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If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

The doghouse

Is my dog happy?

19 replies

NeatFreakMama · 08/05/2019 14:39

Just for some background, she is my first dog so I'm not experienced at all. My DH has had dogs before though growing up. We got her as a rescue, she was a street dog in Bulgaria.

When she first arrived she was very nervous and thin and she's taken a long while to get more relaxed and used to being here and with us. She's come on absolute leaps and bounds and is lovely with other dogs, people and kids so we've been super lucky with her. She's a generally timid dog by nature.

So anyway this may seem like a really stupid question/ comment and totally happy to be told that but I worry about her! I work from home and she's with me all day. She gets a walk over lunch with me every day and apart from that we're just in the house or garden. My question is this, I sometimes put her in the garden because it's a big space and I imagine her running about but she just sits in the middle and stares at the door waiting for me to let her in. It seems like she'd rather just sit in the house, is that normal? She doesn't want to run around or be outside at all. See now I type it I think it's a stupid question but I just had visions of her running around outside . It means she's just in with me apart from the one walk (during the week).

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Finfintytint · 08/05/2019 14:42

She just wants to be with you.

Purplecatshopaholic · 08/05/2019 14:43

How long have you had her? It took my rescue dog (from Spain) many more months than I expected to really settle in and know he had his forever home - he was very insecure.

NeatFreakMama · 08/05/2019 14:43

Thanks Finfintytint so is that alright for her, to just sit in with me? Sorry new to it...maybe it's alright?

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NeatFreakMama · 08/05/2019 14:44

She was 1 when we got her and we've had her 3 years now Purplecatshopaholic. She seems more settled now in most ways at least, I think the remaining nervousness could be a bit of her natural character.

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Finfintytint · 08/05/2019 14:45

What she really wants is to bring your desk and laptop into the garden and work from the garden

MsMightyTitanAndHerTroubadours · 08/05/2019 14:48

any idea of breed??...some breeds are way more clingy than others, some fit into a family well, some really prefer one person and tolerate the rest

NeatFreakMama · 08/05/2019 14:48

Finfintytint it's definitely an idea I could get behind in the summer

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NeatFreakMama · 08/05/2019 14:50

MsMightyTitanAndHerTroubadours she looks like a mix of a few, something like greyhound/ beagle and a lab/ retriever.

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AvocadosBeforeMortgages · 08/05/2019 14:52

If you go out there and spend time with her will she stay out there? She probably just wants to be with her mum.

Mine tends to go out for a wee and return inside fairly quickly afterwards - he'll go sniff for a while (especially at night, when he's most excited to go explore) but is always waiting at the back door less than 5 minutes later.

If I go out there and spend time in the garden with him, he'll stay out much longer, be it sunbathing, sniffing or pestering me for a game of fetch

nevernotworried · 08/05/2019 14:53

We have quite a timid rescue (local) and work from home a lot of the time, so similar set up.

Our dog's favourite is to have tennis balls thrown for her in the garden.

Of course she loves walks too but 5-10 minutes every now and then playing breaks up the day for her (the children help with this).

Sometimes I hide treats and she goes to look for them round the house. Doesn't take long!

She was very timid when we first got her and a slow introduction to doggy day care seemed to help. She really enjoys it now and seems to give her lots of stimulation as she's exhausted when she comes home. Maybe goes once a week on average. Depends what we are doing.

Sometimes wonder if another dog would be the best thing, them am not sure!

Fursttime1 · 08/05/2019 14:53

If your dog is getting the exercise & social interaction from other dogs I’d think it would be happy in your company from there on. Is it a breed that needs a lot of space? Do you have the facility to leave the door open for it to come in & outad it pleases?

NeatFreakMama · 08/05/2019 15:01

AvocadosBeforeMortgages oh yes she'd stay outside longer if I was there I think, although not guaranteed. Sometimes I'll try and play with her and suddenly realise she's gone back inside and I'm throwing a ball for myself

nevernotworried you're right I should maybe hide treats, I used to and don't anymore so it's just me being lazy which isn't fair. We've definitely wondered if another dog would help.

Fursttime1 I'm not sure really, my guess is that she's something like a greyhound/ lab/ beagle. I can in the summer but when it's cold I feel like I spend literally all day putting her out and back in. She's always at the door to either go out or come back.

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Purplecatshopaholic · 08/05/2019 15:07

I would not leave my boy in the garden on his own. He is happy as Larry if I am there, but if go in and leave him out there, he will just stand and stare at the patio doors waiting for me. Your girl just wants her mum

NeatFreakMama · 08/05/2019 15:08

Purplecatshopaholic that makes me feel better, I think it's just my inexperience. I just expected her to want to run about but maybe it's alright just to keep her in with me then. thank you for replying.

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Purplecatshopaholic · 08/05/2019 15:28

No problem Neat, I wish you much joy with her. My boy makes me happy every day

mrsjoyfulprizeforraffiawork · 08/05/2019 16:15

I've had my (Uk) rescue dog just over two years now. Recently, for the first time, she has gone into the garden and stayed there on her own for up to about 15 mins without me. She will also go out to sunbathe on the balcony without me but if I don't appear in the adjoining kitchen within about 10 minutes, she'll be back to look for me or just move back into the flat near me. Mostly, she wants to be with me wherever I am.

Cath2907 · 08/05/2019 16:23

Mine is happy to go mooch in his garden for 20 minutes or so. It is a very sniffy exercise. Not much running. He prefers it is someone is out there. If the kids are in the garden he'll go lie out on the grass. He normally only does that once a day though - mostly he snoozes on the sofa. If it is a warm day and the back door is open he might go out and snooze on the patio for a bit. He isn't a rescue - he's a 15 month old Bichon.

NeatFreakMama · 08/05/2019 18:02

Thanks guys, sounds like it’s totally normal.

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picklemepopcorn · 08/05/2019 18:46

Dogs don't really play outside on their own. They explore, sniff, dig... but run, not so much.

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