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The doghouse

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

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Original poster

What do you do with your dogs in the evening?

25 replies

LovelyMuffins · 23/08/2012 21:05

We have got a 14 week old Golden Retriever pup and I don't know what to do with him in the evening? Should we leave him to his own devices or should we interact with him, train him etc. and wear him out? He currently gets a little trot around the block around 6 or 7 but then it is kind of chill out time for us with me bathing ds, getting him ready for bed and so on folowed by me and watching TV or pottering about. I feel so guilty if I leave him be but don;t want to crank him up. What would you or do you do?

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Original poster

LovelyMuffins · 23/08/2012 21:06

I meant followed by me clearing up and watching TV or pottering about.

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twooter · 23/08/2012 21:07

I leave him to snooze on the lounge carpet, but he is older. I don't walk him in the evenings, as my duh was often away, and I didn't want to have to do it on my own in the dark.

Catsmamma · 23/08/2012 21:08

i usually find any pups we have are quite sleepy from their suppertime (six ish) but then usually rouse themselves for a mad half hour about half nine

so we try to keep that going so they are really tired for overnight!

Certainly don't feel obliged to make yourself Entertainment Manager for a puppy, like children, boredom is good for them!

ChickensArentEligableForGold · 23/08/2012 21:10

We mostly shove him around from one sofa to the other as he emits noxious farts. Sometimes the DC get him a bit wound up, but I try to keep evenings as a calm time.

Original poster

LovelyMuffins · 23/08/2012 21:14

oh good. I keep getting these rushes of guilt that he might be bored and I should be doing more. He gets played with during the day on and off and we walk him at different times depending on what we are up to. He likes to play on his rope chew thing but that does ental another party (usually me). I worry that if he sleeps too much int eh evening he will not sleep at night. Am I confusing him with a human . He is such a lovely boy but I don't know if I a doing this right!

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Puppypanic · 23/08/2012 21:57

Lovely, I wondered this morning how you were getting on? Are you feeling any less anxious?

Our pup is 16 weeks old now and I tend to leave him to his own devices in the evening. He potters about or has a cuddle but mostly I'm doing stuff so he just lies on the kitchen floor and watches me sleepily. I turf him out into the garden at around midnight and he sleeps until 8ish - good pup.

Btw, I'm still a bit worried about the responsibility but am loving him and having him more and more. I think it just takes time to get used to having another being in the house.

Mama1980 · 23/08/2012 22:03

My girl is 18 months and she gets her last walk at about 6 then goes out the garden for 20 mins at about 9 other than that she generally follows me about and dozes before we head to bed and she takes up her nighttime position across the foot of ds s bed

Original poster

LovelyMuffins · 23/08/2012 22:06

hello PP - yes I am still ridiculously anxious . I rang the breeder in tears a few days ago but as he has already been handed back once I could not even contemplate doing it to him again. I really wanted to ask her if I am doing him justice and she was reassuring but a bit short with me tbh. I guess this was as a result of him being passed from pillar to post once already. I am getting used to him being with us but cannot wait for the school holidays to end so that I can get into a proper 'routine' with him wihtout the higgeldy piggedly days we are currently having. I often come on her and refer to my last thread though as it really does help! Would you say that you are more relaxed now PP?

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topknob · 23/08/2012 22:10

My dog is currently out in the garden, will no doubt bark in a bit at any passing cats. Then she will come in for the night and lay down to sleep, she is 4.

SrirachaGirl · 23/08/2012 22:21

Oh, Lovely, things will get much easier when the kids are back in school. You'll be able to get into a routine (dogs figure that out pretty fast) and out for longer walks. I think as long as all his needs are being met, he should fit into your schedule, rather than the other way around. Our puppy is 6 months now and as long as she's had plenty of exercise, stimulation and variety during the day she's happy to just chill, couch-surf, fart, perform life-guard duty during bathtime or be generally underfoot in the evening. Both our dogs understand the command "story time" and will position themselves at the foot of DCs beds. They are both film/tv buffs and are currently enjoying "Wallander" very much.

Original poster

LovelyMuffins · 23/08/2012 22:30

that really made me laugh SrirachaGirl! Wallender . I have a a bit of a thing about the upstairs business. I don't let Hero up stairs during the day because of the cats but he sleeps in my room at night . do you think this is confusing him? I feel so guity about leaving him d/s during bathtime with ds as it can take around 45 mins atm as we are messing around up there 'cos it is not school schedule etc. I do seem to be making this heavy weather! When I read all your posts you seem to be so much better at al this. I keep reminding myself that this was my choice, my decision and that all a dog needs is love, companionship, exercise and security. he has no expectations as such and I try and go with that thought.

