Day routine

[NoSquirrels]

So, after much dog-yearning, indecision, research, heart-examining, DC-preparing, home-checking, hurdle-jumping and over-thinking, lovely cat-and-kid-friendly rescue dog arrives with us soon.

And this weekend, in amongst garden prep (clearing stray brambles, fixing boundary etc), I've been thinking about how our day/weekly routine will change. One of the cats politely woke us from a lie-in at 8 a.m. today to day breakfast was an hour late. Clearly that's going to be unheard of Post-Dog.

So... like the "What does your day look like?" threads, wondering if you'd all care to share?

(I WFH, DC are 8&6 so both at school, cats will have baby gates so upstairs-cat/downstairs dog, at least initially, we are semi-rural so plenty of park/field/woods options for walks, and am veering to the side of overly-anxious about barking/recall/reactive/separation anxiety/crate training etc so I'm confident I have the contingency plans for bad times etc. Plus doggie daycare is local, and family members on hand for ad hoc (hopefully). Dog is lovely Lab cross and under 2.)

So ... what time are you all up, how does dog fit in with family life,how many walks/feeds/training sessions - basically, what does your dog's day look like?

TY!

[Oops4]

I have to drag my lazy little terrier out of bed for the school run, he is the last one up every day! Our dog routine changes from day to day depending if it's a work day/day off/weekend. He's our shadow and just follows us wherever we go.

[tabulahrasa]

I get up sometime between 6 and 10 depending on what day it is and what I'm working... but I've never had a dog that could tell the time, so it's never been an issue.

They tend to set their routines from what is happening rather than when, so breakfast is when I get up, if I get up later it's fine, if I try to do something else before feeding the dog, that's not.

[NoSquirrels]

So I might still manage a lie-in sometimes? Reassuring!

[dudsville]

My dogs have their internal clocks set to work days, which is an earlier start to non work days. We've got used to it. They want a garden visit and breakfast early on non work days but we just put the coffee/tea pot on and enjoy the time in bed in the mornings. Alternatively, their morning routine only takes under ten min so if we're tired we just go back to sleep!

[tabulahrasa]

I find dogs more adaptable than children, lol.

My day isn't going to be much use to you as my children are adults and my dog has health issues that mean walking is limited and sometimes doesn't happen at all.

[Lucisky]

Mine wakes me at 6.30 without fail every morning. She is only young (9 months) so I let her out because she is always seems desperate for a poo at that time, and I don't want to force her into having an accident in the house. I don't have to get up that early as I am retired...fortunately I am not a lying in type of person.
We have one long walk a day in the morning, other than that she plays in the garden. I try to have a training session pm as well.
They soon get into a routine. Have fun.

[Herechickychicky]

Mine are all still asleep. The oldest one would stay in bed till noon if I didn't kick her out in the garden for a wee.

My kids on the other hand are always up before 7.

[Eolian]

My 3 year-old dog used to wake us pretty early (any time between 5.30 and 6.45) but if we ignored him he'd go back downstairs and go back to sleep. He now doesn't bother coming up until he hears us stirring.

I work ad hoc part time. He can happily be left for up to 4 hours if he's had a good walk. I have a friend in my village who has him if I'm going to be out longer than that. He's very energetic on walks but when it's just me and him at home during the day, he mostly sleeps.

Never had any trouble with separatikn anxiety. Had a crate but ended up not using it. He has the run of the house with no problems. He howled the place down af night when he was a puppy for ages until we gave in and put his bed in our room! Then he eventually chose to sleep downstairs.

He gets two walks a day, about 45 mins each and longer at the weekend. He runs and runs after the ball so does about 5 times the distance we do! He barks like mad every time anyone walks up our drive and sometimes just past our house! Recall is good but he pulls like a train on a normal lead, so has to wear a halter-type collar.
He's 33kg and very strong - my kids (9 and 11) can't walk him!

