Which do you do?

[Violetandpurple]

We have a 16 month old cockapoo
when children are at school and partner at work he gets walked, fed, garden time but not a huge amount of attention as I’m always doing house work etc (he is not ignored far from it)
partner works away - when he’s home dog is spoilt!
I say he needs more boundaries e.g. should be locked out if we’re eating,
should spend more time on his own in the kitchen even if we’re just sat watching tv
if he barks my partner goes straight to him and gives him what he wants..
a vet once told us that he should be fed, walked, loved but can be locked away for hours if the above has been done and he needs to be treated as a dog not a child

so I’m curious how many of you have your dog constantly with you, on the sofa of an evening, upstairs if you’re upstairs etc
& how many give them their basic needs then lock them away whilst you get stuff done etc

im unsure which is correct but feel he’s a little too spoilt and with a baby due next month I want to get him used to any changes etc now ..

he is a lovely boy, in general very well behaved & we all adore him just curious how everyone else ‘treats’ their dogs ..

In the daytime my dog can go wherever except my bedroom which has the door closed. Usually she can be found on a sofa or the top of the stairs or in a patch of sun. With us if we are watching tv. I don't really notice where she is at meal times but probably in the same room. If I'm on my own at home she tends to prefer to be in the same room as me but curls up somewhere quietly.

At night time when we go to bed she is shut in the kitchen with her bed, food and water until morning. I don't like dogs sharing beds.

Walks 2-3 a day and left with the run of the house when we are out at work or whatever. If she comes to us for a bit of attention then she will be given it or we let her in the garden if she is giddy.

Our dogs are away from us if we’re eating. They go on their beds. In the evening, they are invited for a quick cuddle in the couch but they don’t remain there all there evening, they go lie down wherever. We have an open plan downstairs and they can go wherever they want downstairs and so are rarely with us. The younger one doesn’t have access to upstairs, the older one does and sleeps at the foot of our bed but that’s only since the baby moved into their own room.

With a baby due, it’s a good idea for the dog to learn that they can’t have attention all the time (and a dog shouldn’t have attention all the time, they should have plenty of rest and downtime). If you need to put him behind a baby gate to learn he needs downtime then that’s one option, another is to make sure he stays on his bed and nobody bothers him on his bed. I would not be letting the dog sleep upstairs and start implementing this now so he doesn’t associate it with baby. I would be making sure he had a good bed command and will stay on his bed when needed. I wouldn’t be allowing him on the sofa indefinitely but I might allow him up briefly if the baby is happy elsewhere, you’ll need to make sure he has a good off command and will get off the sofa. If he won’t get off the sofa, don’t let him up and get him off straight away. I would also make sure he’s got a good leave it/drop command because he will run off with baby things.

Although I would agree with one thing your vet said which is dogs need to be treated as dogs not children. But that doesn't mean you love them any less, just that you appreciate that they have different needs. Walking and spending time with our dogs is one of my favourite things to do

This.

why have a dog to lock it away?! Ours is always around us if he wants to be (99% of the tie) but has the run of the house, so can choose where to go. He's a member of our family.

time*

Ours has the run of downstairs. There's someone home vast majority of the time. He mooches and naps most of the day, two good walks but he's a spaniel so would actually get inside your jumper to be closer if he could!!

The times I do occasionally pop him in his crate with a chew/ostrich bone is when he needs to be there for safety reasons eg if I am having my hair done at home or when the floor is being mopped I put him in there til it's dry as the floor is slippy.

Evenings he is my own personal furry hot water bottle on the sofa, but about 10pm he trots off to his crate for biscuit and sleeps happily in there til about 7/7:30am.

It's really bizarre advice to talk about a lone family dog being locked away.

My pup is fine at home on her own for a few hours and will choose to be in a room on her own sometimes so she's not a velcro dog but I think she'd really object to us shutting her in the kitchen (which is where she is normally left when home alone) if we were sat in the lounge all evening.

Ours has the run of the downstairs and my office upstairs during the day. He’s pretty much with me at all times wherever I am. We have just moved recently when we stopped him being allowed on our livingroom sofas but he still sleeps at our feel when in there. He’s allowed on our kitchen sofa (where he is right now cuddled in). He used to get put in his crate when we are dinner but now he’s a bit older he just lies on a stool next to us but out the way and knows he’s not allowed off that while we eat.

He does go in the crate at night and if we are out without a bother. He does also sometimes choose to just sleep in his crate during the day but his door is always open so it’s his choice.

my husband would share your views. He thinks the dog takes over our life but now he’s calmed down loads I know he secretly loves him and does stuff with him.

its a 3 year old cockapooo we have.

