# Feeling a little guilty



## Rvent (Apr 15, 2012)

so a few months back I helped with a rescue dog, fostering him at my daughters house, Weds. one of her neighbors complained about the dog barking, so he could not stay there anymore, I brought him to my house not a lot of time for proper intro's, I have my house seperated into 3 sections each dog has there on part (2 rooms) but at night they sleep in crates. Just to refresh my 2 girls hate each other and fight ever since my Max passed so they have had to be seperate, I feel like now with Capone here I don't have as much time for them as I did before, Capone is 2 and has so much energy I need to make him tired, and the girls are 13 so can't keep up... just feel like at the end of their lives they should have more, but Capone is in need too.

this might be a silly question but do you think keeping dogs seperate at all time sends a message that, that being around other dogs is bad. 

I feel guilty that they have to sleep in crates and don't have the freedom to roam the house, they have to be seperate.


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

Absolutely not, my two never interact with whatever foster I have at the time. I have metal baby gates with walk thru doors on three of the rooms in the house and I just move them around however they need to be. I however don't crate any of my dogs, the foster is always gated in either the laundry room or t.v. room and out whenever we are at home.


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## Rvent (Apr 15, 2012)

whiteleo said:


> Absolutely not, my two never interact with whatever foster I have at the time. I have metal baby gates with walk thru doors on three of the rooms in the house and I just move them around however they need to be. I however don't crate any of my dogs, the foster is always gated in either the laundry room or t.v. room and out whenever we are at home.


I have to keep my 2 girls seperate from each other, so we have crates in the living room so they can all be with us while we watch tv at night. I have crates in my bedroom as well. its tuff when the 2 you have fight and need to be seperate. I feel like there not enough of me to give everyone there seperate time.


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## leilaquinn (Sep 7, 2011)

I think crate and rotate can't be as much fun for a non dog friendly dog as as being the only dog would be, but I think it's vastly superior to getting in disagreements, and there are only so many people who love and understand non dog social dogs.


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## Rvent (Apr 15, 2012)

leilaquinn said:


> I think crate and rotate can't be as much fun for a non dog friendly dog as as being the only dog would be, but I think it's vastly superior to getting in disagreements, and there are only so many people who love and understand non dog social dogs.


I agree, I wish my 2 girls could get along but.... they are both rescues and were in desperate need when I took them in, same with Capone. I guess these living situations are far better than what the alternative was, outside of the seperate quarters and night time crates they have a good life, a huge yard, walks every day sometimes 2 (just seperate) and lots of love.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do.....don't feel guilty. they have homes and are safe...and you love them.

just do the best you can.


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

Rvent said:


> I have to keep my 2 girls seperate from each other, so we have crates in the living room so they can all be with us while we watch tv at night. I have crates in my bedroom as well. its tuff when the 2 you have fight and need to be seperate. I feel like there not enough of me to give everyone there seperate time.


I know exactly how you feel, things were pretty much like that before I found McKenzie a forever home. You have to do what is best for the dogs, and if this is best in their old age then so be it. It would be harder on them to not have you in their lives.


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## Georgiapeach (Jan 24, 2011)

Do you have enough room for an x-pen or two? This would still contain them, but give them a little more room. Do the best you can - it's better than them being in a kill shelter!


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## Rvent (Apr 15, 2012)

Georgiapeach said:


> Do you have enough room for an x-pen or two? This would still contain them, but give them a little more room. Do the best you can - it's better than them being in a kill shelter!


most of the time Babs has the living room, dining room and acess to most of the upstairs, I have had her the longest. Macy Has a huge bathroom like 14x26 and the laudry room which is attached, Capone has the foyer,mudrooom and kitchen. they are only in crates at night so they can all be in the same room together with us and for sleeping since none of them like to be alone.

You are right it is much better than a kill shelter, they would never make it.


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## GoingPostal (Sep 5, 2011)

Can you rotate each a night out of the crate? We have the younger 2 dogs crates in our bedroom but an exercise pen around all that so we put one in the x-pen, one on the bed and alternate nights. Dog #3 either stays downstairs, xpen with the male or loose in our room as she will sleep on the dog bed on the floor. Mine get along but don't want them all in bed. We have crate & rotated before and it works well for us but my b/f is a night owl and I am not, our schedules are far enough apart and we have multiple ways of separation w/o crates.


