hello. here's possibly a silly question, and a really long and boring post, but if you can bear to read it what are your weekday daily routines with your dogs?! I ask as I worry that my two get bored sometimes and Im not doing enough with them (Im a bit hyper myself!)...particularly as its just me and them, and I dont have a garden just now (saving for new house!).... both are young working line dogs and Cuillin in particular seems to like to always be busy....cuillin is fifteen months so getting to stage where I can really start upping exercise, Brodick is 9.5 months.... here's my routines on the three days I work half days, they go to creche two days a week and I work full days: - up at 7. they get a kong with a chunk of apple stuck in it to worry at while I get dressed and grab a coffee - Out about half seven for walk up the hills. Walk is an hour and a quarter ish but its not that long in 'walk' time, if you know what I mean, because of wee Brods. the walk is about forty mins if you did it as a proper walk. we stop a lot and do Find Its in long grass, Cuillin does racing after a ball and Brods ambushes her on her return, they have a few wild chasey hoolie games, and we go to a Pond so Brods can indulge his love of waiter retreiving. he would fetch stuff from water all day if he could.., at least one spot of training on sit, down, down waits, tossing bits of sausage about and sending one off while the other has to wait etc etc... - Back home, bkfast all round. then they play with each other for a while (Wild hoolying and tuggy) while I get ready for work. then bout half an hour of training and some games -Then I go to work about ten and they go to crates with a kong - I work 3.5 hours, back home (only live ten mins from office), rapturous welcome and much licking and wagging. I pootle about and grab some lunch then we head out again for about the same amount of time. Different part of the hills though with much the same routine but different sniffs/sights/bits to explore from the morning, or once a week we go to the beach so Brods can have loads of water retrieving time and C rushes around after her ball madly. - Home, and Find Its with the Dummy and some training usually - They chill for a bit and I do some triathlon training - either run (take Cuillin with me and Brods chills in crate while he's little. will take em both when he's old enough ) or bike on a turbo trainer in the house and they mess about with each other or try and lick the sweat off my legs - Dogs want to do Dog Stuff again so its Find Its with Dummy and more games and training - out to park nearby for run around with their dog mates before tea, only a couple of minutes walk there and back - Tea time for all - Night times we all go out together probably a couple of times a week to friends houses and we get a least one visitor a week so they get excited about all that...they come to the pub with me on a Friday night for an hour or so! Dont really leave them at night they tend to come everywhere with me... Im trying to encourage them to Settle more after tea but with varying degrees of sucess!! I'll get about an hour of snoozing then Cuillin wants to be up and at it again Doing Stuff....do you think she's bored?! Brods will snooze happily if I sit down... Creche days they are running about fields all day with a big crowd of dogs and seem to come back absolutely wired to the moon so I do a lot with them those nights indoors just now as its dark, training, Finding, etc. Anyway, do you think they need more stuff to work their brains maybe? more gun doggy type stuff?? or is Cuillin just a hyper pup... congratulations and thanks if you've read this far!!
Re: your dogs daily routine Lady agrees with Riley. That's a very busy routine and I think they are two very lucky dogs.
Re: your dogs daily routine If you're opening a dog hotel could Hebe join the waiting list please? My lot get what they're given and just have to lump it!
Re: your dogs daily routine Any room for Lilly? ...on second thoughts.....I think it might wear her out ;D Jacqui
Re: your dogs daily routine I think Sam would struggle to keep pace and he`s only 16 months old and also, he is bone idle unless he is out and about : Sounds fab at yours
Re: your dogs daily routine And Monty wants to live at your place too. That sounds like some routine and your dogs are very fortunate that you have so much energy and time. Here's Monty's routine. Wakes at about 4.30 and hufs and puffs until one of us gives in and gets upto take him for his morning walk ...about 30 mins. No games ...just walking. Back home to breakfast and trying out all the chairs until mum goes to work in the office when he takes up residence under the desk for a change of location. Follow mum around the house if she moved, but doze in between all movement. Around lunch time (unless too hot outside ...we're in Australia) another little walk ....30 mins ....then back home and back to work in the office. Best time of days around 4 pm ...We jump in the car and go off to the dog park....play there with all doggie friends for about 1.5 hours then home to dinner. After dinner it's time for a treat (dental chew) and then everyone settles in front of the TV. Monty, at 43 KGS thinks he's a lapdog so he positions his front end on my knee and he snoozes. I think the TV bores him! Bed time is about 9 ish ...he seems ready and willing to just hop onto his bed and there he stays until the birds start up again the next morning. I'm sure he gets bored, but I can't persuade him to read, watch TV or do puzzles, and I've not yet managed to find him a job! What's a mum to do? Rest assured ....your dogs live the life of Riley ...as the saying goes. Cheers from down under Lynda and Monty
Re: your dogs daily routine Lynda....Riley says he dreams of a life like that Riley actually gets between 1 and 2 hours walking a day split between two walks, sometimes with boisterous friends, sometimes the buggy comes along and sometimes on his own. I try and fit some training into each walk and two additional 10-15 min training sessions at home. If the weathers nice he might get more of an adventure but we're still on the baby's schedule at the moment.