[NoSquirrels]

Thanks everyone! So hopefully dog will be fitting in with us rather than the other way round

[Theworldisfullofidiots]

My dog is crate trained partly because we have cats. He gets up when we are ready for him, which is usually after we and cats have had breakfast. He doesn't get left there for long after we get up. Just I want to be ready for him and the cats like their own time....

[Floralnomad]

My dog sleeps upstairs on ds bed ( double) he generally gets up between 6-8 if no one else is up and goes downstairs to sleep until someone does get up . He eats between 9-10 am and tea is between 5-6 pm , walks are whenever someone takes him . We found that having too much of a routine didn't work as if he expects to go out after breakfast he pesters whereas by not knowing he generally gets on with his day . I don't work and have adult dc so we never use daycare or walkers which would be dogs idea of hell as he is very particular about which dogs he will mix with . Mine is a patterdale x and we got him as a 15/16 week old stray from Battersea , he's 7 now and is the most perfect family dog and particularly loves children and older people .

[Adarajames]

We've had a busy draining weekend and health issues so only just waking up now, and my girl hasn't stirred yet; if she's on my bed (a very occasional treat) will stay happily in bed far longer than I'd on own bed in hallway. is totally flexible around times to get up / walks / bedtimes, only routine happening is dinner around 1730 if at home, if out and about she doesn't hassle for it until home regardless of time. She is pretty laid back though now at 6, very chilled out girl. Oh, unless it's very bright and sunny and streaming in through back door window, then she'll wake me at 0730 just so she can sunbathe! She's a southern Spain rescue and boy does she love her sunbathing!

[NoSquirrels]

Well this is all immensely reassuring- in general I'm not great at routines, so it's a relief to hear that whatever we do will become normal enough.

[JustBeingJobless]

On school days, we’re up at 6.30, ddog gets her breakfast around 7, then gets walked at 8.30ish. On the weekend, she sleeps until ds and I get up, has breakfast later and gets walked when we can be bothered to get dressed

She is almost 10 though (shhh don’t tell her that, she did 15 miles today with my friend and still thinks she’s a pup!) so is well used to our routines, but she’s never been much of a problem to be fair.

[GinIsIn]

In an ideal world, the dog would get up at 8:30/9, be taken for a very short walk before going back to bed for an hour or two then hand fed roast chicken before a day filled with snoozing whilst someone fusses her.

I, however, am a horrible person, so she gets up and is walked at 6:30, when we get up, gets her dentastick, and then she takes herself back upstairs to bed again until I drag her out for another walk around 10. She ignores her dog food, preferring to wait for DS (7mo) to have lunch so she can hoover up his spilled ravioli/omelette etc. In the afternoon she's left for an hour or so whilst I take DS to a class, which she will react to as a great insult even though she'll have done the same thing either way - snooze on the sofa. She will ignore me whilst sulking when we get back as it's obviously my fault, but will play with DS before they have a nap together. She'll conveniently forgive me when I start cooking dinner and hover around under foot hoping I will accidentally drop a steak or whole block of cheese, then after dinner will retire to her bed where she will refuse to move until physically carried out the front door for her evening walk. And repeat the next day!

[NoSquirrels]

Fenella that made me

What sort of dog?

[ButFirstTea]

We have a 5 month old puppy - this is a very rough approximation of our routine!

On daycare days: we're all up around 6-6.30. Dog outside for a wee, back in for breakfast and usually an immediate nap when he's eaten! Take him to daycare for 8-8.30 and he wears himself out playing with all his friends. My boyfriend picks him up at 4 and walks him home (30 mins). Dinner about 6pm (dog) and 7.30pm (us!). Usually too tired for another walk on these days so just snoozing/playing at home until bedtime (about 11pm).

If we're working from home: Up at a similar time, out for a 30 min walk first thing. Back home for breakfast and a snooze. Lunch at 12-1ish and maybe a short walk or some playing inside. Finish work around 4-5 and go for a 20-30 min walk again. Dinner and bedtime as on previous day.