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## Rvent (Apr 15, 2012)

GoingPostal said:


> Can you rotate each a night out of the crate? We have the younger 2 dogs crates in our bedroom but an exercise pen around all that so we put one in the x-pen, one on the bed and alternate nights. Dog #3 either stays downstairs, xpen with the male or loose in our room as she will sleep on the dog bed on the floor. Mine get along but don't want them all in bed. We have crate & rotated before and it works well for us but my b/f is a night owl and I am not, our schedules are far enough apart and we have multiple ways of separation w/o crates.


the problem is they all want to be with me, right now the new dog is sleeping upstairs with my husband at night, the 2 girls won't. Macy can't make it up the stairs anymore to well and she whines all night if she is not near me, Babs wants to be where I am as well so since those are the 2 that fight I have no choice but to crate them at night with me. I think it bothers me more than it bothers them. during the day they are not in crates they have seperate parts of the house divided by walk through gates.


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## flashyfawn (Mar 8, 2012)

I think you do what you have to do, and I think it is more stressful on you than the two of them. Being together would be far more stressful on all of you, I'm sure. It's not like they are confined to a tiny area all the time, and being crated at night doesn't seem like a big issue. And remember, dogs are very adaptable and this has become their normal routine. It sounds like they have everything they need. Is it totally, completely ideal? Maybe not, but many situations in life are not. Things for your dogs could be way worse. 

I definitely get your guilt over doing lots of stuff with the new foster dog and not your 2 girls. Do you have time to take the girls out for a car ride or something a couple times a week for a change of scenery? I don't have exactly the same situation since I don't have to keep mine separate but I do have a little guilt every day when I take Madison out for her walks and leave Zoey behind because she can't walk like that anymore. But Zoey gets trips once or twice a week and we go somewhere that she can just get out and sit for a while, and she likes that. It isn't much but that is really all she wants at this point.


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## Rvent (Apr 15, 2012)

flashyfawn said:


> I think you do what you have to do, and I think it is more stressful on you than the two of them. Being together would be far more stressful on all of you, I'm sure. It's not like they are confined to a tiny area all the time, and being crated at night doesn't seem like a big issue. And remember, dogs are very adaptable and this has become their normal routine. It sounds like they have everything they need. Is it totally, completely ideal? Maybe not, but many situations in life are not. Things for your dogs could be way worse.
> 
> I definitely get your guilt over doing lots of stuff with the new foster dog and not your 2 girls. Do you have time to take the girls out for a car ride or something a couple times a week for a change of scenery? I don't have exactly the same situation since I don't have to keep mine separate but I do have a little guilt every day when I take Madison out for her walks and leave Zoey behind because she can't walk like that anymore. But Zoey gets trips once or twice a week and we go somewhere that she can just get out and sit for a while, and she likes that. It isn't much but that is really all she wants at this point.


I take my girls for a walk every day, and some one on one out side time, I take Capone (not a foster anymore) out to play more because he is 18 months and has WAY TO MUCH ENERGY so he needs a lot energy release, when my husband is around to help we take the girls for a walk with him one at a time. 

right now it is 9:00 pm and for all of them to be in the TV room with me while I relax they are in crates, but are all sound asleep.


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## Caty M (Aug 13, 2010)

You are doing the best you can and as long as they all get individual attention too, I think it's just fine! You have to do whatever works for you and your dogs!

Re Levi has grown up into a beautiful boy! What a stunner!!!


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## doggiedad (Jan 23, 2011)

i think your giving to much credit about how a dog thinks. your dogs
are sleeping in their crates and that's ok. with taking them out for
walks and letting them out of their crates they're fine. i understand
your concern. that shows you're a good dog person.



Rvent said:


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## Rvent (Apr 15, 2012)

Re Levi has grown up into a beautiful boy! What a stunner!!![/QUOTE]

Levi? Was this meant for my post?


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## Caty M (Aug 13, 2010)

Nah I went a little OT when I saw magicre's avatar ;-)


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