What do you do "wrong"?

You're better than me! On Tuesdays I don't work till 1 or 2pm and the dogs just get like a 20 minute walk when I'm finally awake and motivated. I'm more likely to do a better walk after work during the evening.

Yeah, I guess this could be another thing I do wrong. Most nights I have zero energy left after a day at work. I come home, feed everyone, eat and then I just want to do nothing. I usually do a bit of something with Journey at least, but not really anything major, or sometimes I just let the dogs out on the yard to wrestle and play. I don't exactly have low energy dogs, but they're very adaptable and go with the flow. And I make up for it on my days off by doing as much stuff with them as I can. I'd make a better effort if my dogs actually acted like they cared, but they don't seem to. I am trying to make a better effort to get up earlier in the mornings though so that I can do more stuff with them even during work days just do I don't have to feel guilty, even if it's needless guilt.

Also, I don't actually think any of the things I do are 'wrong' either. Just perhaps wrong in the eyes of others, but no dog owner seems to do everything exactly the same way. What I do works for me, but there are certainly things I could improve on.

Lol so many of these ring true... it's so nice to see I'm not alone HAHA (No dogs offleash? what?.. I can't read.)

- After spay/neuter "Keep dog from running/jumping for like 30 years"
4 days later.. well, I tried.

and thank goodness I have a job where Merlin can be out/playing with other dogs from 11-5 most days because when I get home after work and school, I am so dead.

I'm completely the opposite.
Yesterday I worked evenings, Megan and I tracked the dogs and went for a run. Then I still had time to hang with them before leaving.
Today I worked a morning shift, came home and I'm sitting on my butt, procrastinating packing, and have done nothing with the dogs

Meh, I know I do a lot wrong. Not being consistent, not training enough, etc.

I do try really hard to have a good schedule and make Henry's life fulfilling. I always make time to at least walk him every day after work and cuddle him at bedtime. The other stuff just kind of falls into place. He's not terribly active but is still very smart and engaging.

I take him everywhere with me on my off time and I think he's a pretty well adjusted guy.

When I was out of work a few months ago I thought it would mean tons of extra quality Henry time. He mostly slept.

Yeah, I feel this way too. I mean, I do know there are lots of dogs perfectly okay with this, and it's probably how MOST American dogs are expected to be so they just.... get used to it. Luckily, dogs are adaptable. But I still always feel bad. I'm sure most would LIKE to do more.

With that said, there ARE nights where I do this with Jackson. But most of the time he will drive me absolutely nuts. I could never just come home from an 8 hour day and lay down and watch TV or be on my computer. I have to do *something* whether it's some training or even throwing the ball down the hallway. He tends to be okay though if I come home late and get right into bed, then he will just go to sleep with me. But if I try to sit at my desk on the computer, he just gets whiny and finds things to chew.

But I usually aim for at *least* 3 days a week where we have 1-3 hours of exercise during the day. If we do an every-other-day schedule, at least that tends to satisfy him. But some weeks there will be a whole week where we do something every day, and then others we will be lucky if there's 2 days of doing something. It just really depends.

Hahaha, yah, I know. Luckily, by the time I'm burnt out on insane puppy energy, puppy is old enough to have an off switch. Chloe was a high energy pup, but now she's content to be lazy (with play, or a long walk). That's honestly perfect for me. (I think all of my dogs have been this way. It's actually really weird to have dogs that don't need to go out to the yard and play a hard game of fetch, or don't need to go on a long walk when I get home. Nice, in a way, but weird.)

I'll also be out of school (less tired!) and am going with a breeder that has more easy going dogs (versus extreme hunting dogs).

And there is a reason the thought of owning a Malinois makes me ill. XD

Me too.

Not trying to harp, but isn't it actually dangerous, not just "frowned upon", to mix kibble and raw meat into one meal because of the varied digestion rates?

I let Greyhounds and deaf dogs run loose in the woods.

I let the dogs get in lakes/water and we live in FL.

They all ride loose in the car together.

I leave some of them outside unsupervised when weather is nice.

I feed raw/kibble together.

I don't vaccinate except puppy shots and rabies.

I chose to not neutered my pet male dogs (if given the choice).

I do use corrections when needed that some people feel is harsh, but having breeds like a Dogo- positive doesn't always cut it.

