Does anybody else hear this from friends?

[VChurch]

I catch a lot of comments about spending too much time with my dogs and not enough time going out with friends or doing other things.

One friend told me that I shouldn't let my dogs get in the way of my life -- this was because I refused to go somewhere that was going to be an all day event because Minna was three months old and couldn't hold her bladder for much longer than three hours. I mean honestly, he may think it's okay to put a dog in a crate with newspaper and leave for eight hours, but I would Never do that to a three month old puppy -- plus I didn't want my dog using the bathroom in the crate (clearly we had different views on how to care for a dog).
And another friend told me that I spend too much time with my dogs and that my life is too absorbed around them.



But, to me at least, my dogs are my family. I would rather alter my plans a little so that I could take a dig with me somewhere, then to leave them at home alone -- that's no life.
I have to take care of them (especially since Minna is 17 weeks old) and I'm the only one taking care of them so it's not like there's much help with wearing Minna out, and socializing her and taking her out, training her, feeding her, etc etc etc.
And! I would rather hang out with my dogs then most people -- and actually someone said that about me one time



Anyway, was just wondering if anybody else had experienced this!

[JKlatsky]

I know people who think it's crazy...but that's why all my social friends are now dog people...

[Wolfiesmom]

Yup. We live on the beach over the summer and we always got there at 11 am and stayed until 6 or 7 at night. Now with Wolfie, we get there around 12 or 1 pm and stay a couple hours before we go back to the house to let him out and run around for a bit. We go back until 5 and then bring him to the beach with us. People that hang with us say we are letting the dog run our lives. He's only a puppy and I don't see why they can't understand why we don't want to leave him in a crate all day while we enjoy ourselves at the beach. I've had my in laws get mad because we only want to go out for an hour or two and then come home to let the dog out.

[Veronica]

Yes. People - even my sis - tell me that my pup is spoiled. Spoiled? Just because he gets to go places, eats quality food, gets lots of attention & has plenty of toys? Nah - that's how a dog should be!

I guess they don't realize that it's not just that the dogs need us - we need them. I love to spend time with my boy.

[selzer]

Yep, connect with dog people - friends. Turn your current friends into dog people. If they cannot take it, well.....

I have a few friends left that are not dog-people, but they are tolerant of me and my critters. I don't have kids. Other people are constantly talking about their kids, they can hear me get excited about my dogs now and again.

[Marissa]

My family is pretty awful about it honestly. My parents stopped coming over because they arn't dog people and large dogs belong outside. Fortunetly I work in the vet community so most of my friends understand and are dog people...It took me along time to let people's comments slide off my back but in the end do what makes you happy

[Moonlight]

Dogs make much better friends than humans! Who needs people?

[patti]

Yep, even my daughter said we weren't "normal"!

[W.Oliver]

I am addicted to SchH, and train all the time.....I am fortunate because my family is very generous with their support, especially my wife. Friends, on the other hand, treat me like it is extreme. I am planning on taking two weeks off if/when I get my puppy, and folks around me act as if it is eccentric. So like others who have posted, my dog friends have become the priority for me, as that is what makes me happy. Screw the rest that don't get it!

[Konotashi]

I just got my puppy this week and I've got people telling me that I'm nuts. They try telling me that I'm not 'disciplining' him right because I didn't rub his nose in his poop/pee when he went potty in the floor when I didn't take him out quick enough. I asked them, "What good would it have done me to get mad at him? All that would do is prove to him that going potty in front of me = him being punished." So I obviously have different views on training than most of my peers because I don't physically discipline him. And I allow him to deprive me of sleep and take him on walks and give him toys and buy him good food and actually train him, rather than expect him to train himself.