What does your dog do all day?

[Areyouready]

My dog sleeps.
Occasionally gets up to be let out for a wee, or to eat and drink.
Then back to sleep.and to dream, judging by the sleep woofs.
She’s almost 11.

This is a photo of him - head at bottom of photo - taken at lunchtime (by dd off school sick). Exactly how I'd left him at 7.30. I think most days are pretty much like that!

Thank you iamlucybarton.
It doesn’t mean we can’t like or love our dogs but we do them a -dis- service by over stimulating them and training them to always expect attention, Left to their own devices my experience is they like a quiet life. Unless they haven't been neutered and just want to escape to procreate!

Completely agree OP - I have 2 large shepherd mixes and they get up for a pee in the morning, sleep all day whilst we're at work and then another walk to pee/sniff and then sleep more.

We stopped coming home to walk them at lunch (after they were tiny pups) because it's too hot for them to go out at lunch and they just refused...

They get stimulation barking at the kids in the pool or the gardeners out front but even when taking off leash do they ever "run".

Ddog2 could run for a bit but would be satisfied lying down all day.

God I love this thread. Our retriever is the laziest dog ever and just happily sleeps in a variety of really bizarre poses in whichever room we are in, apart from when we go out on school runs and a play with his friends in the park.
Our family dogs when we were growing up had far more dedicated owner in my lovely mum who cooked for them and basically had them on a timetable that the dogs knew. And which could NOT be altered. They needed way more attention.
I kind of thought our dogs sleeping was almost a depressive trait, but actually, what am I expecting him to do? Juggle?
Areyouready, I think you are a wise one

My family have similar background and approach to yours OP.

It amuses me that people buy lovely plush cushions for dogs and keep their area so clean, when given half a chance a dog loves nothing better than rolling in poo.

My dog loves a good sleep but if he doesn't get a chance to go and hunt and chase things he gets fed up and chasing the odd bird in the garden just doesn't cut it.

I know this because we have had to do several long (weeks) periods of enforced rest where he wasn't allowed outside other than the garden and whilst he tolerates it for about a week he starts playing up to get my attention to take him out to hunt and chase balls (left to his own devices he would hunt and chase wildlife).

So he sleeps and then we go and hunt and chase for up to 30 mins then he potters about and sleeps. Chases the odd bird out the garden then wants to hunt again in the evening. That's his ideal day

This is my mini schnauzer most of the time.
When not schnoozing she enjoys terrorising the postman, visitors etc.

Also fond of walks, sniffing every blade of grass/leaves etc.

She is the love of my life

I do agree.... But I think for dogs to be content with their quiet life they need some or all of the following: other dogs/people always around, decent outdoor space to move as they please, enough food obviously. In suburban UK they usually don't have this so maybe other stimulation is needed? Also we humans may go wholeheartedly over the top with dogs because we enjoy their company and attention also!!

Mine spend a lot of time doing this. I'm on maternity leave at the moment so I get to join in too which is nice. Their sleeps are interspersed with moments of eating, playing with toys and exploring the garden. The bigger one loves walks, and definitely benefits from the exercise, the smaller one is not so fussed, but he does like going to new places. Left to his own devices he will happily sleep 80% of the day though!

Two-year-old Labrador. I know Labradors are supposed to crave exercise but she just doesn't. She was a very busy puppy until 12 months ago when she ate her own liver (yes really) but since having major surgery and somehow making a complete recovery she's been a happily lazy girl. Her timetable generally involves snoozing, snoozing some more, woofing at the cat who hisses in reply, lying in her bed vaguely watching what I'm doing, occasionally leaping up, racing into our reasonably big garden and doing several frantic laps chasing a big scary nothing, grudgingly having a couple of walks a day and continuing to snooze. Oh and eating. Everything in sight including cat food where possible.

waiting for a pigeon to give itself up

I have a four month old puppy, she’s the first dog I’ve ever owned. She sleeps a lot less than I’d anticipated, just a morning and afternoon nap then all night. She spends a lot of time pottering, she’s a Pomeranian and they were originally bread as watch dogs so I think she’s actually patroling the house and patio.

The thing about overstimulating our dogs is interesting. I’ve met quite a few other puppy owners since getting her, and I do feel a bit like I did when DD was very small. There seems to be a lot of almost competitiveness about training and classes, and a lot of discussions on feeding, the raw versus kibble reminds me of the Very Serious baby lead weaning versus purée debates. Not all owners are like that, but the modern way of very involved child rearing seems to be creeping into dog owning too.