I let the dogs run out the door before me.

I don't really care about begging.

They are allowed on all the furniture.

I do encourage some bad behaviors b/c I find it funny. Like my friends Rat Terrier and I play "vicious dog" where she bites my hand and jumps around and mock attacks me while I scream vicious dog and thrash about.

Not in my experience, I have been told by vets before that it can be in dogs with immune deficiencies, especially with gastrointestinal issues, and contaminated meats. Basically, bad meat sitting in a deficient gut too long can be problematic.

Are there any theoretical benefits to mixing the two in one meal?

I wish they'd just do a huge formal study on this already. I really can't believe the only one out there, to my knowledge, is the Stockholm study.

Time? Ease? Assurance of nutrient balance?

I don't know really.

Well in your defense the weather today sucked too
I'm just completely unmotivated before work. Plus, ya know, I gotta sleep until 10. Priorities and all that.

My critters are all very adaptable to my schedule, luckily. They want to sleep once the evening rolls around. So when I get home at 6:30/7:30, even if they've done nothing all day, they're done for the night. They greet me enthusiastically for about 10 minutes and then they're asleep. They absolutely WOULD be active if I wanted them to, but they're cool without it. Also luckily is that I only work 3 full days, so the other 4 days of the week I do have time to devote more to them (whether I actually do devote more is another story lol).

Oh yeah I forget the other thing I do wrong is that I leave all 3 dogs together unsupervised. Juno and Lucy were crated together for the first 2 years of Juno's life. Even when Happy was still brand new to the household I really never questioned it.

:rofl1: @ the whole "not letting your dog walk out the door before you".. thing.
I mean come on honestly, why is this even such a "rule" with people, who cares? lol

I mean, I HATE pulling on the leash. But if he is a few steps ahead on the way out or runs out into the yard to play.. seriously is not a concern of mine.

When "working" sure, but that's part of being right by my side. but usually, like to go on walks.. I really don't see the harm of him walking in the door before me.

I sooo wish I could move my work into the evening. Or even just late morning. I wouldn't mind staying at work till 9 pm if I could go to work at 1pm. I would do so much more, lol.

I make sure we get a good hour at the park in after work most days. I sometimes have to drag myself to the park with the girls but I am always glad I do. It's a good unwind from the day. And they enjoy it too. We do have occasional days where I come home and want to be comatose. I am a pro at throwing the ball while laying on the couch.

I really liked it when my agility classes were after work. So they'd get a good hour-hour and a half worked after work and it was something I LOVED going to so never any motivation issues. I'm still kind of sad both my classes got moved to weekends.

See, I get so much more done if I get off at 5. But when I work 4-8? Nothing done.

I HATE working in the evening. So. Much.
I would rather work 9-5 than 4-8 any day. My favorite though is 9-1, so much stuff gets done. Dogs exercised, house cleaned, dinner made. 4-8? I sit and angst about working all day and count down the hours till I have to get ready.

I was out walking Journey earlier tonight (on leash to our park) and some stupid guy yelled "who's walking who?" to me all because I let her walk ahead of me (not pulling). It's just a casual walk... I don't get what the big deal is either. She certainly has no plans as far as I know to take over the world just because I let her walk ahead LOL.

As for work, I work 9:30-6:15... I leave the house a lot earlier than that and don't get home until 7pm. My whole day pretty much is taken up either at work or commuting to and from. Not really much time to get anything done unfortunately. :-( But I do have a lot more energy in the morning these days for some reason, so I try to get up extra early to walk/play with at least Journey. After work, just barely any energy left at all. Back when I used to get home at like 5ish, I accomplished way more with the dogs in the evenings. Hopefully I'll end up with a job again some day with slightly better hours (for me).

I delivered pizza and made a reasonable paycheck (well, compared to other minimum wage jobs when I was younger) just doing like 4-10pm shifts. I LOVED being home during the day. I was usually up kind of late, would sleep in a little, and then start my day. I got in a lot of hiking, walking, etc. Now I work 10-6 at a regular retail job. Romeo's blind at night now so it kind of sucks, even if we go out to play ball at dusk, he can't see or track the ball. I try to get in some ball time before I go to work in the morning.

This is me. If I work later in the day, I sleep in and then do nothing except dread having to get around to leave. XD