Am I looking after my dog ok?

[RedRobyn2021]

I have an almost 3-year-old Labrador, she's our first dog and we love her very much.

She is walked for half an hour before my partner goes to work at 7:30, off lead for the majority of the walk and either exploring or playing fetch.

She then generally sleeps in her basket until I come down with my baby at around 10:30-11am by the time baby has napped and I've dressed us both, both had a wash it's usually late morning.

Then we usually go out for another walk at around 1-2pm for about 40 minutes, again the majority is off lead and I throw the ball a lot for her.

Then she either doesn't go out again (just in the garden for toilet obviously), or my partner takes her out just to throw the ball around for 15 minutes when he gets home around 6pm

We also send her to a day dog place once a week which she absolutely loves but it's expensive so it's just once a week. She basically spends all day playing with other dogs.

I don't leave her often but when I do the absolute longest we will go out is three hours and she isn't crated anymore so she can potter around the house if she chooses to, I think she just naps though (after eating her kong).

I worry that we aren't doing enough. So please, if you have managed to get this far (sorry it's such a long post) can you tell me if this is ok? Are we looking after her well? If not what should we be doing?

@Twattergy

Yes this sounds a lot like us with our lab

I've been trying to play more games with her since this post, I've been hiding some treats all round the lounge or garden and she has to sniff them out. Or her toys. Then praising her when she finds them.

Labs are such wonderful dogs and I think she's found it hard adjusting to having a baby in the house, cannot wait until DD is old enough so they can run around the garden together, they can tire each other out (at least that's what I'm hoping haha)

In my experience my dog likes routine and predictability. He gets his walks almost exactly the same times yours does. He snoozes about the house the rest of the time. He seems very happy. We have big dog outings now and then on weekends with all day walks which he loves but normal weekdays are peaceful and happy things for him too.

You’re doing a fantastic job! Sounds like a happy, healthy dog. Might be worth joining a group called canine enrichment on Facebook, so many easy, fun ideas for your dog’s brain enrichment. Easy ideas like laying out a towel, scattering some kibble or treats over it, rolling it up and then they’ve a very easy game! Look up things like a ‘lickimat’ on Amazon, spread some dog safe peanut butter, freeze it and you’ve half an hour of joy for your dog! Or look up ‘snuffle mat’ on Facebook too! Enjoy :)

Sounds fine. My ddog sleeps a lot, they need to be around people but not lots of action. Ddog is a bit mixed on wfh, at first he disappeared off for hours as he wasn't used to people being about but now he has a cushion under exh's desk and even goes to work when he has to go in ... he's at mine when he can't

You sound like you’re doing fine. Dogs need a lot of sleep! You don’t mention natural chews like pizzles, pig ears etc. Those are my labs very favourite thing to do and a walk to the pet shop to choose a chew is a huge treat for him.

It does sound like quite a quiet life, my 2yr old dog gets twice the exercise yours does but then I'm in a fortunate position to be able to do that as I WFH and my kids are teens.
There's an interesting canine conditioning group on fb - basically balancing & strength exercises for dogs, which can be done at home with home-made equipment.
As she's a lab, with that low level of exercise, I would just keep an eye that you don't overfeed and she gains weight, as that will affect her long-term prospects.

@Ihaventgottimeforthis

How much exercise does your dog have?

My dog has never been overweight, I wouldn't let that happen.

He has two hours off lead a day minimum, split into two or three walks.
I'm just mentioning weight due to her breed, they're so prone to greediness, it's great you've got a handle on it.

@Perpop

Thanks for the suggestion, the lickimat looks intriguing! I think I will get her one. We sometimes roll up her biscuits in an old towel so she has to hunt for them and unroll the towel, is that like a snuffemat?

@LadyCatStark we have bought her bones before which she LOVES but she really needs to be outside to eat these because of the raw meat on it. We gave them to her more during the first lockdown because she wasn't used to being in the house so much.

I think pigs ears are much better as an indoor treat although she would finish it off quite quickly. That's why I liked giving her the bones, it would keep her busy for ages but it's the wrong time of year really

@Ihaventgottimeforthis

I have thought about it and I just don't think I could manage two hours a day at the moment. Between the house and the baby's naps and weaning her, I just think I would struggle.

I will try to think of a way to maybe juggle it so I could get the baby to nap in the carrier whilst out with the dog maybe? It's become more difficult to help her sleep the older she has gotten (the baby, not the dog lol)

Although even when I worked full time, she got a similar amount of walking, the big difference was she used to spend all day outside with my parents dogs, they have a large garden and she would able to roam around it, play with my mums dog and generally just be in a pack.

I think this is why I worry because her lifestyle has had to change day-to-day. She stuck we us more and we just aren't as much fun. Maybe if it had been like this from the beginning for her 🤔

I can only do it Robyn because my children are older now, I never would have been able to find the time when they were young, plus I wasn't working from home as much, nor in a location where walks close to home were so plentiful.
My dog is a collie lurcher mix, definitely not as chilled as a lab, and there is also an element of that walking my dog so much, creates a very fit dog who requires and expects a lot of exercise, but that's what we need as we do canicross with him too.
I think if she is calm and relaxed then she is happy with her lifestyle!

I’d strongly suggest cutting down on the ball throwing. Keep it to an occasional treat, rather than something you do 2-3 times a day. It’ll wreck her joints. And that kind of hyped up manic running is no good for them. Try having her in a sit stay beside you and throwing the ball into some long grass or slightly out of sight and then release her to find it. A more controlled version and she gets to use her nose and brain too.

My working cocker would sprint after a ball hauled with a thrower 24/7/365 but it’s kept as a very occasional treat activity.

How do you serve her food? Kibble can be sprinkled on the lawn for a quick and no-cost enrichment activity. Wet food and soaked kibble are good in Kongs, particularly when they’re frozen.

Pig ears are often fried and extremely high in fat. Yak chews, antlers and buffalo horns are low-mess, low-fat and long-lasting alternatives.