Couch Potato Much?

[PoppyDog]

Poppy is the biggest couch potato out!

I sometimes wonder if the fact that my OH and I don't have an over active lifestyle has meant that she has just fitted in with us? I don't know if it's her genetics or her upbringing (by us) but she LOVES to cuddle and snooze!

OH works a mixture of day and night shifts and it is SO nice to have her snoozing on the couch RIGHT next to me! Or have her cuddle up in between us at night.

I left for work at 6am this morning and she gave me this look as if to say "turn the light off please! I'm trying to sleep!"

I just rang OH to wake him up (our groceries are being delivered soon!) and she is still sleeping on the bed with him!

I went to be at 9pm last night too! So we didn't have a late one!

Is your doggy a couch potato? Do you think it's genetics or environment or a mixture of both?

[jacqui835]

Well my dog started out quite hyper, always keen to get up as early as possible and followed me everywhere. Now, well, he will quite happily sleep in until late, like right now, he's sprawled out on top of my bed even though he didn't get a proper walk yesterday because I was out all day. I don't think it's genetics because his parents both work, and he's a youngish male entire doberman who has plenty of energy when we go to the park. It's like he can go as long as I want him to, but he can also do the couch potato thing. I think I got very lucky with him

[W Sibs]

I have to bribe, beg and talk Charlie into getting out of bed most mornings... he gives me the most evil looks when I tell him it's time to get out of bed, and it's a nice day out. Mind you, this happens after I've already taking Emmy for a walk, me showering and getting ready for work... Charlie will be stretched out on the bed sleeping when that all happens In winter, he will bury himself under the blankets and pillows.

[Little Gifts]

My ADHD girl has slotted into my lifestyle. I think she just wants to be with me so curbs her energy when I'm in a sloth mood. I used to have this huge cat and not only did we used to carry him to his bed every night but every morning we would go out and gently rub him till he woke up, softly calling his name "Alby, Alby, time for brekkie Alby" He would take quite a while to wake properly before doing a big stretch and indicating he was ready to be carried to the kitchen. He wasn't a lazy cat either - every afternoon he went down the beach fishing with my partner and he had regular play dates with his siblings. He also spent a lot of time going for trips in the car. But when it came to sleeping he took it very seriously.

[Pollywaffle]

OH and I are getting on a bit and our two seem to mirror us, despite their ages. Our boy's absolute favourite pastime is doing nothing...I've asked lately how it's at all necessary for him to sleep so much and when he's awake, he looks as though he's had a hard night and will need to sleep shortly. Weekends the four of us have been known to relocate to the bedroom for an afternoon kip...we all have one! Not good I guess in this world of being out there socialising/interacting and the such like..but we're all happy!

[nickyp]

One of our dogs is like that. Indi has always been happy to be active when there's activity to be had, but basically shuts down and sleeps if there's nothing going on. When we've taken the dogs out for the day or away on holiday she's been able to go all day, but at home she's quite happy to sleep 23 out of every 24 hours. Em, on the other hand, is always looking for something to do, something going on and, if there isn't anything, she'll create something.

[koalathebear]

Funny topic

We have a kelpie/border collie cross and outside the house he is what people predicted to us that a kelpie cross woud be - super, super energetic. He’ll walk and walk, run and run.

Back at home though, my husband and I are desk potatoes. We spend a lot of time leading a sedentary lifestyle – computer time, surfing the net, reading, puzzles, video games etc. Nothing particularly taxing. While we spend time running through tricks with Elbie, playing hide and seek with him and taking him for a walk a few times a week (definitely not every day), Elbie seems to have adjusted himself to meet our lazy lifestyle...

If we want to sleep in, he’ll pop back into his crate and sleep till 10am. During the day, if we’re on our computers or watching a show/movie, he’ll curl up on his dog bed and have a snooze. When we are up and about, he’ll get up to and play but when we’re back at our desks then he’ll keep snoozing or just lying there watching us. He follows us around the house but if we’re not in a play mood he’ll be very happy to play on his own with his toys (particularly squeakers).

We haven’t seen any signs that this is translating into destructive behaviours – he isn’t a big barker, he digs occasional holes but not many, he doesn’t destroy his toys – just gnaws on them ... He is surrounded by “stuff” in the house like cables, bags, books, wires and whatever but a “leave it” makes him back away and he seems to have little interest on gnawing on them. He is usually as placid as a cow at home so it’s a bit weird when he goes into hyperactive mood over strangers coming over/going for walks/going to dog school.