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Signet2012 · 23/08/2012 22:34

Mine tends to rotate around various parts of the house sleeping, farting and occasionally twitching.

Actually, thats how he spends most of his days.

Infact since I have been on maternity leave he looks rather put out that I am here all the time and has taken to letting me know I am obviously disrupting his sleep regime by daring to move about the house!

He does liven up about 11 when he expects his walk and his dinner then he comes upstairs and snores on the bed/his bed/ the rug until in the morning when DP gets up, then he will get on his side of the bed and snore until I get up.

I have a very lazy dog!

Original poster

LovelyMuffins · 23/08/2012 22:35

Signet, your dog soulds lovely! What breed? How old?

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Signet2012 · 23/08/2012 22:43

he is a border collie springer cross. He is 8 now but he has always been the same!

Everyone said to me "oh the two most active breeds - god help you" It still makes me laugh. This is a dog who when I was working he used to stay in bed and snort at me if I suggested him going for a wee. I play with his ball more than he does. He just looks as if to tell me to bring it back.

He is currently laid on the settee on his back, back legs spread, front legs just dangling snoring his head off.

SrirachaGirl · 23/08/2012 22:44

Exactly . Ours just seem to want to hang out with us...they don't seem to care much what we're doing as long as they can be close by. I'm standing in the kitchen typing this in between buzzing around doing dinner-prep things and Lucy (the puppy) is trying to sleep on my feet. It's like having a small, furry stalker. DD calls the dogs the "itty-bitty trip hazard committee" .

Puppypanic · 23/08/2012 22:49

Lovely, I do still feel anxious and a bit trapped if I'm honest. It's just such a life changing event and I do find myself looking at him sometimes and thinking 15 years, 15 years. I need to stop scaring myself and just take each day as it comes. I love him dearly, he's such a beautiful sweet little chap but argh another responsibility!!

Like you I overthink it all. Definitely feel better than I did a few weeks ago though. Agree with you as you said before that everyone else looks so relaxed and unconcerned by dog ownership.

Original poster

LovelyMuffins · 23/08/2012 22:51

maybe we are just hyper sensitive, immensely intelligent human beings PP

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ExitPursuedByABear · 23/08/2012 22:52

I used to cry when my puppy was little - it all seemed such hard work - but don't worry, This too will pass.

Maybe a bit of idle pulling on his chew toy to tire him out. Very soon he will just be happy to snooze at your feet all night.

Puppypanic · 23/08/2012 22:58

We are Lovely, we are . Keep posting, I think it helps so much.

TunaPastaBake · 23/08/2012 23:01

Our 2 yr old lab tends to crash out in the evening about an hour or so after her meal. She will then be all alert when the TV goes off , outside for a wee and back to sleep until morning. She is currently on the sofa next to me snoring !

Signet2012 · 23/08/2012 23:05

I think it's us who have the problem. I feel so bad leaving him for a few hours. He on the other hand sits at the door waiting for us to go so he can get his dirty bone out and lay on the settee. I used to worry about the length of his walks, his play time, until one day I was looking at him and thought he is just humouring us. I honestly think he thinks it's us who he has to entertain. You can see it on his face as I'd he is thinking "Ffs ok I'll play with your stupid ball with you but only for five minutes!".

Puppypanic · 23/08/2012 23:17

brilliant signet !

ChestyNut · 25/08/2012 12:59

NutDog plays out in the garden with his boomer ball after tea and then tends to rotate around sofas and lolling all over us, farting the most disgusting smells you've ever smelt! Goes out in garden around 9 and 11 for a wee and a crazy dash up the garden barking then crashes out for the night

MissBetseyTrotwood · 25/08/2012 22:05

He follows me around the house a bit (well, the downstairs anyway) and then crashes out on the sofa or on his kitchen bed. Never his actual own bed, note. I stop what I'm doing about ever 15 mins for a cuddle, unless I'm online or watching a rare bit of telly, in which case we're cuddled up together.

Can't wait for chilly evenings so our cuddles are even better!

Original poster

LovelyMuffins · 25/08/2012 22:24

so being sleepy in the evening does not affect their night time sleep? I should leave him to doze on and off even though I want him to sleep all night too? He does sleep from around 1130 to when I get up around 730 but I feel like if he nods off during the evening (which he does), I should wake him so he sleeps all night! I think I am treating him like a baby taking an extra nap.

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