Do Dogs Need to Have a Schedule?

I have written previously about the importance of a schedule when housebreaking a dog.  Most of us have some flex-time in our day, and most dogs do to.   In nature, dogs would eat when they wanted and poop when they wanted.  They didn’t look at the location of the sun and react shocked because once again, they had forgotten to eat breakfast.   There was most likely a time to hunt, a time to eat, and a time to sleep.

We bring them into our homes and expect them to immediately understand how to live in our world.  Since a schedule is important for us, we need to give our dogs time to understand what that means to them.  Consistency, patience, and praise are invaluable to this process!

My dogs have learned a routine, and I didn’t realize that in order to keep it all straight, they had been keeping a schedule of their own.   This is what it said.   As read by the leader, Zoe . . .

“Mac, you go outside with Violet and Sammy.  Don’t forget why you are out there and get back in here so the rest of us can go.  I’ll go out with Melody and Moby.  Everyone meet back here in thirty minutes for breakfast.  Remember, if you don’t eat it now, you’ll be looking at it again tonight.  After breakfast, Mac and I will go outside for a few hours.”

“If you little guys (sorry Violet) need to go, go now, because you’ll be inside for the day.  Dinner will be served about 5:00 so everyone, be on time – as a side note, don’t jump on Gayle when she gets in from training.  Everyone back outside after dinner and back in for the night.  Try to sleep in past 5:00, but if you can’t hold it Mac, wake me up and I’ll get Gayle’s attention.”

Dogs have become great students of structure. Aren’t they amazing?  Now, if they could only help me with my schedule!