Hi! Just looking for some honest opinions on whether I’m acting weirdly and if you would judge me for this!
I’ve had family dogs before as a child, but im in my early 20s and my dog is my first dog that’s actually been mine IYSWIM. I’m a bit of an obsessed dog mum who spends the majority of my time with my dog and making sure she’s ok. But I’m getting better haha.
anyway, my dog is a large breed double coated dog who really, really struggles with hot weather. We can usually get away with walking very early and very late but with the heatwave recently they have been miserable even with that and even walking at 6am has been too hot for them.
however, I’ve found a good window between 2-4 where it’s perfectly cool enough for them. So we have been going to bed at 10, then walking from 2-4, then going back to bed and sleeping until the morning. I can be extremely flexible with my work (I don’t work 9-5 for example) and I’m feeling fine with the routine. I’m still getting enough sleep I’ve just rejigged my day to accommodate it all and it works.
I don’t particularly like being out in the middle of the night but my dog absolutely adores it so I take a torch, charged phone etc. During the day she gets to plod around the house and chill in her pool but it means she also gets exercise too.
i briefly mentioned it to some friends who snorted, rolled their eyes and said I’m being ridiculous walking about during the night and that it’s unsafe and I’m being selfish disrupting my dogs sleep. But she was so depressed not being able to be walked and this solution works for us both. But I don’t know if me being an obsessed slightly neurotic first time dog mum is clouding my judgement and I’m being silly? Just to clarify I wouldn’t judge others for not doing this, it’s just something that works well for me and my dog