That’s an interesting comparison Bluths

Wakes up when we do, goes in the garden, barks sniffs wees and pops, and barks at stuff. Whines while we drink morning cuppa, goes for a walk and plays football with his mates. Comes homes, checks the garden and barks at stuff, plays growly tuggy, eats breakfast ( only if it's got grated cheese on it), sleeps. Repeat (dinner replacing breakfast). Waits for us to eat dinner need and then asksfor a treat. From about 8pm he is waiting for us to go to bed and sometimes takes himself to bed.

For our dog to be calm and relaxed he needs plenty of physical and mental activity, and time off lead with his ball/ other dogs, and to have plenty of human interaction- being around us while we work. And plenty of time pottering around his garden. Then and only then, he is sleepy and relaxed. He is 4.

Mostly snoozing, interspersed with walks and spying on the neighbours, occasional zoomies and mindless destruction.

Evidence attached.

Exactly that bluth

My personal view is we enjoy watching our dogs perform. It amuses us, so we train them to perform, and then they are unable to switch off if we are around in case we need them to perform.
By training I mean making a fuss about going for a walk, playing tug, throwing balls, tricks, etc. I don’t mean toilet training and not biting.
If we didn’t train them in the first place, they may well be less stressed happier and natural dogs.

I agree with you to a certain extent op I've had 2 dogs of my own (not together), and they both would sleep 22 hrs a day! Even though they are very different breeds, they both have the same chillaxed attitude. One was a street dog rescue and just came that way, the other I had from a pup.

I am pretty laidback at home, no children, live in a quiet area, and am not terribly dog-focused in that I don't really play with them either (street dog doesn't know how to play anyway). I do think they are happy though.
With both of them they adapt to other situations, eg when visiting children want to play with them endlessly they will and seem to love the extra attention, but I still think they are equally as happy doing sweet FA all day, as long as they get their needs met, I mean, that's the dream isn't it? Ok, not for me personally, but I can see the appeal.

Can I add, I had family who were farmers when I was growing up, and I remember being horrified how they (collies/spaniels) were caged in runs all day/night apart from when they worked (which I don't think was everyday, although I might be wrong) and they were the most loving and loyal dogs, didn't seem unhappy either, although that's hard to judge as of course because whenever I saw them they were happy to see someone.
Now as an adult when I walk my dog, I see lots of horribly behaved dogs, all from presumably 'better' homes. Again ironically my foreign street dog is beautifully behaved in all situations I've thrown at them still early days, don't want to jinx it my vet told me that often street dogs learn to be 'good' and friendly so they get fed so this isn't unusual.

Strange thread.

OP if you don't want to throw a ball, play tug, go for a walk etc and your dog is happy and healthy then great but I find it odd that you want to justify that by saying anyone who chooses to do that with their equally happy and healthy dogs is overstimulating them and they should be doing exactly what you do.

I agree with someone up thread who said it is like competitive parenting but honestly this is no different in that it's now a thread to berate anyone who 'does' any activity with their dog because yours is the only way to bring up a dog.

Personally I like doing activities with my dog otherwise I would have bought fish instead. You prefer not to but so what, that's what you want to do. As long as dogs are happy and healthy and not causing anyone else grief then each to their own.

I’m not berating anyone Bitey and , so what if you think it strange. I personally think it interesting to discuss this here. Very often we only hear from the ‘ dogs are like children and should never be left alone’ brigade

I’m glad you enjoy your hobby, and I agree happy and healthy is what we all aim for.
My point is dogs can be happy and healthy without having to be our companions and entertainers.

I'm glad you started this thread OP as I've often wondered if there is something wrong with my lazy dog but this thread has reassured me. Especially the others who also have former street dogs.
I've often been made to feel guilty for not using a dog walker and not going for one hour walks twice a day but I'm glad that my dog is not alone in not wanting to walk.

Areyouready ironically I think we both agree on some things. I think it's healthy that dogs learn to relax and be ok in their own company and despite having the opportunity to have my dog in full time day care when I am in the office I don't as I wanted him to learn to be alone for a few hours and know it's ok.

I just know that whilst my dog is very chilled round the house he goes a bit nuts after a few weeks if he can't run about and hunt and chase things but then he is a working breed and thus has been breed to want to hunt and chase things so that's what we do with a ball in the park (so no other furry animals are hurt in the process ). I also do gun dog training and agility to straighten our bond as he's still a young dog.

I do agree though that all dogs and households are different and we should find what works the best and yes I did take the last post as a berating so if it wasn't meant to be that then I apologise.

Straighten = strengthen