Ours have the run of downstairs and also the back door is left open during the summer for them to go outside as and when they please. But tbh, they tend to do a small amount of mooching and then spend the rest of the days sleeping on their beds - it's rare they venture outside unless I'm there.

At meal times we say "no begging" and they will retreat to their beds. Once we've finished they both come in to check under the table for anything they can hoover.

At night they are shut in the hallway, at the bottom of the stairs. We have never had them upstairs, I don't like the thought of dogs on the bed. But having access to the stairs has meant that they will come and get me in the middle of the night if something is wrong. But again, this is rare. Most mornings both are sat on the bottom step waiting for breakfast

Our dog is with us 24/7 with the exception of sleeping, when he is at daycare or when we have to go out and leave him (once maybe twice per month)
He has the run of the house including sofas/ bed. I don't really understand why you would shut them away if you don't have too.
If ours was barking I would go straight to him too to find out why.
Ours will however go to his bed and stay if told too (like if we are eating or the doorbell goes)
Decide what rules you want and train pup around them. Ours is very much part of the family but still expected to stick to certain boundaries.

Our dog is never locked away he has the run of the house and sits with us in the evening They are supposed to be part of the family why would you put them away

Every dog ove had has always been a family pet. I've never allowed them on beds or upstairs. They have been able to go where they want in the house and garden. I have two living rooms one is closed off we hardly use it. My dogs are allowed on sofas I use throws. I'm anti - crate so will not lock them in a cage. The important thing is training. If I told my dog to get off sofa he would immediately for example if someone wanted to sit down.

Unless you're training it to be a guard dog or something, I can't see why you would do that. Mine sticks to me like glue. He follows me around the house.

It would make him really sad if I locked him in a room alone.

You have a dog which is part cocker spaniel

Cocker spaniels are well known as being a breed which shadow you/love company

Hth

Ps if you're having a baby and finding the dog too much in your space now, I would speak to a trainer before the baby arrives. So many people give up dogs when they have babies, it's good you're thinking about it in advance especially if you're the one on your own with him all day

And the other part is poodle! Poodles absolutely hate being left alone and often suffer from separation anxiety

Another one here wondering why your have a dog that you're going to lock away when you're sitting around at home.

My dog has the run of the house and goes where she likes.

When I eat she sits in the room, usually asleep, and completely ignores what I'm doing.

In the evening, if I'm reading or watching TV she'll be somewhere in the room, often on the other end of the sofa.

Don't most people get a dog as a companion? Not as something that you shut away for hours, and no, I don't believe any vet would say that it's ok to shut a dog away for hours. Dogs need company.

Dogs are not allowed on the couch, chairs or bed. They have their own beds in three location. They meander through the home at will, but follow dh and stay at his side for the most part. Barking discouraged but they bark to be let out, free run the yard.

One of the loveliest, most chilled out things we do as a family is all watch TV together in the evening - husband, kids, cats and dog. Dog starts off on the sofa with us but usually slowly melts off so she can lie stretched out at our feet. The cats are generally in and out non stop but they occasionally come and flop on the floor too. She is still a young dog and it took some training and a bit of growing up to get her to understand that the living room is for chilling out.

Dogs are not allowed upstairs or on the furniture and go in their beds when we eat. But in the evenings I sit on the floor under a lovely mound of dog! They are sometimes shut away in their room, but usually help with cooking, ironing and gardening...

Mine is part of the family, he goes where we go. He actually likes his space and doesn't always choose to be with us .

Do you actually like the dog ? Why would you leave him sat on his own if you're watching tv, seems cruel to me. My dog usually has his paw on my foot when I'm sat watching tv, he likes to be touching me.

Lock them away? No, you train your dog to behave when you are eating (so do not feed any treats from the table which will encourage begging).
My two dogs get a walk and settle down while I get on with things. They got/get excited when the kids get home.
But I had also trained them to be on their own for times I was out. So they are fine and while I'm sure they were rather I was home, do not suffer from separation anxiety.
Dogs are very social and I think it's hard for them to hear and smell you but be kept shut away.
My dogs are dogs - I certainly do not baby them. But they are members of my family and are happiest when in the same room as us. (As are my cats, though I see only one is with me now the other hanging out in a planter outside🤣).

It’s beyond my comprehension how you could even consider locking a dog away whilst you sit and watch tv, it does not sound like you adore your dog at all, poor thing.

Why did you get a dog if you intend to treat him this way?? Poor pup 😞