Hey, dog owners!

[sholio]

This really doesn't apply to owners whose pets can go to the bathroom indoors, like cats.

[Poll #1681159]

The reason why I'm asking is because it seems totally evident to ME that before you feed an animal, you'd give it a chance to do its bathroom business first! But when my husband is up first, he always just feeds and then ignores them unless they specifically ask to be let out. (And one of the dogs doesn't ask; she'll get restless and pace around a bit, but that's about the closest she gets to making pointed dog-at-door motions like the other one does. On the other hand, I always let her out in the yard at the slightest sign of restlessness because she's old, so it's possible that she's simply never bothered to ask because she's never needed to. I'm the primary dog caretaker and it's my signals they mostly respond to.)

So now I'm curious if there is actually a fair amount of variation in dog owners on this matter, and I'm just being unreasonably dogmatic about it, so to speak. *g*

Comments

[madripoor-rose.livejournal.com]

Hey, I just got a pop-up from AVG after answering this poll that tried to scan my computer for suspicious activity? Seems kind of virus-y. Running my antivirus now, but you might want to double check.

[sholio]

Aw, crap, I'm sorry ... and also, that's weird. I don't generally see the ads because I have a paid account, but I thought my account didn't make people view ads either.

[ga-unicorn.livejournal.com]

When we had a Labrador she always wanted to be fed the moment my feet hit the floor. She'd inhale it and by the time I got my shoes on, grabbed a bag to pick up her poop and found the frisbee she'd be ready to go out. Freya, the dachshund/maltese, is a nibbler (takes her several hours to eat the 1/4 cup of food she gets fed twice a day), so we do the walking routine first (no frisbee for her, she never grasped the concept) and then she can take her time eating while I get ready for the day.

Unless you are a dog owner who is uber-alpha with your dog, I think the eat first/outdoor first can be dictated by the dog's personality.

[sholio]

That makes sense ... I suppose that my morning routine has been influenced, too, by always living somewhere I had a fenced yard, or out in the country, so all I had to do in the morning was blunder to the door and open it; then after I'd fed them (and me) take them outside for a more thorough frisking about.

That is an utterly adorable dog in your icon! Is that Freya?

[ga-unicorn.livejournal.com]

Yes, that is her in desperate need of a trim. This what she looks like after a day (of torture) at the groomer:
Such a girly-girl.

[aries-taurus.livejournal.com]

Dog breeder me: Let them out. then feed.

What is the first thing you do when you get up... Me? I go pee....

[sholio]

Yep, that is my thought process exactly -- I'm not at all interested in my morning bowl of cereal 'til I've hit the bathroom first, and dogs are in the same boat, so I figure they'd feel the same way. (But like the person above me said, different dogs may have different desires in that area.)

[shrewreader.livejournal.com]

Very first thing?

Let the dogs out. Then go pee....

[water-soter.livejournal.com]

Well, my dog always, always demanded to be let out in the winter since in the summer he was in the backyard. He'd scratch at the door, or start howling and barking. Maybe you should try this on your husband: if you need to go to the bathroom and you're hungry, which would you do first? :-P

[starwatcher]

.
I have to pee as soon as I get up; I expect my dogs to need that too, and let them out accordingly. (Don't actually have dogs now, but had two at a time for a span of 25 years before the last one died.)

Feeding "first" -- I got around to it at a certain part of my routine, which was about 45 minutes after we got up -- doesn't make any sense at all.
.

[winter-elf.livejournal.com]

LOL! I grew up with dogs. We had one dog, who would wake me up early in the morning just by staring at me. I'd jerk awake, and he'd be sitting by the side of the bed LOOKING at me intently. It was the 'let me out now' look. He was a husky mix.

[elanor-me.livejournal.com]

My dog always wants to eat immediately. She won't go out until she's eaten. As soon as she's fed, she is barking at the door though. :)

[wildcat88.livejournal.com]

We actually go for a walk first thing. Lots of peeing involved, of course. ;)

[flingslass.livejournal.com]

In this case it's the cat that I'm house sharing with. I let her out in the morning and feed her when I get home. She only likes me because I provide food! :)

[kriadydragon.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure if my two-cents counts since we pretty much leave the dog food bowls filled twenty-four seven and let the dogs eat whenever they want (we've always done this with our pets and never had a problem with obesity. But then our pets tend to either be energetic or very self-controlled about when they eat. Or one dog sits in front of the food and won't let anyone else eat unless we move her :P). But when the bowl is empty, between eating and going outside, they will always go straight for the door if they think we're going to open it. Most especially in the mornings.

[blacklabs2.livejournal.com]

We have always let ours out before feeding. I keep trying to convince my husband that they can wait until after we eat (because otherwise, they are extremely pesty about mornings!), but that's not worked out because we need to let them out, feed them, eat ourselves, get ready, etc. and then let them out again before work. So too little time. Although it makes weekends super annoying when there's a wet nose in your face at 6 am!

[greyias.livejournal.com]

Because I own a doggie door, letting the dogs out really isn't an issue anymore (although when I was in an apartment, I'd take Roxy out right after I had my own bio break). However, since Meeka is still young and I lock her up at night, I highly encourage her to "go outside" first thing every morning. It just seems to keep the peace in the household better.