What does life look like for your dogs?

[paintedpennypony]

I am always curious to read about the supplements and exercises etc that people do with their horses, so let’s talk about what we do with our dogs!

I have two young (3yo and 2yo) high energy mutts.

In terms of exercise:

1. Minimum one mile walk ~5 times a week year round
2. Bikejoring 2-3 times a week in the spring and summer
3. Opportunistic hiking, camping, and mountain biking

Diet:

1. Purina Pro Plan
2. Frozen DIY pumpkin, dates, and sweet potato treats for fiber that they get daily
3. Baked DIY supplement cookies that they get daily. Always some variation of spirulina, MSM, glucosamine, turmeric, whole eggs (shells and inside contents), oats, 1-2 types of fruit, and 1-2 leafy greens or herbs
4. ProDen for their teeth. This stuff is awesome!

Mental enrichment:

1. Target training
2. What we call “grazing”, aka tossing their evening kibble out throughout the backyard and making them search for it. Usually takes half an hour for them to find their dinners!
3. Basic obedience for funsies

Grooming:

1. Brushing their teefies 1-2 times a week
2. Grinding their nails every Sunday
3. Brushing their coats ~2 times a month
4. Cleaning their ears once a month

They’re very healthy and look amazing. What do you do for your pups?

[sunkistbey]

My dog goes to the barn every day and supervises my riding. He also runs with the barn dogs and eats a lot of horse poop.
I have horses at home and he helps take care of them as well. He’s a Lab, so the world is his buffet, lol. I’ve never heard of scattering kibble on the lawn but I really like that idea!

[Simkie]

My dog is outside with me all day. She hangs out nearby wherever I am but gets to poke around and really do whatever doggy things she wants.

She eats Orijen 6 Fish and eggs from our coop.

I grind her toenails about once a week.

Enrichment and exercise is already built into her day.

Throwing kibble in the grass would be a stellar rat attractant here As it is, I try to keep track of her outside bones, or the coyotes and foxes will make off with them. They do occasionally bring in toys from elsewhere, so I guess it evens out, sorta.

[sunkistbey]

No worries about rats here, the Lab doesn’t leave anything for them to eat. Officially he eats Taste of the Wild, organic pumpkin and fresh eggs
Funny story about coyotes and toys. The barn where I board one of my horses has coyotes who come on her property and steal her dog’s toys. When we go trail riding we find the toys in random places.

[RhythmNCruise]

Oh goodness. My dog’s life is pretty boring compared to you guys’ pups.
He divides his time between my bed and the couch while I’m at work all day. HIs “Granny” comes and sees him at lunchtime and lets him out to potty. She tosses his “friz” for him sometimes, but lately, he’s more interested in just carrying it around instead of actually catching it. He was a very enthusiastic friz-catcher in his younger days. He enjoys watching out the window for any FedEx, UPS, or USPS trucks that dare drive by or heaven-forbid…stop at his house! The horror! He’s so vicious!
He does like a bit of tug o war with one of his two rope toys, and he has a new Christmas reindeer toy that he seems to think is fun to snoodle but is afraid to “hurt.”
He used to go to the barn with me (and we lived on a farm when I got him as a pup), but I don’t take him to the new barn where I board because I worry about him bothering the barn cats. Plus, that’s horse time. He’s a city dog now, and his backyard is small, but it’s safely fenced and he can spend as much time out there as he would like.
He eats ProPlan Sensitive Skin and Stomach.
He’s 9 years old…lab/boxer/pit mix. I love him to pieces.

[punchy]

My dog and I average about 6 miles a day on terrain—fields and/or woods with lots of ravine climbing. Sometimes we run, sometimes we walk, sometimes she’s off leash scampering all over. Then she’s out in the barn eating horse poop and other unidentifiable things. She runs about 35 miles an hour after squirrels for about 50 yards a pop every time she sets foot outside. When she’s not doing those things, she sleeps. In the winter we don’t do as much purposeful exercise because of the lack of daylight and road salt, but I’m one of those people who can’t sit still and I don’t mind crappy weather, so we’re out moving if we can.

She eats Purina One. She gets ground flax and fish oil daily. She also gets teeth chews twice a day. I trim her nails when they look long. We go to dog class once a week for fun most of the year. She tries to get in the car whenever we do, so she ends up goes for random short car rides. She sleeps some more. She does a lot of sleeping.

[Mango20]

My dogs are 3 & 12, large and medium. They spend a lot of time just hanging out. They both hike 3-6 miles off leash once a week, plus several sniff safaris in my horse field. Otherwise they guard the fenced backyard from squirrels and buzzards. My younger dog goes to dog agility class once a week and gets to go to work with me occasionally. She likes to play fetch indoors with only one toy, or be chased in the fast running game. They both like car rides and I’ll take them for short errands sometimes. They spent two weeks on a cross country camping trip last month. My younger dog sleeps in my bed and the older one chooses to sleep under it, or on a dog bed beside my bed.

