# Is it possible to spend TOO MUCH time with your dog????



## SophieP (May 7, 2010)

I don't believe you can - unless of course he ends up having a hard time being away from you (ie: separation anxiety) which could then make it detrimental. If he is as you say "ho-hum" around you, I would be happy with that. It means he likely respects and trusts you therefore can be calm and relaxed around you. Absence doesn't make the heart grow fonder IMHO...your dog is just as happy to se you come back from a 5 minute trip to the drug store as he/she is from a 2-week holiday. That's the beauty of dogs (one of the many of course!) 

Cheers.


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## RedDogs (Jan 30, 2010)

Dogs need to learn to be comfortable and relaxed while we are gone.

Otherwise, "relationship" is about reinforcement history. The kinds of things you do with your dog, the quality of reinforcers, the rate of reinforcment, etc. A person who spends all day with his dog, provides walks, food, water, will have a different relationship than a person who spends all day with his dog but does lots of fetch, training, going places, etc..... and the "different-ness" will all depend on how much the dog actually enjoys (or doesn't) those activities.

If you provide all the care for your dog, as well as training and fun and games, you will have a different relationship than someone your dog sees every few months but always in the context of really exciting travels and trips and toys and games. 

MY dogs have a different relationship with my mother than with me. With her, they get VERY excited and worked up (which would be great in competition!). Almost every time they see her, she feeds them exciting foods...but it's not just that.... she waits until they're really excited (unintentionally!...she actually wants them calm with her!) before tossing the snack.


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## Noey (Feb 26, 2009)

I LOVE being with my guys - but I make sure they have time apart from each other as well as time with just me or just my husband. 

I think if they are with you 100% of the time it's hard on them when your away. But I would love to be with them 100% of the time...


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## Ranger (Nov 11, 2009)

I think the more time you spend with your dog, the better the bond. Ranger is with me pretty much 24/7, except for the odd times my parents look after him. I had a person ask me if he was my dog because "he wasn't very excited to see me" when I came out of the 7-11 and Ranger was tied up there. No, he's calm and loving and loyal around me - NOT excited. Even when I was away for a week, I came back and Ranger wasn't too excited. He just followed me around everywhere, gluing himself to my side and sitting on my feet everytime I sat. He doesn't need to be excited to see me and I don't need him to be excited either.

It's funny, I had my horse for 5 years and saw him every single day at least once and he never nickered to me when I saw him. One summer I was out working a day camp at the stable so I was out at the barn for 10 hours every day for two weeks and started spending my lunch break in his paddock to get away from the screaming kids. After that, every time he saw me or heard my truck pull in, he'd nicker at me. ALWAYS. He's retired now and I see him maybe twice a week and he STILL does. It took over FIVE years and a two weeks of being there 50 hours/week before he would...so it doesn't surprise me that it's the time together that counts.


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