[kjc]

Originally Posted by sportschick

You know, when I first got Beanie, all I heard about and read about was THE SCHEDULE. Keep her on THE SCHEDULE. It was like, if she wasn't on THE SCHEDULE, something drastic would happen because, after all, she is a dog and THEY HAVE TO BE ON THE SCHEDULE.

Well, after obsessing about the stupid schedule for months, killing myself to get up at the right time, get home at the right time, feed her at the right time, etc., etc., etc. I just decided to let things happen and figure things out as I went along (she is my first dog). I started to enjoy her, not be so worried about everything and just live my new life without worrying about a freakin schedule. We are both much happier because I am not trying to put us both into some kind of schedule box. And on the weekends, everything is thrown to the wind. Sometimes we sleep late, and then lounge on the couch (after playing with the ball, of course) and then walk or go visiting. And, gasp, I even feed her at a different time!!

All I know is she is a very happy, healthy, extremely loving, VERY well behaved little doggie so I guess I am doing something right!

"The Schedule" is initially to help in housebreaking... once they're housetrained, you can do whatever you feel appropriate. If they start slipping up too much... get back on 'The Schedule'... to retrain them.

Haha! Try walking four at one time and they all stop in a different place! Took us forever to get up the road...lol... Now we walk for a bit, I holler 'Pee Break' they do a group Pee, then a bit further and I holler 'Sniff Break' and they all take a group Sniff. Then they have a 'Group Poop'!