Ugh

[SoStressed]

I am a member of PT; mainly the dog area. I am posting anonimously, just because I don't want people to know who I am.

So summer vacation starts, and you're supposed to have fun, right?

Well, not me.

I have troubles going places and leaving my dogs at home. I don't know what it is, I'm not afraid they'll get hurt or anything, but I don't think it's "fair" to leave them home while I go out.

Tonight my parents were going to go to my Uncle's and I really wanted to go because we don't have air conditioning and our house is never enjoyable during the summer. I wouldn't leave because I didn't want to leave the dogs.

Last summer, when I was going with my Aunt back to her place in (insert state/province here, I wouldn't go unless I could take my dog. (We only had one then)

I know my relatives get tired of always having my dogs following behind me when I go places, but it's that or I don't go out.

Now another thing.. I always get into horrible moods when I don't do things with my dogs. I won't go for walks in hot weather, and so they don't really get any excersise on hot, sunny days. (Which they would find hot, too, but..) But they NEED to get out and do things. I feel bad keeping them inside the majority of the day except for potty & poop breaks. They just lay around the house.

I'm so stressed out. If I didn't do things with these dogs, no one would. I make sure they eat all of their dinner, I make sure they have fresh water, I make sure they get out and make sure they pee/poo, I have to make sure they get walked, make sure they get played with.. and I'm only a teenager!

Somedays, I don't even look forward to because I think, "Ugh.. gotta take the dogs for a walk" when it's going to be super hot out.

I feel so guilty for them just hanging around all the time!

Now don't get me wrong, they get played with, they get walked on a regular (usually daily) basis. And we do have MORE than several playing sessions inside daily..

This is just a rant. Feel free to not reply.

[shihtzulover850]

Don't worry about leaving them at home. I leave mine at home and she doesn't like it but when we come back she is happy again!! :D I will be praying for you and Welcome to Pet Talk!

[luvofallhorses]

You don't have to walk your dogs in the hot weather. Atleast I don't. Our dogs don't go everywhere with us, so you shouldn't feel bad. ;)

[Kfamr]

I'm unsure and quite confused as to why you feel the need to be anonymous, but eh.. whatever floats your boat I suppose.

As to the topic at hand.. Who's dogs are they - who asked to make them a part of the family?

I am the guilty subject in my family so in my opinion, I have no right to complain when it comes to taking care of my three. It was my big idea to bring them in our family. :p

Not that I'd complain and I don't find it stressful. Didn't know it was possible.

[shihtzulover850]

You don't have to walk your dogs in the hot weather. Atleast I don't. Our dogs don't go everywhere with us, so you shouldn't feel bad. ;)
I agree when it is hot we don't walk snuggles :)

[lute]

As to the topic at hand.. Who's dogs are they - who asked to make them a part of the family?

I am the guilty subject in my family so in my opinion, I have no right to complain when it comes to taking care of my three. It was my big idea to bring them in our family. :p

Not that I'd complain and I don't find it stressful. Didn't know it was possible.

i too brought every one of my animals home. they are all my resposability. i also don't find it stressful. if anything i find it relaxing. my dogs are literally my best friends and i love spending every minute with them.

look at walking the dogs in hot weather i super workout. if there is a lake,pond, or pool around take the dogs swimming. Gracie loves swimmin in the lake at the park. do you have space for a tredmil? it doesn't have to be a dog tredmil either. my dad bought me a tredmil for like $100 a few weeks ago. Gracie walks on it every day. she gets a good workout without the nasty hot weather.

[luvofallhorses]

my dogs are literally my best friends and i love spending every minute with them.

same here! :) (of course my cats, too! :))

[Cataholic]

I don't know where you live. So, I don't know how hot it gets. Here, it does get hot, AND very humid. BUT, at 6 or 7 am? It is still VERY pleasant, and it is difficult to imagine where you are living that it wouldn't be the same. I do think dogs need daily walks.

As for leaving them at home? You are talking 5 hours or so, right? That doesn't seem unreasonable to me, really. It seems a teeny tiny bit odd that you wouldn't leave them. You did go to school, didn't you? Without the dogs? :D

[Tollers-n-Dobes]

Personally, I don't walk my dogs in extremely hot weather or extremely cold weather. They seem to find walks pretty boring actually. Instead, I throw a ball around the yard, take Tango swimming, take them to the dog park in the evening (because its cooler then), etc. That really doesn't take much energy or effort from you, but it gives the dogs exercise. When I do those things with mine, they're satisfied and are then ready for another nap (even Tango, who can be very hard wear out). I'm not sure how many dogs you have, but if you have a lot I can see why you might find it stressful to a certain degree. I don't find mine stressful at all though, and it wasn't even my idea to get them. I only ever asked for Tango but I still exercise the others. Good luck, and I hope you start feeling more relaxed soon :) I wish I had better advice, but hopefully someone else will. I prefer to go places with my dogs too, but if I can't, they'll be just fine at home for a while...as will yours.

