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As some of you know I have an illness that forces me to stay home most of the time. I just had some testing done that confirmed what I thought : I have been getting worse in the last few years.
My dogs are very well taken care of in all aspects : food, treats, vet care, grooming, having company all day (they love each other and I am practically always home). In all aspects except exercise. That’s the one (and important) aspect that I can’t fulfill in their lives. In summer, they do get to go play in the yard many times a day, but you know how dogs are, they need entertaining. They will play for a few minutes with each other, than mostly chill out, rolling in the grass, lying down or chewing a stick. Sometimes I can’t even go sit outside with them and they’ll want in after 5-10 minutes.
I bought an electric wheelchair to be able to take them for walks. I can only use it when I am well enough, so maybe once or twice a week, when not too hot. Having a regular dog walker is expensive and I can’t afford it. I might try to find a teenager to walk at least Beckie but for the sake of this argument, let’s not take this into consideration.
Merlin doesn’t really mind, although he loves to exercise. He’s such a mama’s boy that all he wants is to be close to me, ideally on my lap.
Beckie, on the other hand, is an active girl. Although she is very calm inside the house, I can tell she misses being active. On some days I sleep a good portion of the time. They will sleep with me, or next to me.
If it was only Merlin, I wouldn’t feel guilty. But for Beckie, I do.
Sometimes I tell my daughter I shouldn’t have dogs and she says «*mom, they have everything with you, except one thing. But all the rest is very good. Don’t worry.*»
But I do worry. Am I being selfish and depriving Beckie of a home where she could be physically active ? Should I find her another family and just keep Merlin ? I am in tears writing this but is this what I should do ? Merlin’s life (and mine) would not be as complete without her.
I guess I am looking for some kind of reassurance that I’m not completely ruining Beckie’s life. :-(
My dogs are very well taken care of in all aspects : food, treats, vet care, grooming, having company all day (they love each other and I am practically always home). In all aspects except exercise. That’s the one (and important) aspect that I can’t fulfill in their lives. In summer, they do get to go play in the yard many times a day, but you know how dogs are, they need entertaining. They will play for a few minutes with each other, than mostly chill out, rolling in the grass, lying down or chewing a stick. Sometimes I can’t even go sit outside with them and they’ll want in after 5-10 minutes.
I bought an electric wheelchair to be able to take them for walks. I can only use it when I am well enough, so maybe once or twice a week, when not too hot. Having a regular dog walker is expensive and I can’t afford it. I might try to find a teenager to walk at least Beckie but for the sake of this argument, let’s not take this into consideration.
Merlin doesn’t really mind, although he loves to exercise. He’s such a mama’s boy that all he wants is to be close to me, ideally on my lap.
Beckie, on the other hand, is an active girl. Although she is very calm inside the house, I can tell she misses being active. On some days I sleep a good portion of the time. They will sleep with me, or next to me.
If it was only Merlin, I wouldn’t feel guilty. But for Beckie, I do.
Sometimes I tell my daughter I shouldn’t have dogs and she says «*mom, they have everything with you, except one thing. But all the rest is very good. Don’t worry.*»
But I do worry. Am I being selfish and depriving Beckie of a home where she could be physically active ? Should I find her another family and just keep Merlin ? I am in tears writing this but is this what I should do ? Merlin’s life (and mine) would not be as complete without her.
I guess I am looking for some kind of reassurance that I’m not completely ruining Beckie’s life. :-(