Re: your dogs daily routine Thought I would come clean... Tuesday to Friday (work ) up 6.30 for half hour on-lead walk - too dark to get off lead and no street lights in country - breakfast then off to work/school 8.10 so snoozles on beanbag or sunspots until first home around 3,50. Quick play few treats and if still enough light an off lead walk for another half hour. If "inclement weather" might not bother and do some training in house and chease around toys for 15-20mins. Tea 6.15 on the dot (ha ha!) then further snoozing on beanbag with ocassional stretch of legs around house or in garden. Shoots up anytime anyone enters kitchen or rustles food packet )so some exercise at least) Saturday morning 1 hr obedience (or agility in summer) followed by 45 mins chasing pals around after class and swimming in big pond. If any energy might go for a donder later if not already dark. Sunday, 20min swin in hydrotherapy pool with 30-45mins off lead in the afternoon. Usually a bit of recall training if off lead (we are doing the Programme! Only if no distracting hares, deer or other dogs!). Monday - my day off to clean the house - then 60-90mins off lead in the woods, lots of sniffs and smells, lots of doggy pals to meet and greet. Always a bit of recall and simple training whilst out. In summer get a walk for 20mins or so later at football but not now its dark. Oh...and bedtime? anywhere 10-11.30 - first one into bed gets a doggy hot-water bottle until lights off and banishment to dog bed (unless we "forget" - depends how cold it is!) Contented calm dog. Until the chance for a play or chase............ Jacqui
Re: your dogs daily routine Ahhh this is great thanks...I have harboured a sneaking suspicion for some time that maybe cuillin seems to get bored if shes not active constantly because ive kept her active constantly!!like, too much going on sometimes! Giggled at Jaqui and the instant reaction to anyone going into kitchen or rustling a food bag. My two can be flat out on their backs snoring and i will tiptoe into the kitchen for a snack and suddenly two small labradors appear behind me as im sneakily opening the snack cupboard. I do sometimes think brodick looks at me and cuillin in mild horror as we leap off to do something else...hes much more of a had a great walk now its time for a snooze kind of man....not worried anymore then in fact might drop it down a notch or two and see if cuilli actually gets more relaxed!
Re: your dogs daily routine Sams routine : Wakes between 6.30 and 7 , pesters for breakfast which he gets at 7.30 . He then has a nap , eating is so shattering First walk of the day is around 8.30ish when he goes to one of two places, either a local field in our village to meet friends, its great for socialising as sometimes there can be 12 or more dogs there, like playgroup or he may go to Golitha Falls, very close to our homes , its a nature reserve where I am a volunteer warden , an ancient woodland by the river Fowey and waterfalls too . His morning walk is almost all off lead and takes an hour or more . Back home for a snooze , then if the weather is nice we have a training session in the garden for maybe 20 mins . He has another walk at around 2.30ish, a mixture of on and off lead for about 40 mins, back home, little nap before his favourite time of the day, tea time . If its not raining , I might take him for a lead walk around the village at about 6.30 p.m. just for 15 mins, to keep his lead work on track , he has to wear his high viz jacket as we are in a very rural village, he doesnt seem to mind having it on though as he knows its a necessary evil that means walk . Sam settles down at around 7 in the evening, he rarely moves again until his last garden trip at bedtime , he has a massive cushion to sleep on which he adores but admit that he does sometimes sneak onto the sofa for a cuddle with me .
Re: your dogs daily routine Ok I nearly did a Small Black Dog post but this thread seems appropriate as this seesm to be becoming a nearly DAILY event at the moment. - Up around 7ish and down for breakfast; Lady still snoring in her bed under the breakfast table in the kitchen. - 8ish stir stumps and put on all the wet weather winter gear and place hand on tit bit bag. Small Black Dog appears as if by magic, mugs me for a pre-walk treat, stretches as only dogs can stretch and yawn, noses kitchen bin and finds nothing interesting, plays game of I-bet-you-can't-get-my-collar-on-without-being-in-my-mouth-at-the-same-time. - off out over the field. No sheep this morning so Lady off lead. Over the Eden Brook and across the next field. - Lady rockets past with that familiar smell of fox pooh! Aaargh! When did she do that. - Smell truly awful so keep up wind of her at all times. Fortunately meet no one this morning (unusual) so no need to shout out not to touch her! - Back nearly home and have to put lead on for last 100yds and the full awfulness of her condition becomes apparent. Head, neck, both shoulders, left side of face and why oh why does it always get on the clasp of the collar! - Tie her to the trailer this time. - Collar off; fox pooh on (hands). - Two buckets of water, multiple spongings and she still stinks. - Nothing for it but clear a track to the shower room. - Up she trots and we both get in the shower together tail wagging (well hers anyway). - 10 minutes later she's clean, I'm clean, dog towels are all wet shower plug hole blocked. - She's now having a sleep after all this and breakfast. - I'm thinking same again tomorrow? Really I'm seriously thinking about keeping her on the lead for a bit or at least taking her collar off so at least I don't have to deal with that as well. Bless!
Re: your dogs daily routine Naughty small black dog! I looked after my friends black lab (and Riley's best friend in the whole world!) and she rolled in poo and got it on her collar. It was hideous - you have my sympathy. Luckily Riley only rolls very occasionally and then its more of a shoulder in rather than a full roll.
Re: your dogs daily routine Just wait until your dogs roll in human poo and it is all over them and gunged well into the collar and buckle and you have to get them into the car to drive home :'( Stacia
Re: your dogs daily routine Ugh! Stacia, I feel sick now. Slight diversion to the thread, but I had considered a dog fleece for Lills. Thought no, its a bit naff.....then thought - easier to wash a fleece than a dog, especially in the morning when work is beckoning! And the "jumper" style should stop that wet mucky belly I never seem to get dried/demudded, AND should cover the commonest fox poo areas. I've told her to put one on her Santa list. Needs to be black, though, or dad will complain : Jacqui
Re: your dogs daily routine oh the hideousness of a human poo find. Mine prefer to eat it....did that at the weekend. have only just let them lick me again.fox poo is for joyously rolling in, on back with legs flailing around for maximum rotation to ensure deep fur coverage, making sure its well massaged into the neck and shoulder....tschhhh