They get chicken and brown rice dog food from BJs, or beef, barley & brown rice, which I think they might have discontinued. No additional supplements other than small milkbones, occasional other treats, and a few table scraps when available. The younger dog enjoys most crunchy vegetables.

I brush their teeth when I think about it, which is not often enough. I trim their nails when they look long. I bathe when stinky (young dog rolled in some extremely stinky animal poop today and got a bath). These are my 4th and 5th dogs, and dogs 1-3 lived long, healthy lives, so I think this lifestyle works.

[mommy_peanut]

2 GSDs, 3 & 8 yrs old.
They hang out on the property off & on throughout the day getting to sniff & scour the woods, chase the squirrels & each other, chew sticks, etc.

They’re fed RAW.
Both get Vetoquinol Flexadin Advanced with UC-II.
8y/o is on Dasuquin as well.

3y/o is my Schutzhund/IGP dog, so we do formal training sessions a few times a week.
8y/o is DD ASD as well as doing some AKC/IGP stuff. they meet with their trainer about 2 days a month, but DD works with her at home as well.

We also do hiking, biking, roller blading, swimming, snow shoeing when weather permits.

They get brushed when shedding or if they’ve gotten muddy/went swimming.
Nails get done weekly.

[OnAMission]

OK I’ll keep it real. I have 5, four big and one little. 3/4 bigs are an old GSD, GP, and some sort of Akita/Lab (papers from shelter) mix, they mill around our place and bark at things and chase squirrels when they aren’t sleeping on the couch or by the fire on their beds or on the porch. Youngers are a 4 year old rez dog over thinker and a 6 mo old chi cross, they go with me in my car all day every day so they get outside walks and lots of chewies in the car when I’m at work.

All are on proplan plus human food plus homemade treats, none get their nails done more than every few months, brushing is random, they eat horse crap, they act like idiots a lot and we appreciate that, they are securely fenced and warm, well fed, treated, and all love people after the initial barkings. We take them for rides in the mountains, go camping with them, attend to their needs and comfort and attention but let them be dogs too. No formal training, we just all get along, They are all smart and will listen to basic “get along” commands. Also have horses, chickens, cats, goats everyone gets along. I refer to the dogs as “the happy idiots” lol

It’s pretty chill here but if I put myself in my dog’s perspective it’s a pretty good gig.

[Foxglove]

I have a French Bulldog that was dropped off by one of my kiddos four years ago --she was going to be back to pick him up in a couple of weeks. He’s still here.

AM --dress Greg for the weather (full set of coats --rain, snow, wind (hood), and various sweaters if it is chilly inside. Take shovel if there is snow, because Greg must feel the grass under his feet to eliminate. Walk 5-10 min.
Breakfast: kibble and topping of whatever DH had for breakfast --they eat together.

Lunch --brief walk after Greg wakes up from his nap. Lunch is a bit of kibble with cheese --prefers Brie.

Afternoon nap.

Dinner: eats with us --kibble and candle light (kidding). Watches TV sitting on DH lap, sharing chips/popcorn whatever. Likes ranch dip best.

Sleeps with us. Usually on my feet. Has night terrors. Needs to be soothed.

Greg does not go tot he barn. He eats poop and pukes. He has no idea of his size so attacks the horses screaming (Frenchie’s don’t exactly bark).

Worst farm dog ever. Would like another good one --but don’t have the patience to train one. Maybe one will find me.

[ET_s_Home]

Your dogs are all spoiled! Mine live in kennels and eat Old Roy !
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NOT!

Seriously though, the best diet is one that keeps a dog lean, healthy with a good coat and that you can afford. Mine are on Purina Pro Plan Sport, supplemented with raw egg, coconut oil, pumpkin puree, sea kelp powder.

[Kemosabe]

I have 8 Aussies ranging in age from 6 months to 10 years. The older dogs are on cooked food and the younger dogs are on raw. They are all supplemented with raw bones, cod liver or salmon oil, eggs from our chickens, collagen, goat’s milk, and a multi vitamin mineral with spirulina.

Several go to the office with me, one is the chicken wrangler, since they live on a farm they are very busy with varmint chasing, patrolling the perimeter and helping with farm chores. One dog currently is with a handler finishing his conformation title. He has shown great ability with stock, so he will start training on stock next year.

On the weekends we take them for walks (run) to the creek at the back of the farm for a little hydrotherapy

The youngest gets brain work several times a week and some basic Rally training daily…but I am talking 3 minutes not an hour. I take him out on scent walks about three times a week.

Herding dogs need to learn down time and impulse control. It’s not always go go go.

