Is your dog bored?

We worry.
We worry about everything.
Or we feel guilty.
We feel guilty about everything, too. About home, work, family, friends, where we should be, what we should be doing, about stuff that needs to get done, etc.

flat pug

Don’t assume your dog is “bored.” He/she is content to nap when you’re not there.

One guilt trip many people seem to be taking is about their dogs. They’re concerned that their dogs are bored while they’re at work. They feel guilty about leaving Phydeaux alone. It’s one of the reasons that doggie day care facilities and dog walking businesses are up-and-coming businesses.

If your dog enjoys day care, it’s fine. If you’re gone more than nine or ten hours, or if you have a puppy or an older, ailing, a dog-walker is a great idea.

Other than that – stop feeling guilty. Your dog is fine at home. Really.

Healthy adult dogs sleep an average of 12 to 14 hours a day. Puppies and seniors sleep more. Larger dogs tend to sleep more than smaller ones. And there are personality differences, just like in people. Teddy would snooze 20 hours a day, given the opportunity. Booker has to be persuaded to lie down at all.

Most people are sleep-deprived, so we’re going to assume most get about six hours of sleep per night. Hopefully, your dog sleeps for those hours, too. We’re left with six to eight hours a day that your dog will still sleep. Which means that your dog’s sleep schedule, roughly, coincides with the times you can’t be home, anyway!

Your dog is thrilled to see you when you come home because he/she adores you and wants to be with you! It’s not because he/she had nothing else to do. Spending time with you is the best part of any day (or night) for your dog.

And you don’t have to spend every second you’re home paying attention to your dog. Phydeaux will be happy with 10 or 15 minutes of your complete attention – playing tug, or fetch, practicing a new trick, grooming, going for a walk, or whatever you enjoy. After that, just being with you in the same room, hanging out, watching tv, etc. is fine.

We know that carving out the time to spend with your dog isn’t always easy. Some days we’d much rather collapse on the couch with the remote than anything else. But we look at those big brown eyes and head over to the toy bin for a rousing game. And before you know it, we’re smiling and having fun. And so are our dogs.

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