We had a springer spaniel for 11 years, and also have have 3 young children aged now 3, 6 and 8. we were moving house at the start of this year, and at the time I found it really difficult to look after 3 kids and a dog along with the move and part time work. He was always very energetic as springers are, and so we made the decision to give him to my husbands parents, as they have a bigger house and a calmer environment. However, they both work long hours, and i don't think they have hardly walked him at all. He has arthritis, and he has been getting worse in the last few months, to the point that at the beginning of this week he was hardly walking at all and stopped eating. I took him to the vets, and offered to keep him here to keep an eye on him because I am home a lot of the time. He's on painkiller and arthritis medication now and has already improved a lot. Having him here though has made me really want him back. Now I dont know what to do, am I being horrible asking them? They do like having him, but i just worry about the quality of life for him. I bathed and groomed him and honestly the mats and dirt encrusted into his fur was diabolical, I dont think they ever brushed him. He's put on a lot of weight as well, whenever they came over when we had him they would give him tidbits which I was always frustrated about. I think he has really liked being here, and id feel bad for him if he prefers it here.