Does Anyone Else Feel Bad...

[shelly]

I know this is a very exciting time of year, but with all of the excitement and hustle and bustle, I feel so bad.... So bad for Tori!  She just sits there watching me going in and out, up and down, rushing from one room to another.... she MUST feel my stress because she just looks at me and barks.  I have to make such a conscious effort to stop and play with the poor puppy-girl!  Tonight was a bit less hectic and I got to spend some extra time with her.  I feel like she's saying "What the Doodle?!" Any other doodles feeling left out out there?  I'll have to seriously make it up to her after Christmas... lots of cuddle time on the couch!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

The hustle and bustle of the holidays is very stressful for dogs. That's why many rescues and breeders will not adopt dogs or send puppies home at this time of year.

[Camilla and Darwin]

Luckily for Darwin, we haven't been able to do much celebrating as our school just ended and we still have work as usual. But next week should be fairly busy. I will definitely make sure to give him extra cuddles!

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

This is Rooney's very first Christmas and because he is so young our house still very much is all about him.  However we are going to be going to a concert and some parties so he will be being left home more than usual.  I feel bad about that but it isn't anything that a shin bone can't handle - lol.  I think that as long as his basic schedule of walks and puppy park time don't change he'll do o.k.

[shelly]

Karen ~ I have heard that... in fact one of my favorite breeders has that posted right on her page... It says, please read this if you are tinking about getting a puppy for Christmas".... I can definitely understand that.

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

We're in the same boat as Jane with a new puppy having her first Christmas, we decided to even forgo a tree. Too tempting and not worth all the extra "Leave it's" that it would take to keep her away.  Keeping it all low key and minimal. Our family has made that our gifts to eachother as the stress and hustle bustle is just not in keeping with the reason for the season.

So, no bad feelings here. Lots of treats from baking and extra trips to the Pet store to find dog toys for them to give eachother Christmas morning!

[Dori & Rua]

Ditto with Jane and you, Sue.  New puppy in the house.  And, like you, we decided to forgo our big tree...way too tempting!  There are only us two humans at home and we will take Rua up north to Minnesota to be with my DH's family for Christmas anyway.  I did put up a little tree (normally I put one on either side of my front entry outside).  It is Rua's first Christmas, so she had to have a tree so I could put her first ornament on it!  LOL

[KC]

Confession: I got a dog sitter. A sweet young man who takes Milo for long walks and snuggles on the couch when we have to go out for an evening. I also take him for a few hours to doggie day care so that he is happily tired when we leave him in his crate. I hate to think of him being crated and alone in the evenings which are his peak play time. Although every time we have left him in the crate he looks happy and cozy. It's me!

[Lisa, Daisy & Dexter]

DH and I had yesterday and today off, we needed to run a few errands yesterday so Daisy got plenty of play time both in and outdoors before we left. We left home at 2:30 and got back home at 7:00. I was so guilty we were gone this long and then we hit the worst traffic jam. The usual time form this area to our home is 20 minutes, yesterday it was 1 hour and 10 minutes. Not that she wasn't fine but I was just riddled with guilt.Of course she was at the back door with her wiggle butt to greet us... I love this about coming home and the thing I missed most when we didn't have a dog.

Today the plan is go buy a tree and put it up, Daisy will go with us to the tree farm for sure.

[Phoebe's Mom]

With four children we have had a lot of nighttime concerts to attend and I feel so very guilty leaving Phoebe.  It seems she looks at me so sadly when I need to put her in her crate right after dinner. Her look is one of surprise and sadness like 'aw, not another concert!'  I do try to make sure that we play with her as soon as we return, but with homework and getting the younger children showered and in bed, it is difficult.  I feel like the worst doodle mom!  By the end of the children's break, however, she will be begging for some quiet time!

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

OMD, Shelly.  Are you kidding....I spend my life feeling guilty about "the boys".  I feel guilty when the weather is too bad for them to have "decent" walks; I feel bad when I have to leave them (although it's never been over 3 hrs without a dog sitter; I feel bad when the grandkids haven't been her for a while to play with them; I feel bad when I haven't groomed them as often as I should;  you name it, and I'm probably feeling guilty about it.  This time of year it's even more difficult, because there's just so much to do.  Oh yes, I do understand.....

[shelly]

LOL Jane, I'm with YOU! Either I feel guilty or WORRIED about something... guess that's just my personality.

While I was verbalizing my guilty feelings to DH (what ever possessed me to spill my guts about feeling guilty about the "dog").  He pushed me to do an experiment... he told me to leave the house and get in the car... (maybe he was just trying to get rid of ME for a while - lol) wait exactly one minute and come back in... don't know why, but I obliged.... When I walked in Tori jumped all over me like she always does - whining and flipping around (I know... I shouldn't let her do that - but that's another post)... then DH said "See"?  "See what?", I asked... "she's jumping all over you like you've been gone for hours and it's only been one minute"... she has no concept of how long you left her for.  So stop feeling guilty about being gone more than usual" ~ Hmmm... guess he's got a point! NOW... if only I can get the kids to think like Tori! - LOL

[Carol and Banjo]

Awww...Shelly, after the holidays have come and gone and winter sets in...you'll have time to make it all up to Tori!   She knows you love her and you'll be "back"!