and her "boyfriend" at my house or my best friends house at least once a week. I take her outside a couple times a day too, and we play tug of war for about 5-20 minutes a day, or ball or whatever, depending on the day.
    Sexy Jasmine after getting fucked over at work:

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    God/dess fancygirl's Avatar
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    Default Re: How much attention do you give your pets vs. what they should get

    ^have you tried switching her dog food to a lower protein one to limit destructiveness and/or trying Comfort Zone which is a product sold at Petsmart that mimics the pheremones put off from doggy mother's milk? Good for anxiety. They have a cat version too.

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