Do you play favorites?

[Flatcoatluver]

I was thinking that I play favorites with my dogs. I give Zoey more attention, training, playtime, treats, and etc. I am feeling so guilty. But then I was thinking Zoey is MY DOG. T.j is the parents dog. I don't know if that has something to do with it. But do you play favorite like I do. Why do we do this??? Now that I think about it, I almost put Zoey before anyone including T.j *GUILTY* I feel like such a bad mom, do you do this too? For all of you that have more then one dog..... :eek:

[cloverfdx]

I do have a dog that i spend slightly more time with only because he is having a few issues with fear at the moment ;). Elvis gets a little more one on one time with me. But the girls get their special time aswell.

[Rachel]

Hannah gets more attention because she demands it! Despite being 10 years old, she is far more likely to engage in play and activities that get me up and out of my chair or to tell her to stop barking. Tucker is far more laid back and isn't given to do much playing unless I'm willing to get on the floor to make the stuffies *come alive* for him. Both dogs get an equal amount of lap time because they both *pile on*. At night, Tucker is the one who sleeps slapped up next to me in the Big Bed so he makes up for whatever he has lacked during the day. Tucker gets more grooming because he doesn't *fight it* like Hannah does. In the end it really evens out.

[Pembroke_Corgi]

Yes, I give more attention to Marta than Adele, but my husband gives more attention to Adele than Marta so it works out. Our new dog Buddy is kind of insecure still and follows me around the house all day and does it to Eric when I'm not home.

I wouldn't worry about giving Zoey more attention too much- as long as you still give Tj enough love then he probably won't know the difference. Some dogs need more attention than others to be happy too. Marta will gladly lay on your lap and get petted for hours, and Adele would rather be outside playing and chasing squirrels. :p

[BitsyNaceyDog]

I'd say Nacey and Nova get the most attention because they constantly follow me around, especially Nacey. They're also toy obsessed and demand more play time than the other three.

Charlie and Buster demand more cuddle time than the girls, during the day they can usually be found either wrapped up in the blanket we keep on the couch or in the blanket in their dog beds. In the evenings when we're watching TV and winding down from our day we often have the boys cuddling with us.

Bitsy is the least demanding of them, a lot of the time she prefers to be left alone. Bitsy likes to sit on the couch for a little while and be pet and scratched, but she lets you know when she wants down and then that's it, she's done. She likes to be near us and usually lays by our feet, but she doesn't like to be pet, scratched, cuddled, or played with for too long.

[Lori Jordan]

I spend time with all my dogs like for instance yesterday we went out and took Maggy for a car ride and Lacy was MAD! She cried the hole time we were gone,and my mother came down that afternoon and wqe took lacy for the ride and she was quiet pleased because we went throught the Tim Hortons drive through and she got a treat.As to spending more time with the dogs i have to say Lacy is the one that craves attention the most she and i have been through alot,She was very sick last year and she pulled through and she is all me she will come to me before going else where she is my little baby,I love all my dogs but out of 3 Lacy wants the attention as for my other 2 they just go off and do there thing!

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i79/JamieLori/Picture065.jpg

[luvofallhorses]

Nope, I love them all the same but it's just different..:)

[Kfamr]

I refuse to call it playing favorites because that is not how I see it. I am serving their needs.

Kiara gets more time than Simba & Nala, Nala gets more time than Simba.
Kiara needs more excersize/outlet for energy than Simba & Nala. Nala needs more than Simba.

Simba honestly couldn't care less but, I still bring him out by himself, play with him by himself, etc. Simba & I's daily routine is to go out in the front yard, leashed, want check his pee-mail. He is happy with just that.

Kiara's is playing frisbee in the front yard and swimming.

Nala's is playing off-leash before bed in the front yard, working on heal, sit, stay, come, etc.

Kiara's time is always longer than Simba & Nala's because it takes more for her to get worn out.

Then we always have our together time where we all go crazy inside, outside, etc playing together.

[BC_MoM]

Considering I'm the only one who walks/trains the dogs... I can't play favourites. Where one goes, the other goes, even though Mickey really needs time on his own - I just can't fit it in, really! :p

I feel bad about it.

I don't think people should play favourites between dogs, each dog deserves alone time and training to meet it's needs. :)

[lv4dogs]

I refuse to call it playing favorites because that is not how I see it. I am serving their needs.

Thats exactly how I see it.

Kaige gets more attention (training wise) & exercise than Raustyk & Nanook as he still has things to learn & he's the only one who needs AND can handle that much exercise. Then comes Raustyk, then Nanook.

Nanook gets the most one on one "quite" time as well as grooming & the like. He can not really run & play fetch anymore without possibly injuring himself & his coat requires more grooming than the other two, especially now that he is getting older & can not really much for himself. Kaige won't sit still for one on one "quiet" time yet anyways, he's always on the go.
Nanook also gets daily massages & the like to help his muscles & joints. Raustyk also gets daily massages but not as often nor as long as Nanook. Kaige gets one a day just because. :p

And they all seem very content with how I treat them. They are all very happy & seem to understand.

[BitsyNaceyDog]

I refuse to call it playing favorites because that is not how I see it. I am serving their needs.
That sums it up perfectly.
I don't favor any of them more than the others. I love them all and care for all of them whole heartedly. However because their needs are different I spend more time with some than with others.