[Sabino]

Greg has a GREAT life!!!

[chestnutmarebeware]

I’m dying over Greg!

[MunchingonHay]

Our routine has been turned sideways since we got Silly Lilly last week.

I lost my old man Riley in July and picked up Lilly last week. She is now about 13 weeks. Lab/border collie cross.
Our other dog is a 7 yr old Ridgeback named Buma.

Both are fed a freeze dried raw diet.
Buma gets a mix of Primal nuggets and K9 Naturals. Once a week she gets a tin of sardines/makral/tinned fish.
Puppy is on K9 Naturals only.

Lilly’s potty training is the main goal right now and eats 3 meals a day. I work from home so it is a 2 hour rotation of; crate time, pee/potty time, play time/exploring the yard, eat, nap time, repeat.

We have 2 fenced in acres (one acre woods, one cleared) on a hill and Buma likes to sit and watch for deer, squirrels birds to chase. Otherwise you can find her laying in the sun baking. She is not a dog, she is a human and prefers human interaction.

I hope to get Lilly into some sort of agility, scent work, therapy dog training when she is ready and older. Right now, we are just enjoying her being a pup and keeping her happy and entertained, which entertains us.

[arbeegirl]

I have two couch potato greyhounds. One is 13 (he raced until he was 4) and the other is 4 (she never raced).

Both eat pro plan sensitive stomach- lamb and oat with pro plan probiotics once a day. This is a change from the pro plan large dog. For some reason they started to not tolerate it in September. The 13 year old also gets gabapentine and galliprant as he has some stenosis in his lower spine.

I work from home so I take them for walks around the block several times a day. The 4 year old goes to doggie daycare and comes with me to the barn. She also participates in Fast CAT trials.

[luvmyhackney]

Two dogs

Diet:
Fromms dry food and blue buffalo wet occasionally as a treat. Plus a supplement for omega 3’s

Beagle gets fed 2 tiny meals AM/PM, rest he earns via nose mats or frozen kongs. Occasionally donuts and whatever my kids forget to put up.

Cattle dog mix - two tiny meals and rest saved for tricks, training, whatever else. Not very food motivated

Exercise

Beagle - 2 hours on his rope in a fenced in yard in the AM and PM - he’s an escape artist. Plus 2-3 walks.

Cattle Dog - She is my shadow and helps clean the barn in the morning, we do training 3-4x a day in 10-15 min sessions, then she helps with afternoon barn chores, then she plays fetch before bed.

Both sleep in crates most nights, but get to occasionally sleep in the bed depending on filth level.

I grind nails/ bath/ brush teeth/clip monthly. I don’t bath in the winter except for feet.

[Foxglove]

@Sabino @chestnutmarebeware : Pix of Greg :

[mommy_peanut]

@OnAMission

It’s pretty chill here but if I put myself in my dog’s perspective it’s a pretty good gig.

Oh for sure.
While our dogs do stay busy, it’s mostly because we are an active family.
There are plenty of days were it’s crappy outside, especially during our long a$$ winters, where we do nothing more than lounge around with the fire on & binge watch TV

My GSD can be a serious dog, but really is just a huge clown & keeps us laughing out butts off regularly.
This photo 100% captures her personality LOL

[GoodTimes]

One dog, a 9yo Aussie x Bernese. She was 1.5yo when we got her.

Diet:
Purina Pro Plan, Omega 3s (EPA + DHA), and a variety of treats

Grooming:
Lots of brushing, especially during burr season…

Mental enrichment:

1. Treat ball, snuffle matt, anything to slow her down. She lives to hoover her food.
2. Shed hunting/training
3. Scent work
4. Basic obedience

Exercise:
Right now we’re taking it easy. Her left hind started bothering her a couple months ago so we sedated and did x-rays. There’s some arthritic changes and effusion in the stifle joint, but the joint is stable. Possible partial tear of a ligament? So no running or jumping right now, she’s basically on house arrest for at least a few more weeks. In the meantime we’ve stepped up our scent work indoors. And we’re rehabbing as if we knew she had a CCL tear, so strengthening the hind end.

Our normal exercise routine is up at 5am for a 30 - 45 minute off leash walk on our local trails, plus she’s out and about with me while I feed and water the chickens.
SO and I work full time so she lounges until we get home. After work we usually do some form of hiking, paddleboarding in the summer, skijoring in the winter, or she hangs out with us while we do stuff outside (we have 5 acres).
Fingers crossed we can get back to that! But she’s getting older so I’ve accepted that our routine may have to change a little. She’s probably retired from skijoring now, but scent work indoors in the winter doesn’t sound terrible
We have a cottage as well, so lots of weekends playing in the water, hiking, fishing, etc.

Edited to add a couple pictures