Writing this post is mostly because I know there are quite different opinions among dog owners whether or not someone that owns a dog should be going out to work or not..

Well my opinion is quite clear on this matter.. I think there shouldn’t be any reason why not.. It’s not because two people both have fulltime jobs that their dogs are neglected or loved any less then people who are home a lot more. But I do think a dog shouldn’t be left entirely on its own for whole days.. That’s why we have 3

I know for a fact that I love my dogs with whole my heart and that I look after them as if they were my kids! I feel guilty sometimes when I go out for work but that mostly just me cause I want to be with them the whole day.. But being realistic in these times and wanting to be able to give them everything they need and something extra.. Then owning a house and wanting to be able to live normally you have to have fulltime jobs or you just won’t make it..

We both go out to work and yes our dogs are alone 8 – 9 hours a day but they don’t mind.. They always get something to keep them busy for a few hours and when the weather is nice they have an area in our yard (completely fenced!!) where they can play and enjoy the weather or just simply get inside and sleep.  In the future this will even get better when we finish our yard

I personally think that in most cases it’s the people that have more problems with leaving them at home then the dogs themselves.. I do agree though that they need to get used to this situation as soon as possible!  When we got Qwebble and Qnotje, the first few months I did come home during lunch to put them outside for a bit and neither of them had any objects to get back in their crates in the morning or the afternoon.. They mostly enjoyed getting in there..

So I do think dogs could be owned when 2 persons go out to work but I do think that arrangements need to be made so that they are comfortable and have everything they need (fresh water, …) .  Our dogs are happy dogs, I’m VERY sure of that and when we are home we love them twice as much to compensate for the times when we are out

Lieve

Zaterdag is het zover.. We gaan op wintersport!
Een weekje genieten in Italië op ons snowboard, als dan het zonnetje nog van de partij is dan is het helemaal genieten!

Onze hondjes kunnen spijtig genoeg wel niet mee, maar moeke komt op hun passen, ze hoeven dus niet weg en kunnen lekker in hun vertrouwde omgeving blijven. Nu alleen maar hopen dat ze zich een beetje zullen gedragen.. Over Qwick en Qwebble maak ik me geen zorgen, maar ons Qnotje.. Sjonge sjonge, is die me aan’t puberen op dit moment en alles zal eraan geloven hoor.. Ze is op missie om alles en iedereen onveilig te maken.. Met haar typische Cavalier-kop en dan die blik.. Je zou er helemaal voor smelten :p
Laat ons maar hopen dat ze zich een beetje gedraagd

En tot binnen een goei week eh

Yesterday I was reading on an English Cavalier Forum and I came across this thread (the site might load slow)  http://board.cavaliertalk.com/showthread.php?t=28664

I was shocked to read that little Minnie got killed by a German Shepherd

Then I started thinking what I would do if something like that would happen to any of ours.. When David read the story he was surprised as well cause honestly we never realized that this could actually happen.. I know it sounds silly but we never really came across an aggressive dog at least not one that would be running around..  If I would be the owner of an aggressive dog at least I would make sure that it was NEVER on the loose and especially not in a dog park as described there..

Needless to say that we will be more careful as of now every time we come across a larger dog with our furbabies.. I think I would go completely insane if something like that would happen to Qwick, Qwebble or Qnotje..

For all Dutch talking people, I made a topic about it on the forum as well where you can put your opinions.. Voor alle Nederlandstaligen, kijk op het forum,d aar staat het ook..

http://www.cavalierforum.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=126

A message to Claire and Cara.. Lots and lots of hugs from all of us in these tough times.. We’re all thinking of you!! Take care!

Daarom dus..

Bekijk de foto’s en dat spreekt voor zichzelf

Als onze juffrouw de kans ziet, zit of ligt ze ergens bovenop David

A new year has started.. Everybody hopes for a good year and so do we!

All 3 of our Cavaliers wish you all the best for 2009 and may all your dreams and wishes come true!

Winter has set in here as well.. we got 10cm of snow (about 4″) and it’s freezing like hell :p
The temperature dropped till -10°C last night and this was even for Qnotje a bit cold She usually doesn’t want to come in when we let her out in the yard but this morning she wanted to come in with the other 2 For Qwick this is really a bit too cold, he rather stays inside next to the heating..

Both Qwebble and Qnotje LOVE the snow, Qwick rather stays inside, only when he REALLY has to go out he’ll do it, but otherwise he gives us a look as if we’re mad or something.. Then he looks at us and I can see him think, ‘Do you really think I’m so stupid to go outside in this weather??????’  It’s funny to see though

And hopefully there’ll be a lot of nice stories to tell this year