Do you ever feel sorry for your dog?

[LovesGSD]

My 2 dogs follow me around like wee lost sheep, every room I'm in they need to be with me. Even if I'm just leaving the room for a second and they are sleeping they'll still get up and come with me. Are most dogs like this?

[HoneyDragon]

My mums dog was like this. She had perfected a weary put out sigh to go with it too

My dogs have always ignored by wanderings in favour of nicking my chair

[JethroTull]

My boxer does this too. He's only 7 months though. I feel sorry for him when I leave him on the days I go to work. But then he's so excited to see me when I get home his whole back end wags.

[BeeBawBabbity]

I do feel sorry for her if we're going out somewhere and she can't come, but she has her expectant look on.

But mostly I feel envious of her life! Loads of naps, regular walks, quality food....

[SpicyPear]

I have a nervous dog and I feel pretty much constantly sorry for her. She folows me around the house or makes a nest in our pillows (preferably cuddling pjs) and has a bed in every room. The pup is cheeky and independent so I generally don't feel sorry for him!

[SantasHairyBollock]

Not really, they have a great life especially littleolddog who goes up to bed in our bed just before us then snuggles down to sleep at the back of my legs. She doesn't get up in the morning til about 9 either and generally has it cushy. Bigyoungdog I think would be happier if he got taken out for a walk every time he throws a ball at my feet but that would mean about 59 walks a day.

[Imnotaslimjim]

I feel sorry for my dog when he feels he has to bark at every slight little noise or perceived noise. He's a ball of nervous energy :( We've only had him 6 weeks and he is getting calmer but we're thinking of going to a trainer or behaviourist and see if there is anything we can do (any suggestions gratefully received)

[D0oinMeCleanin]

I feel sorry for Whippy sometimes. She has permanent look of confusion. I'm feeling sorry for her atm, our current short term foster keeps growling at her (fear related and resource guarding - but she guards everything, last night she decided I was a resource worth guarding) Whippy appears confused about this. Black pointy dogs are normally to snuggle with.

[needastrongone]

I don't feel sorry for our puppy but I have GUILT! Although, I have had some guilt since I became a mother I think!

I feel guilty if I am not interacting or playing with him and he kind of follows me round looking expectantly, then, if I don't play he goes and sits on his bed looking at me with big sad eyes.

I also feel crap because I am now in the study working and he's in his crate asleep. I will have to work until 11/12am. Never mind that he's had DH play with him for half an hour this morning, had a lovely breakfast, done some training and and good long romp in the woods with me when the DC went to school

[CMOTDibbler]

No, whippy is snoring on the sofa next to me as I work, having demolished a pig ear and redistributed the shoes round the house. He has a happy life, though he'd like to do more eating

[NoThankYouToSideSalad]

No. This time last year our Springer was dumped, unwanted and unloved, in a council pound. Today he is carefully wrapped up in a warm, waterproof jacket, running like a loon in the snow, chasing balls and on the receiving end of lots of cuddles and love.

[gymmummy64]

My dog still hasn't quite worked out what a house is for and why we would voluntarily choose to be in one. He does tend to follow me, but less so if I go upstairs - I guess he knows there's no food up there and no chance of going outside.

I feel sorry for him if we go out and he's not coming as he works the rejected and abandoned look very well. I don't feel sorry for him if we've just come back for a long walk, he's not hungry yet still he starts his dramatic sighs and flopping down on his cushion - that just seems to be milking it if you ask me!

[wildfig]

My dog(s) have perfected their tragic looks so well that - in the very early, guilt-ridden stages of dog ownership - I actually took a photo of my phone of figDog after she'd been walked, had a nice supper of kibble and sardines, and was lounging on the sofa, on the basis that this had to be her 'happy face'.

Her 'happy face' is virtually indistinguishable from her 'sad face'. She is a basset hound.

Sometimes I do feel a bit sorry for them, if I have to go out and leave them, or if they have to have the short walk, but I have to make myself recalibrate the guiltiness according to what a dog expects from life, as opposed to what a human would. Dog wants a walk, food, warmth, bit of cuddling and chat, regular loo breaks. Dog does not feel hard done by if he doesn't have a different meal every night of the week, or seven hours of mind-expanding debate about the over-sexualisation of modern society.