[Odin-Genie]

You're lucky

Mine sleep in our bedroom (one on the bed) and they wake up up at exactly 5.30 every morning for their morning walk The only time they sleep late (till about 6.30 am) is when they have had a play date the evening before.

In the evenings, they stand next to the door, waiting for their after dinner walk!!!!

[koalathebear]

You're lucky

It's only been like that for the last couple of months! When we first got him, we were setting our alarm clock to get up every 2 hours, every 3 hours and every 3.5 hours to take him out for his toileting. He also had a habit of getting up at 5am and not going back to sleep. In the last couple of months, he sleeps through the night AND is willing to go back to sleep so that we can sleep in. We have no idea what made him change!?

[Greytmate]

We have greyhounds, so yes, they are couch potatoes.

Greyhounds have 'short twitch' muscle fibre. That means that they use up most of the energy stored in their muscles in one explosive burst, and completely rest for the remainder of their time. They also generally lack a (genetic) territorial drive that keeps many other dogs on their toes.

Most other dogs have 'long twitch' muscle fibre that allows them to slowly sustain the release of stored energy over many hours. As long as they are fit and healthy, they are always 'ready to go'.

Other things that will have an effect on how 'lazy' a dog is are the dog's fitness level and its routine.

Many dogs are obese or suffer from conditions that restrict their movement and fitness, and unfortunately these dogs do not enjoy an active lifestyle. It either hurts them or is beyond their capabilities.

[PRADA68]

My three are just happy to do what ever if I want them to run and zoomies and by hyper yes they will be. Mainly though they are pretty relaxed and laid back. The two littlies like to bury themselves under the doona and hate getting out of bed when morning. They are true doona dogs. The shepherd is just happy to be where ever I am as we lead a very relaxed lifestyle so do my dogs. There is nothing wrong with that at all.

[Genabee]

I wish!

Genevieve is just noctournal...

She will sleep during the day, usually with her head half hanging off the couch... snoring and twitching away.

But wants to play at night time (and early in the morning!). I am hoping Elbie or Charlie will have a chat to her and tells her to cut it out! ;)

[skip]

I was off sick with the flu and can't beleive my dogs stayed in bed with me for 3 days straight. No walks and hardly any outside time.

The chi x did go outside sometimes and she often just sits there waiting for me to open my eyes. Althou I am very calm wiht them they both understand I am not a morning person!

But the male dog never stirred - he is a kelpie x ? chi ( rescue said anyway) . What a loung lizard! No wonder he is pretty laid back with his agility!

And now I have my own house and a dog door his seperation anxiety is less. I go to work and he just stays in my bed. Doesn't even walk me to the door!

Just the way I like them really.

[Zombie Bait]

Im lazy and so are my dogs! They really fit in with whatever we are doing whether thats nothing or going for walks etc.

I have been known to break the foster dogs....they come to me hyper and leave all chilled out and relaxed

Brembo is loath to move out of my bed of a morning and has been known to stay there if I dont touch his food bowl lol

Sierra will take every oportunity to get on the bed with me, so as soon as I start towards the bedroom she is up as quick as a flash and onto the bed, she really loves an afternoon nap

[whiskedaway]

My pup is pretty active, though I suppose that's what you get with a Sibe. She gets two walks a day and training and playtime, so at the end of the day when we want to relax, she's all tired out and fast asleep either in her kennel or beanbag. We're fairly active too, though.

[PoppyDog]

Glad I'm not the only one with a lazy puppy!

She slept in till 7.30am with me and then we got up, had breaky and an hour later she is snoozing on the couch next to me!

Yesterday it was cold and raining and I swear all she did was sleep! I came home with a horrible headache and had a nanna nap and she cuddled up with me and slept too!

Wizzle - Hope Miss G learns how to sleep in soon!!! Poppy went through a "must get up with the sun" phase when she was sleeping in her crate but as soon as we started letting her sleep on our bed or next to it in her bed she started sleeping SO much better! She also HATED being in the bathroom away from us.

[halfthewords]

Carl and Mischa will happily sleep for as long as I am--before, I've slept in until 1pm and when I woke, they were conked out on my bed with me!

Cleo and Jag, on the other hand, are up the minute they hear my parents up. Parents = breakfast. Cleo sleeps in my sister's room so she gets woken up, but Jag sleeps with my parents, so that works well!

I sometimes pull all nighters and the dogs stay awake with me, and then during the day when I want to sleep, all they want to do is keep playing.