[Alysser]

I don't completely understand your situtation, as I was never in it. But dogs can't go everywhere with us, unless they are seeing eye dogs. They aren't "equal" enough to be let into a restruant or store so they have to stay home. It's normal to keep dogs at home when we do things? Maybe you should talk to your parents about getting an air conditioner. It's important to have one as you can get heat-stroke if you go outside and come into a house that's unairconditioned. Also, if you can, why not take your dogs with you? If you go to run errands, why not just take them? They would love it, I'm sure. Consider all these things.

[zoomer]

You don't have to walk your dogs in the hot weather. Atleast I don't. Our dogs don't go everywhere with us, so you shouldn't feel bad. ;)

Yes, I agree.

[lisahumphreys882]

I don't really walk mine in the hot weather either; Especially because he loves to pull and pull on the leash for the whole walk so even after like ten minutes he's panting like crazy...and this isn't even in the hot weather. I do sometimes walk him in the hot weather but usually just a ten minute walk or so. I also go to school all day and my parents are working so he's left alone then for a few hours but he probably just sleeps through most of it. Remember that most dogs enjoy lying down and relaxing if they've gotten a walk or played with. :D

Don't be stressed...Just chill :cool:

[ashleycat]

I used to walk Charlie every day. But since my depression has hit at it's worse, I haven't been walking him at all. Altho he wants to. But I do get him runnin and playin in the house or back yard. Enough excerise I think. He really gets going. And we play tons of tug of war. So I think I'm making up for the walk around the block.

[BitsyNaceyDog]

When I lived in New York I didn't have an air conditioned house, I know how dreadful it can be. Maybe you can buy a window a/c unit and keep it in a bedroom for your dogs while you are out. Basements are nice and cool too. When I was little my playroom was in the basement, when it was too hot outside I'd go and play down there.

Here in Florida it's way too hot and humid to walk the dogs during the middle of the day so I either walk them in the morning (7 am) or in the evening (7 pm). I prefer the evening because my husband is home from work then. When I don't walk them I throw a ball around with them in the yard, I think Nacey likes that better anyway. They go outside to potty several times during the day, but they don't stay out long.

I understand getting stressed. It's not my pets that cause the stress though, but they sometimes do add to it. We just moved and all my pets settled in rather nicely, with the exception of Bitsy, my pomeranian. Bitsy has never done well with change. She got an upset stomach and diarrhea, she's now on meds and a special diet. Worrying about Bitsy and having to stop and clean up diarrhea in my new house several times a day was definitely stressful. The meds and special diet are helping now and things are much less stressful. I haven't wanted to leave the house either because as soon as I walk out of the house she gets upset starts barking and then gets an upset stomach. My sister and parents were over here one day and I thought I could go out to the barn with my dad and she'd be alright inside with my sister and my mom, but as soon as I walked out of the house she started barking and got sick. She's starting to do a little better now and I know she'll keep progressing and soon will be fine.

[buttercup132]

Don't worry about leaving them at home. I leave mine at home and she doesn't like it but when we come back she is happy again!! :D I will be praying for you and Welcome to Pet Talk!The person isnt new. They have been on PT awhile they just want to remain annominous so they made a different account...
I dont know what to say really. If your family gets mad that you bring them maybe you can say that they are family too and have a right to come.

[bckrazy]

I also don't know why this is anonymous, I don't think anyone would judge you for this... we all have problems, and you're doing your best. :)

Gonzo gets walks/runs in the early morning or at/after sunset, when it's cool. It isn't even healthy for dogs to walk on concrete when it's hot, so don't feel guilty about that. You can still walk them when it's cool, play with them in the yard, etc, without having to run around in the heat.

I'm also a teenager, and I take primary responsibility for my dogs. It can definitely be challenging sometimes, but my Mom knows about as much as I do about what to do with the dogs while I'm gone, because she knows what I do with them and I've taught her. About the AC, you should get a regular floor fan. They're really cheap and they help cool your room a lot!