Playtime/freetime?????

[BarbV]

Ok, I'm extremely fortunate that I can work half days at my store, and then work at home.....but I still have to work at home.

All that means that pup can get regularly pee breaks and a few ball tosses and not be crated 8 hours straight. But I still need to at least put in his xpen for many hours to amuse himself, or sleep.

I generally try to schedule 1/2 hour twice per day for REAL play, and now that he is vaccinated we are starting walks too. So add another 1/2 hour.

If I take him outside and he pees and poos, then I'll let him run inside the house, but after 10 minutes, if he doesn't go, then its back to the pen. I generally take him out whenever he seriously wakes and starts to pace.

Is that sufficient?

I never felt bad with my other pups, because I was at work. But being home, its just feels wrong to have him penned, though I KNOW I can't watch him if I'm working!

:sadsmile:

 

[ferg]

Playtime

Barb,

We have a little different situation than you since we are semi-retired and during Christmas Holidays Chip will be in the shop or garage that is open to the shop.

Chip wakes between 6:00AM and 7:00AM. My wife takes him outside, on return he eats his breakfast and loads up on water . I get up, play with him for about half hour he then goes into the bathroom while I shave etc. Most of the time he is lying on one of the rugs or bath matt. Pays to keep an eye on him or he will drag paper towel or bath tissue onto the floor and SHRED it.

We work in our yard, wood shop, or garden a large portion of each day taking breaks whenever we wish, Chip is always with us and plays hard for about an hour, rests in the shade, gets up and goes at it again.

Our evening meal is usually between 5:00 and 6:00. Chip rests patiently until one of us turns the TV on for the evening. That my friends is Chip's signal for LET'S PLAY!!!! Normally I will lie on the floor at his level and rough house with him. After about one half hour of that it is Pee Time outside.

Chip is very intelligent as I have said before. I try very hard to maintain being the BOSS. He knows this to be true and gets a little upset when I correct him for one of his mischievous antics. Very happy puppy, but why shouldn't he be?

Every hour we spend directly with him is rewarded in the many wonderful things he does for us.

 

[Chris]

Barb, that schedule is great for your boy. It won't be long before he'll be able to be out of the x pen safely. Enjoy his puppy time -- and relax -- you're teaching him not to be clingy.

 

[BarbV]

Thanks Chris. I keep reminding myself that adult dogs don't demand attention all the time though they do need exercise.

I keep telling myself as long as he he is getting sufficient social, play and exercise then it's good. Just not sure how much he needs. Indy could sleep all day!

I think I'm going paranoid. Perhaps feeling bad because I had it crate him for 5,hours today. Long meeting I could not leave.

You would think this was my first puppy!