How do you balance it?

[SpringerLover]

Fixed it for you!

Uh, my friends are all dog people. I work at a pet food store. And my friends are all dog people. Most of them I met on Chaz (SpringerLover, SaraB, justa, etc.)
I really can't think of anyone that I talk to on a regular basis whose lives don't revolve around their dogs.

I spent new years with dog friends, dogs, and my boyfriend.

I spent tonight with PW and other dog friends.

I'm pretty darn happy right now. I have other friends but we're not as close. My closest and best friends are those I know through dog stuff.

 

[skittledoo]

This.. I tried for the longest time to have normal friends but dog stuff always got in the way and honestly, they really got sick of listening to me talk about dogs. Not only that but we just slowly drifted apart as most friends finding their lives do. We catch up now and then, but it will never be like it was. I really got stressed and tired of hiding my interests in order to fit into a group of people I no longer belonged. It helps that both my jobs revolve around dogs and my husband is very understanding of my focused lifestyle, LOL. So to answer your question, no I never did find a balance with my old life and my new life but I decided I was sick of being someone who pretended who I wasn't and that it was ok to be myself. My life realigned around my priorities and I'm happier than I've ever been.

This right here is pretty much what I wanted to respond with

 

[Gypsydals]

I've actually found that I'm getting out more since doing dog shows with Ivan. The husband and I are spending/and doing more things together. So while I might not do a long bout of training during the summer I get some in every other day and then walks/biking the other days. I work evening so during the hot parts of the summer it can be a struggle as to when to get the walks in.

 

[Fran101]

Oh and you may not have to have friends that LOVE dogs or "get" your passion for them
but you do have to have friends that love you enough to understand/respect your passions, regardless of what they are.

My friends and I are as different in interest as we are in looks lol but we are all very close. We learn from each other, make eachother laugh and even though we don't always "get" each others passions, we respect them. (and only poke fun on special occasions lol)

 

[Dakotah]

I have dog friends (on here and in real life) and even though I don't have a dog, I still have dog convos and have always enjoyed talking about them and learning about them.

Tj is super supportive of it, even though he isn't as big into dogs as I am, he supports it.

But I balance it pretty well. Well... I say that now but lets see what happens when I get a dog lol

 

[CharlieDog]

Balance? What is this balance you speak of!?

I work with dogs during the day. My dogs (barring Oz) usually tag along to work. By the time I get home, we're ALL exhausted. If I want, we train some, (usually in the summer, when it's still light outside, but sometimes we'll work indoors) if not, they're content to go chill. Then I have time for myself and my husband, until he goes to bed, then I chill on the computer.

Basically, I have no life outside of dog stuff.

 

[JessLough]

you do have to have friends that love you enough to understand/respect your passions, regardless of what they are.

This. The boyfriend isn't a pet person at all... never had a pet (other than fish), allergic to cats, etc.

He understands how much my pets mean to me, and listens to me talk endlessly about them, gets me animal stuff, etc. Even willing to be dragged to FerretFest when I hold it and help out

 

[AllieMackie]

I have a lot of pet-friends who I do pet-things with, but I also have a lot of non-pet-friends and I keep up a social life with them just fine. Often, folks convene at our house anyway for social nights because they all live in small apartments or with their parents still. We're not really "go to clubs" kind of people or anything. Thus, it's easy to give the pets the time they need. My friends all think Finn's a hoot and a half, so he gets lots of play and socialisation when they visit.

Even if I go out for a few hours to dinner to to a bar, Finn survives. LOL. My roomies spend time with him as well, and it's important to me (and my psyche) that I have friends and a social life. I honestly don't find it that hard to include friends in a social life not involving my pets for once. Seems I'm the minority.

 

[JessLough]

My friends all think Finn's a hoot and a half, so he gets lots of play and socialisation when they visit.

Not me. hides

 

[Gypsydals]

Oddly enough its not my friends that complain about the pets when they come over. Its the inlaws(gee what a surprise there). I've had family members complain about the pet hair, dogs on the couch, the loud bird. None of them liked my response to their comments. So as a result, we don't get many family visitors.

 

[Kat09Tails]

My family has a hard time understanding the why so many dogs factor. They also do not understand that I prefer the dog's company over most people, or that raising puppies isn't a cash cow experience, why are you talking about health testing the dogs (you should see the look I got when I drove 2 hrs to go get Rain cerfed), etc. My friends and a few distant relatives on the flip side of things - understand - and accept that the animal and sustainable farming thing is always part of my life and has been since I was a kid.

I do have to work. Sometimes some silly hours - so I do try to set up my life to give the dogs some sort of schedule. I use kennels - which honestly if I didn't have I wouldn't be able to have dogs at all. I do obedience stuff often time indoors because the weather here is crappy - and the winter is dark from 4pm - 8am a good deal of the year.

I guess to answer the question - I NEVER feel my dogs are a undue burden. I've never had a moment where I said I wish I didn't have them because I'd really like to go fool around doing something else. I'd rather be with them. I'd rather be doing things with them.

 

[cloudcandy]

Hmmmmmmmmmm
I dont really like people much,infact spending alot of time with the same people drive me mad.
I'm at home during the weekdays,if I have to.go to uni its normally for max 4/5hours and I just make a point to make sure Coco has had a trip to the park hand.
If I've been at home studying and plan to go out in the evening,the I make a point to make sure she's had a stimulating day.
The only time I struggle is the weekends,thats when I work and thats also when everyone I know wants to socalise.I cant work 9-5 and then leave Coco all evening aswell.My BF works weekends too though.If its something I really really want to do then I'll take Coco to my mums for the day,go to work come home and go out,normally my mum will drop her off at mine around 7ish.I then make sure she gets a extra "good" day the next day!
I wish wish wish I had any dog friends,Chaz is great but I would love to have people to.go to parks with,dog trips.My friends all understand how important my dog is too me,but its still not the same.
All in all I still feel Coco gives more then she takes so its not a problemo!