Weekends are a free for all but usually lots of snoozing, playing, and at least one visit to the secure area of the park for some off lead practice!

[Herechickychicky]

Fenella your dog gets a walk at 6:30am and another walk at 10am??

She must NEVER meet my dogs.
They can never know this.

[GinIsIn]

@NoSquirrels she's a shih tzu cross

@HereChickyChicky She will NOT go for a wee in the garden, oh no. She would have to go out there ON HER OWN . She will only go to the loo if you take her out for a walk on the lead so she has one about every 4 hours. She's a rescue so she comes with a whole host of slightly odd behaviours, but we love her anyway!

[SleightOfMind]

Dogs sleep in our room and wake up when the youngest DC come into our bed for cuddles. Bang on 7am.
Dogs then jump up for cuddles. DH mutters under his breath and goes to make coffee/start breakfast.
Middle dc goes to get changed youngest go down to pester DH.
Babydog usually follows them. I either go down to help or stay in bed dealing with early stuff from the office. Big dog will not go down until I do.

We all eat breakfast.

School run days, dogs come with us unless I have something to do straight from school. I walk them back offlead through countryside with doggy friends.
Other days they get walked by whoever is home at some point before lunch.

They sleep in whatever room I'm working in. Or on their sofa together if I'm not here.
2pmish they usually wake up and play together or with humans. I might do some training if I have a moment.
3pm, I leave them to fetch the youngest from school. DS1 arrives shortly after and madness ensues.
We get home and their furry world is nearly complete. DS 1 walks them before supper if it's his turn.
DH arrives home - the ecstasy - they wait till after we eat to help clear up any spillages. Whoever is clearing up feeds them, they go out for a wee then charge upstairs to interfere with DCs bedtime.
If DH is doing it, they'll come back down, if I'm doing bedtime they'll stay till I come down (I think they like my singing better).
They curl up on the sofas with me and DH till we go to bed.

Weekends and holidays they just fall in with what we're doing. I always make sure they've had a good walk though. If we leave them on their own forup to 4 hrs, doggy cam reveals that, after checking I haven't left the treat drawer open, they curl up together till we get back.
They're both greyhounds, 2 and 4 yrs old.

[CMOTDibbler]

Today:
ddog2 and foster dog asleep downstairs until 5am when ddog2 whines because his brother is with ds and he's lonely for humans.

Ddog2 and foster go out in the garden for a wee.

Ddog2 joins ds and ddog1

Foster joins me in bed along with the cat

At some point, fosterdog decides to find her brothers

All 3 dogs and the cat then shuttle between my bed and ds's

7am , we all get up, dogs go in the garden, breakfast for everyone

dogs go in and out of the garden all morning, play with each other, sleep, shout at pigeons

lunchtime, we go for a walk

5ish another walk

7pm dinner

8pm ddog1 and 2 go to bed with ds

10pm, ddog2 dragged out and goes for a wee with foster, go to bed

More normally its

7am up
as normal morning
lunchtime run
tea time walk
7pm dinner
8pm dogs up with ds
10pm dogs in their own bed

[ThroughThickAndThin01]

DH or I get up between 6.00 and 8.30 to make a coffee to bring back to bed and the dogs - two labradors - get a dentastik each.

One of us then takes them for a 45min to 1 hr off lead walk any time up until 10.00.

They have their breakfast immediately back from the walk, at whatever time that is.

They snooze or bark at noises for most of the day. They don't tend to want to play much.

They have tea at 4.00ish, folllowed by two chews.

They take themselves off to bed around 7ish, and when we go to bed anytime from 10 we open the back door so they have a chance for a pee.

They rarely wake us in the night to go out but sometimes it's inevitable.

If they have a quiet day when we're all out for most of the day I try and work it so I'm largely at home the days directly before and after, gardening if possible so they're outside with me having fun.