Do your dogs have a set routine?

[*Nick*]

Meaning…when they eat, poop pee, get walked, go to bed etc etc

me mum has always told me that dogs love structure and routine…well, right now we have no routine at all. Sadie eats at different times, gets walked whenever, goes to bed sometimes early sometimes late everyday is different

I don’t suppose this would be troubling her would it?  Would certain breeds like guarding or pastorals appreciate structure more than a gundog?

and for those who do have a set routine, what happens when that is interrupted? Do your pups freak out?

[kizkiznobite]

no..not at all..in fact i consciously avoid routines…i believe that a good manager is a flexible manager…it keeps them focussed and mentally active..more a what we gonna do then anything? ok then will sleep amuse myself for a bit…

also routines create a dependency…like my sis  ::) if i come for dinner got to be back by 5 to feed the dog…if come to the theatre i need to be home by 10.30 to let the dog out because thats the time for the last wee…drives me nuts… 🙂

they go walkies when i decide..they get fed when i decide..my lot fed flexitime anyway..they go to big sleep time when i decide…hence cubert playing toys at midnight and beans ending up all over house  ::)

[Sweetypye]

I agree I deliberately do NOT have a routine for my dogs, I do not want them telling me when it is time to eat, go for a walk etc neither do I want to be a slave to them as “they will be expecting x, y z ” etc.

Dogs do not have routines in the wild.

Also if I am competing what would happen?  The dog not working because it says “feed me”.

I have both gundog and pastoral(guarding) breeds and both cope with this very well, they are fed, watered, exercised, when it is convenient for me which means they are very adaptable.

[TobyTeaCosy and Angela]

Good question Nick and a relief to read your responses Bev and Sweetypye, this has been playing on my mind recently as Alex works changing hours so often and this puts everything else into change!

[Mudgie]

Life isnt routine enough to have one – pooch has to be flexible.  ;D

[Anonymous]

I call my dog bendable I do have structure because I work at set times but my dogs know these days, they know they will get a run before I start grooming for the day,as I only work three days then the other days are structured,
Having showdogs they have to be able to adapt to all sorts like travelling to Scotland overnight getting the ferry to Ireland my dogs read what I am doing as too who is coming and what they will be doing.
Like if I pick my handbag up they know nobody is coming with me but if one dog is bathed and the showbag is in the hall thats the one that will be with me.
They get fed anyold time but never late if we are on the road and I am driving and it’s getting late then they know tea will become breakfast  ;D I never feed late at night.
Other than that they are my bendy gang
Val

[wags]

omg do you really think my life is structured enough to have a routine

id love a routine day  😀

[Lucyr]

The only routine my dogs have is in the week someone is up at the same time each morning, my lunch hour and when i’m home after work…this is because I cannot be flexible due to getting to work etc.

Normally when I come home at lunch the dogs are up and ready to greet me…change in routine today and I arrived home an hour earlier to dogs with curious looks laid on the sofa yawning at me lol!!

They never get their meals the same time every day, walks could be anytime during the day and so could going out for a wee and bedtime and weekends have no routine whatsoever!!

[xtine]

we kind of have a routine cause of our working hours.. so he gets up around the same time each day (dragged out these day.. he doesn’t like the cold dark mornings).. walk then brekky then out… dinner is about the same time each night too depending on whether we have remembered take it out of the freezer  ::)

weekends we are much more flexible….

[Foxisle_crazy]

The only real routine Izzy has is the fact that she will be out with me all day, but walks and dogs vary so she doesn’t get bored!  🙂

[SuzAndTheDiva]

Rotuine here, but mainly becuase of work – work long hours if we had no routine Honey would never eat/walk.

For me personally though food time is important – i stil find she pukes her guts up if she eats after a certain time – or she brings up bile if she eats too soon………..i guess shed get used to it eventually if we had no routine – but id rather not having her puking all over the bed  :nono:  😀

But walks are nearly always in the morning so routine there too – but she sleeps when she likes  😀

[Kerry_and_Beau]

nope there are constants such as he will have 2 walks each day at least, he will be fed twice a day etc etc but timings nope not gonna happen my dad has a bit of a routine in a morning he’s always out by 8.30 a.m. everyday (unless hospital appointment then he’ll go early) but thats as close to it as he gets and the weekends are not the same … if we had routine he’d bark his head off at my parents demanding all sorts  :yes:

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