When I'm a Lazy Dog Owner

We always joke that Lily is a "lazy dog." In her defense, she gets two walks a day. They are a minimum of 45 minutes each. Sometimes, it's too much (the heat, the length, it varies) and she will lay down on the grass. Once. Twice. Three times. The neighbors get a kick out of it when they see her.

There are days that I don't feel like walking her. I'm not in the mood to walk. I'm not in the mood to deal with people. I'm never in the mood for the unsocialized little barking dogs on flexie leashes, but there are evenings where I just can't see another one. Lily is far more tolerant than I am. On these days, I fall back on...

Playdates.












Other dogs can tire out our dogs far better than we can. They race around the yard. They tug until every toy in the box is done. While they run and have fun, I enjoy time with a friend. Summer nights are great for socializing. Grilling our veggie burgers while the dogs play. The dogs are tired by the time our friends leave. Job well done.











"I don't have time to exercise my dog." I hear this frequently. Let me just say that Erik and I don't either. But we make time. We got a dog and we now have to honor that commitment. There are no sick days. When the dog needs to be walked, she needs to be walked. If she doesn't get walked, she's miserable...and makes us miserable. Playdates are a great alternative. Who doesn't have time to eat dinner? You have to eat. Why not eat with friends while your dog plays with their dog? That's three hours (or more!) of dogs doing what they do best. Your dog gets to have fun and you get to enjoy the rest of the evening (note: this works on weekend afternoon as well).

It's okay to be lazy like this.

What about you - does your dog like other dogs? Do you do 'playdates'?