Do your dogs get bored?

[Ravenwood]

I've been feeling really guilty about this lately, not sure what has brought it on, but I do worry that my dogs get bored

Now that shooting has started I just know that Flyn would like to be out more than just once a week - its not enough for him.

Rosie would like to work sheep more often - that may well be in the pipeline but not in the very near future.

Toby is ok - he's perfectly happy lying by the fire or in the sun and its a bonus to get a walk twice a day for him.

But actually, you can't get away from the fact that my dogs are shut in their kennels (albeit with a very large run) all the working day. And to be honest, I don't think they play in the pen very much judging by the wear on the grass - its a very big pen but I am constantly strimming and mowing it.

I walk the dogs before and after work - for a proper open run on the moors and they get ridiculously excited when I let them out in the morning and when I get home from work - it just makes me think that they might be bored stiff all day All the while either myself or one of the children is home - they are in the house with us, like now, and not once have any of them baulked at being put in the kennels. So I guess they are quite happy to go in there, at least they have each other for company.

Not a lot I can do about it though at the end of the day and at least they have routine, decent exercise and are healthy.

But its such a shame that I work now - for the dog's sake

Do you worry about your dogs during the daytime?

 

[CorvusCorax]

Nope, we've been kennelling our dogs during the day for decades. We can see them from the kitchen, they tend to lie and snooze or are happy with a big bone! Like you, walked on either side and lead active, full lives and never complain about going in to the kennel. If I did not work I could not afford vets bills, food, training club subs, competition fees, petrol/car to take them places etc etc etc or to have bought them in the first place.
And believe me, a neat grassed area is better than a churned up mudbath! I'd be more worried if they were running the fence to self-entertain/exercise.

 

[Izzywizz]

I have two working (but luckily chilled out) labs. they are kept in very similar circumstances to yours - kennels, walk off the lead twice a day etc. mine too get very very excited when they come out for their walks, i thought they were getting bored, however one day a last week, dad took them out at lunch time and then mum took them out again at 4 (they went in the pond, so mum put them back in the kennel) i let them out again at 5 for their normal walk not realising that they had already been out twice that day and their behaviour was just the same as any other day.
So it might just be the excitement of seeing you rather than being bored.

 

[splashgirl45]

my dogs get walked twice a day mostly off lead and spend the rest of the time asleep either indoors or in the sun....my lurcher is an expert sleeper and is currently flat out asleep in front of me and my collie cross(who is not such an expert sleeper)is curled up on the sofa, so both definately not bored...i think most dogs are happy with a routine and yours sound like they have a good routine so prob spend alot of time in the land of nod when you are at work, so dont feel guilty...

 

[Ravenwood]

Thank you for all the nice replies - its makes me feel better at this very moment Toby is snoring so loudly... I am tempted to wake him up

Its just that the dogs are used to me being home more often, coming down the yard, going out riding with me which they don't get anymore - just a walk twice a day, not the same as riding out with me.

Oh well, they seem to have adapted to a new routine, they seem to be happy, I guess dogs are very adaptable and at least they have a damned sight better life than an awful lot of dogs out there!

 

[Slinkyunicorn]

Has never even crossed my mind

My dogs are walked morning and afternoon/evening either side of work and always have been. I do work form hoime as well and when I do they largely ignore me - getting up to follow me if they think I am going to the kitchen.... otherwise they sleep on the bed or sofa I always get the feeling they are glad when I go out to work so they can get on with a kip......

Dogs don't do bored - they do sleep, eat and walkies