 

[Taqroy]

I'm just curious, how do you guys balance your life (dogs, work, social life, family) and make it all work?

Carefully?? Lol. To be honest, if I didn't have Matt I'd have way less of a social life. He's home all the time right now so I know the dogs are getting attention and being let out on a regular basis. It makes me feel a bit less guilty when I run home from work, hang out for half an hour, and then have to run to a meeting or go to a class or whatever.

My life has gotten much easier since I stopped hanging out with people that didn't like me the way I was anyway. And since I started training at the rescue and met all the cool people there. The key is definitely finding a group of people with similar interests to you.

ETA: Or finding a group of people that are accepting of your interests.

 

[LauraLeigh]

Oddly enough its not my friends that complain about the pets when they come over. Its the inlaws(gee what a surprise there). I've had family members complain about the pet hair, dogs on the couch, the loud bird. None of them liked my response to their comments. So as a result, we don't get many family visitors.

Most of my friends and family are ok with the dogs and hair, but our Cockatoo... She drives them insane :rofl1:

As far as balance goes....

Right now I don't have any, I gave up agility a while back, simply too busy and honestly Mindy is too old now

My dogs except Foster are kind of in their retirement years, Di can't go far because she does not do well being blind in strange environments though with John here, as much as he drives me crazy at times she has it pretty good, companionship pretty well 24/7 she will miss him if something happens, she is with him all day and us all evening and overnight. Mindy and Foster both go to work with my Hubby and son, they also have constant companionship, at the shop all day and here all night..

I do wish I had the time to train Foster in agility, even though he is my sons dog, he would have loved it! But sadly I work a full time job, care for an 86 year old in our home, and do all the banking and books for the business, so there is just NO spare time.... Thankfully with the shop we can have our pets with us, so they likely don't care that we are so busy as they are a part of it

 

[Backward_Cinderella]

I work from home, go to school, have the dogs, the family and keep the house clean...

My secret is a crock pot, a monthly meal plan, and a strict schedule of what gets done when. Once you get into it, its easy.

 

[Maxy24]

I have very little interest in a social life, this is why I hate college. Once I get out and can own my dog I think I'll find dog people, just going to the park near my house when I'm home I know certain dogs and people already. The people who bring their dogs are regulars and all know each other and their dogs. I don't really have an interest in doing non-dog things with people, I don't want to go get lunch or go shopping with them, it causes me anxiety.

 

[stardogs]

I've never really thought of it as balancing things tbh. I've had dogs longer than my DH, my business, etc. so they just kind of fit the other things in vs. the opposite and I've never known anything different!

The vast majority of my friends are dog people, or at least people who enjoy activities where dogs can be included easily (hiking for example, which means socialization for me and exercise for the dos so it's a major win-win), my leisure activities are dog-centric (dog classes, trials, being outdoors) and always have been. Seriously, my first trips as a person with a license were to the pet supply place and to go hiking with Maggie. LOL

DH and I do try to plan non-dog time, but this is usually lunch or dinner out, movies, wine tastings, etc. so not hard to fit in between the dogs needs. DH and I do have divergent activities as well - this means there's not much crossover on the weekends, but that works fine for us.

All that being said, I also expect my dogs to be able to handle my often wonky schedule (home all week one week, 10 hour days the next, no set schedule). They get fed at random times so they don't get upset if I'm home late, are let out in the yard as needed if I'm home but are able to hold it for 8+ hours just in case, have been taught to chill in the house regardless of how much or how little exercise they've gotten, etc.

Despite being "high energy herding breeds" my pack really is pretty low maintenance from my perspective. Maybe my perspective is weird, but for the most part I don't have to consciously balance them to keep everyone happy.

 

[JustaLilBitaLuck]

I work at a pet food store. Most of my friends are either from the rescue group, from work, or from school - so their lives revolve around animals as well.

I take as many classes as possible online, so I can fit my schedule around my dogs schedule, so they get enough time/attention/exercise.

 

[Tankstar]

I make it work. I never go out much on weekdays, maybe once a week for 4 or 5 hours. But normally Im home after work, and dont plan on doing much. And with my job, its pretty easy to make a schedule work. On weekends. I normally go out and meet up with friends at a local bar, I may be gone from 10-2am. And those time frames they would be home any way. Probably sleeping lol. Sundays are normally dog days, parks, walks, pet stores ect.

None of my friends, aside from my best friend (she has 3 chihuahuas) have dogs. they are ALL cat people lol. But my non-dog friends enjoy my 2. and most of our activities are outdoor, so dogs tag along (camping, hiking, dirt biking, swimming, cottages) So its really easy to balance. Ryan and I both work pretty different shifts for the most part, which helps.

Summer is really easy, as Im a morning person. Up by 6:30am. First dog walk/adventure by 7:30am lol. And since it stays light until 10ish, its easy to fit in late night dog walks. Winter is the only time they dont get those 2 walks.

Some days they may go by they dont get a walk or dog park day, they survive. Some days the only outdoors they see is the back yard, They survive. I love them to death, But Im not going to revolve my whole life around them, 90% of my free time is already given to them. I deserve 10% how ever I want to use it lol

 

[AllieMackie]

Not me. hides

Make him do parlor tricks, that makes him funnier. :rofl1: