Moobli
Well-Known Member
Dogs are generally creatures of habit and as such tend to thrive in a routine. It makes them feel secure to know what to expect and when. In my experience routines are especially helpful for toilet training and when settling a new puppy or rescue dog into a new household. However, once a dog is settled and secure I think it is useful to sometimes shake the routine up a bit so dogs aren't as reliant on certain events happening at the same time as that in itself can lead to anxiety if they do have to miss a walk, or feeding time comes earlier or later than expected.
When working full time my life was ruled by routine, to ensure the dogs got three walks a day, plus training and play time. I got very stressed if that routine was interrupted and would hate to have missed giving them their exercise for whatever reason, so totally understand your anxiety OP.
Now my life is much more relaxed and my dogs are with me all the time (it's heaven!), our routine is still there but much more fluid and loose than it was before. The only downside is that every time I move the dogs are up and thinking we are going out They aren't exercised at the exact same times any more, training is when I can be bothered, and feeding time will be roughly the same times of day but can change depending on what we are doing that day.
I have heard people say they give their dogs "a day off" from exercise so they are used to it if the owner then can't exercise them due to work, injury, illness or whatever ... but that would drive me as crazy as my dogs, so mine do get exercised every single day come rain or shine. It might be a 3 hour hike around the hill checking sheep in the morning, so then just a play session or swim in the afternoon and pootle in the evening, or a beach run at sunrise, so training and lead walk in the afternoon, then an hour in the forest at night. I like to mix it up for the variety for myself and the dogs.
When working full time my life was ruled by routine, to ensure the dogs got three walks a day, plus training and play time. I got very stressed if that routine was interrupted and would hate to have missed giving them their exercise for whatever reason, so totally understand your anxiety OP.
Now my life is much more relaxed and my dogs are with me all the time (it's heaven!), our routine is still there but much more fluid and loose than it was before. The only downside is that every time I move the dogs are up and thinking we are going out They aren't exercised at the exact same times any more, training is when I can be bothered, and feeding time will be roughly the same times of day but can change depending on what we are doing that day.
I have heard people say they give their dogs "a day off" from exercise so they are used to it if the owner then can't exercise them due to work, injury, illness or whatever ... but that would drive me as crazy as my dogs, so mine do get exercised every single day come rain or shine. It might be a 3 hour hike around the hill checking sheep in the morning, so then just a play session or swim in the afternoon and pootle in the evening, or a beach run at sunrise, so training and lead walk in the afternoon, then an hour in the forest at night. I like to mix it up for the variety for myself and the dogs.