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If you only had 20-30mins a day with your dog what would you do?

2K views 12 replies 10 participants last post by  DriveDog 
#1 ·
I recently started working again, and while Jasmine is perfectly well taken care of by paid carer plus husband and kids(hikes/dogrun/playtime/training every day). I only get 10-15mins in the morning and 10-15mins in the afternoon to devote 1 on 1 to her. She hangs out with me while I do other things though.

She is handling the transition really well (I think mostly due to the fact I have a wonderful person taking care of her while everyone is out) but I am not handling it as well! I am trying to make sure I have time for my husband and kids and her, and it is hard! She usually comes home from day care at just the right level of tiredness (ie happy to nap, but has enough energy for a bit of playtime)

So if you only had 20-30mins, what would you do! I usually play flirt pole or tug and a little training, or if I am tired I just brush her or snuggle her and hand feed her breakfast or dinner.
 
#2 ·
I have the same problem since I moved back to the Uk with my little, we used to live in Spain and I had loads of time for her. Now I have to work a lot more and its hard to get any quality time with her. Luckily my partner works at home so she is not on her own but its still hard. I like to take her out for a little walk then just relax on the couch with her for the limited time we get together.
 
#4 ·
I would do what we're doing right now, snuggling on the couch. I put a blanket over me then he lies on my legs and curls into a teeny little ball. He just loves being as close to you as he can, he doesn't move for hours.

I pet his neck every one in a while but it's it's my favourite time of the day, everything's peaceful and quiet, we can just relax after a long day :)
 
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#6 ·
Fetching... well Tessa's version of fetch where I throw the ball, she gets it, I walk towards her, she runs to the other side of the yard, and repeat...lol
 
#7 ·
If you asked my dog what he'd prefer to do for twenty minutes, it would probably be a toss-up between fetch or just lying on his back in my arms having his tummy rubbed.

Well, he'd probably also think a twenty minute walk would be great, but that's darn near impossible. He knows so many people in the neighborhood and so many of them (and their dogs) know him that a twenty minute walk can turn into a sixty or even ninety minute walk easily, as he stops to play or be admired or be fed treats (or all three). He's very interested in being social, especially if it means he's the center of attention.
 
#11 ·
I will be honest when we first got Jasmine last December, I didn't really want a dog, but my husband told me before we married that he could not go through life never having a dog. So I agreed to get her more for my husband and kids than for me. It was the right time because we knew I would be going back to work when both my kids were in school, so I would have almost a year not working. Even though I didn't "want" a puppy, I was prepared to do my best, training, socializing, everything, and somewhere along the way we fell in love. I never expected I would miss her when I went back to work.

I researched everything a dog needs, but forgot about what I need! Jasmine is fine, she finds ways to spend time with me, sits by us while I help the kids with homework, or lies on the kitchen floor while I make dinner. She spends 6 hours a day with her sitter, and the rest of the time someone is home with her. I literally do not have any more spare time to spend 1 on one with her, it will be better when my husband is recovered (he had surgery a couple of weeks ago) and can do nothing around the house to help.

I am really enjoying these ideas though! If I only get 30 mins, I am going to make them the best 30 mins I can!
 
#9 ·
In the morning a bit of snuggling then training. In the afternoon it'd depend on the dog and what he seemed most interested in. Maye a walk, maybe playing, maybe snuggling, maybe all three.
 
#12 ·
It is not quantity, it's quality. You can only do what you can do. It sounds like Jasmine is doing just fine!

I am home with my dog pretty much all day, every day and for the most part, I am not constantly interacting with him, he is usually lying around sleeping. I honestly think that too much attention and affection is not a good thing and can lead to attachment disorders. As I said in another post, dogs were not designed to be an object of human affection, they were designed to work for a living. Not saying being affectionate to your dog is bad, I just think over-doing it might lead to stress and unwanted consequences and problems.
 
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