F/T work and being a doggy mum.....

How do you balence your work and play?

Ive started F/T work and Jin goes around to my flyball friends during the day to play with her canine friends and be walked etc.

But when I get home, Jin is exhausted, and usually sleeps.

I'm starting to feel I have no purpose to her other than Jin sleeping on me in the evening.

Mine stayed home and just had someone let/take them out and give them a bit of attention part way through the day. I walked them before work and again after work.

To be honest if that is the best place for her (where she will be looked after, have company and exercise) then it is just something you are going to have to deal with and make the most of days off with her.

I think you have a great set up and should be pleased that Jinty is so happy. I have a dog walker come in but Cain still goes nuts when I come home and requires walking and training etc. There are many days when I am tired, feel bad that he's been stuck at home and would much rather that he'd been having fun all day and was satisfied and tired. Much easier than having a pushy demanding dog on your hands! I enjoy it most of the time, but some nights I do wish he'd just go sleep!

You can still have fun on the weekends with her. I think you should be pleased. She doesn't love you any less, she's just knackered!

I agree, I'd have been much happier knowing my dog had had a great time while I was working instead of just stuck home alone with someone popping in for a bit or someone there but doing nothing with him except taking/letting him out for the toilet. And there are still the days you don't work.

If it bothers you that much why not have her go to your friends some days and stay home with someone coming to take her for a walk part way through the day on others?

I suppose I'm lucky that I live close to my place of work so I nip home at lunchtime to spend a little time with Molly. I walk her before work, immediately after work (a short one), then again after dinner (her main walk).

We often take her to the local racecourse for her main walk, this can be after 8.00pm. She has a front white torch and a flashing red torch attached to the back of her collar. Even in the darkness we can see exactly where she is and call her back from areas we don't want her exploring.

I think you a very fortunate to have a friend who can look after Jin for you when you are at work. You will perhaps have to make the most of your time together in the longer evenings in summer and also at weekends.

When I worked full-time I would have given my right arm to have a friend who I trusted to look after my dogs during the day

Mine have days where they come to work with me or OH, which means a lot of driving and maybe an hours walk at lunchtime, the rest of the day they sleep in the car.

Other days if one of us is working from home, they are in the office with us sleeping the day away.

Most of their training and exercise is done at evenings and weekends.

If it's a problem why not just have her spend less time at your friends!

Is that a bad thing? If I have had a long day at work, I'd be thrilled if my dogs had been entertained and exercised all day, leaving me to chill with them snoozing in the evenings. In fact, that sounds perfect to me.

Congrats on the job by the way - what are you doing?

Do you not feel some relief that you don't have to worry that Jinty is home and lonely? I'd love that set up, it would really take the pressure off. Relax together in the evenings and go nuts at weekends