[zoomer]

Georgia is my dog so I give her more attention. Buddy is my brother's responsibily to give attention and Alaska is my mom's responsibility to give attention.

[Lori Jordan]

Georgia is my dog so I give her more attention. Buddy is my brother's responsibily to give attention and Alaska is my mom's responsibility to give attention.
I wouldn't say that it is a responsibility to give a dog attention ,its a given!I totaly agree on what you said you are serving there needs, I Love all my dogs equally,but when Lacy was a baby she was always in my arms lol i could not put her down and i cannot change that she is a cuddly dog,Like when im on the computer she will come over and nudge my hand off the mouse,If im talking on the phone she will start crying if im not looking at her.She is very needy.
And as i said about my other two,There off doing there own thing they just find there own thingd too do. They will come over and want attention and it is given .
All dogs are different in the way they want affection,Like my Border Collie she loves the ball and she will bring it back to you and my other two will take the ball and run away with it..and kinda ruins Maggy's fun so i will go out and play with her by herself,and Molly just lays around lol sometimes she only has enough energy to lift her head ....But that is a Newf for ya they change there activities daily!

[Glacier]

I agree with Kay. I try to cater to their needs. I do make a point of going around the yard a few times a day and making sure everyone gets some attention, petting, playing ect.

Some of them just need more direct attention than others. Chum is constantly glued to my side and very unhappy if he has to be alone for any length of time. Earle likes hanging out inside with me and needs a daily cuddle on the couch session. Pacer and Hobo freak out if they are outside at night. Pacer likes to sleep on my feet. Heyoka likes to come in, check things out and then go his own again. The older ones need less exercise so they get less of that, but still get lots of attention at home. Muskwa needs nothing from me, but needs lots of attention from Stuart. He is Stuart's dog. Bandit is quite independant and will seek me out when he wants something. The rest of the time he is self-entertaining. One of my favorite traits about huskies is their ability to self-entertain and not require constant interaction from their humans.

When I'm home for the day, I do a "Dog of the Day". It rotates through the pack. That dog gets extra treats, canned food on their dinner, a longer walk or a walk with no other dogs, they get to play in the big yard if they live in a different pen, come in the house whenever, whatever is a little extra special for that particular dog.

[k9krazee]

I definately agree with Kay..

I spend the most time with Jack because he NEEDS it, it takes a long time to wear him out mentally and physically so we spend most of our time playing, running through heel, stay, come, doing the weave poles and various other things. If I don't then he becomes destructive and extremely bored.

Micki doesn't like to play, but he LOVES learning tricks and going for walks or rides. So thats what I do with him.

Mini is my mom's dog, but is extremely attached to my dad so she spends a lot of time with him and following him around. Of course I do play with her and work with training (because I KNOW nobody else would!) and lately I've been spending a lot of time with her because I found out that she LOVES agility! It sounds silly but she really isn't the type of dog that I thought would enjoy it but she really really does! I've become a LOT closer to her too just within the last month, and I really like that.

Kyra...Kyra is my mom's dog. When my mom is home Kyra is glued to her side. I usually spend a TON of time playing with her, she could play fetch all day long!! So she get a lot of that time because she can have SO much energy.

Shadow really doesn't enjoy walks or playing with toys much anymore, what she enjoys is laying with you on the floor watching TV, going for rides and things like that.



So I guess what I'm trying to say is I don't necessarily play favorites, I try to spend alone time with each and every one of them...not that they really need ME, there are 5 other people in this house, lol. The boys are both MY dogs so sometimes I do tend to spoil them a bit more in some areas.

[lute]

i do it too. :( i tend to give Gracie more attention than Beanie. Beanie is my mom's dog and i'm not really into small dogs. Beanie is a great dog and we do special Lexie& Beanie things to make up. :)

[husky 1]

Yep guilty too ,i tend to spend more time on mishka as the oldies just want to sleep but ice joins in sometimes when me & mishka play. but they all get lots of fussies :)

[pnance]

I have to agree it's need dependent:

Bear is laid back and easy going, he's happy with food and a couch, when he wants attention he'll come find you other than that he wants sleep. He does get walks and stretch/massage sessions on his legs (but I think he'd prefer to do without those ;) )

Savannh, Nikka and Hunter are all active and need excersize and lots of attention and play time.

[Tollers-n-Dobes]

I love all of my dogs (though...I must admit, I am not a small dog person and Tia and I don't get along particularly well...I do like her though), but yes, Tango is my favourite but that is only because she is *my* dog the others are my parents' really, I call them mine though just because I live with them. She is the only dog I've trained by myself and she and I do absolutely everything together, despite her fear issues (which I'm working on) she's been the best dog I've ever had in my opinion just because she and I have such a strong bond. Now that I have Tango I believe that if you train one dog by yourself, you will have a stronger relationship with that dog...lol...before I had Tango I didn't think that was true (not sure why, it just sounded weird at the time). Once I'm living on my own with just Tango and my next Toller, I'm not sure if I'll have a favourite or not but at the moment I do. Hopefully that all made sense.

[buttercup132]

Ya I do it with Thunder but I make it up cause I play ball with Rockee alot.