But I know what you mean about the following around. They just like to be where you are. It's about the only job my dogs have, keeping me company and reminding me when the post's arrived...

[colditz]

Yes, because she trembles and looks at me expectantly.

[AmazingBouncingFerret]

Yes because the poor old soul was here first and then we had children. I bet she thinks back fondly of life before children... Peace, quiet, able to leave the house at a drop of a hat.


Oh wait.

That's me.

[needastrongone]

Love your post wildfig, as puppy is currently under the table in the kitchen with his soulful look, having just had play, training, food and a bit of a cuddle/brush with sad eyes! He wants a walk, but I aint going out yet!

That's exactly my issue, I compare human expectation to canine

[OwlLady]

I do atm as I have really hurt my back and cannot take them for their usual long walks :( and the snow isn't exactly helping as it is so slippy and I am frightened I will fall and hurt my back even more

[higgle]

I feel sorry for him when I'm just going upstairs to collect a mug or get my handback and he thinks something really exciting is going to happen and gets up off the sofa and bounds upstairs after me, tail wagging. I wish I could just tell him things.

[pimmsgalore]

I feel sorry for pimmsdog he spends most of the day lying in front of my boys door expecting them to come out of it and play with him :( However if I shout "pimmsdog time to go get the guys" he runs out the front door and jumps straight in the car (which he never does normally without a treat) ready to go get them from school so he knows they aren't there

[threestepsforward]

My dog is the same Higgle. He follows me everywhere - picking up something in another room, right behind me, putting something away, right behind me!

I feel sorry for him as he just has to u-turn and come back with me.

My mum's dog is the same and when I look after him it's like I'm trailing a cloak of dogs around the house :P

Ah yes, and the hangdog expression before you go out without them. I have perfected the art of not making eye contact!

[25catsnameSam]

I read this earlier and thought no, Flatdog has a great time no need to feel sorry for him, but I am clearly fooling myself as I have just let him lie flat out on my bed with his paws on his face because he doesn't like the vacuum cleaner, but has to follow me round the house when I use it.
And I called him a poor little sausage when he vommed up the whole pat of butter he ate all over the stairs

[Colliewollydoodle]

My dog did follow me around the house from room to room, even if I said " don't get up I'll be back in a minute". But then he is a Border Collie so probably thought he needed to keep an eye on me and stop me getting into trouble. As he got older he would still follow but let me know by huffing that he would much rather stay on the settee snoozing. Now he's 13, and he just opens an eye and sighs and pretends he hasn't noticed I left the room.
He has always had a way about him.....Don't mind me I'm just the dog.

[ChickensHaveNoEyebrows]

Yep. I feel sorry for him every time I have to squeeze his anal glands, or take him to the vet, or he reacts with terror if he's forced in to interacting with another dog, or he's on lead being walked past a house and the resident dog barks which leads to him spinning and scrabbling at his head collar....Yeah, pretty much all the time :( I wish he wasn't as fearful and could enjoy playing with other dogs, but he's only really relaxed in the house.

[needastrongone]

This thread has made me realise that my puppy has had a life and a half since we got him and I have no need to fall for his sympathy bids!!

Two off road walks a day, cuddles, training, expensive food, interaction from all family - bloody dogs life innit?

Seriously, I will no longer charge home from whatever I am doing because it is 2 HOURS since I left (would never leave him much longer anyway but sure he would be fine!!), or rush round Sainsburys like a fool. He is fed, loved, watered, exercised, trained - no reason to feel bad

And some of the rescue stories on here really do show me that he's fine - and lucky really given what some dogs go through...

[Ullena]

Colliedog is on restricted exercise atm, per vet's instructions. Short version: he lost loads of weight almost overnight and investigations are ongoing. Probably pancreatic, but at least we have got him stabilised and no longer skeletal looking. Still a bit to regain though (about 2kg underweight still).

Am trying to make his daily 30 mins as fun as his previous 2 hours...he's being very gracious about it all. The snow has helped, as it apparently makes things new and shiny by dog standards...

[digerd]

Had my 2 year-old only 18 days, and she is in season too. Every time I see her peering at the glass front door < presumably hoping for a likely lad to visit>, I feel sorry for her.
Also, when I go out dancing for 2 hours twice a week in the morning and she thinks I'm ready to take her out < all dressed up and perfumed - she'll get the message soon>, I feel really bad to disappoint her.