topflightpro

To paraphrase Billy Madison:

'You got a pet. You got a responsibility.' If your dog needs to go out, you don't go for a ride and get around to it when you can. You get your ass home and you walk that f---ing dog. "

Peter.J

If you raised your labrador to like the crate you wouldn't have those severe reservations. Sure the dog needs exercise, both physical and mental, but you shouldn't feel bad for going to work and leaving the dog in a crate if you've achieved the above.

jamesdak 

Part of being in the military is the sacrifice that a military family must make. Tell your dogs to suck it up and then get outside and ride.

ilovecycling

This is why I won't own another dog until I'm married with children and live on a good chunk of land. My girlfriend and I bought a dog a few years back, but after going away to school we quickly found out that we didn't have enough time for the dog. We also couldn't stand coming home after a long day and hearing the dog whining and crying in the kennel. Made us feel so guilty. We ended up giving the dog to my aunt, who lives on a lot of land with dogs and other farm animals. She also has younger children, which is good for dogs. Unfortunately, the story doesn't end nicely. My aunt accidentally ran her over last year while backing up her Suburban.

All I can say is I won't be doing that again.

Mose

No, I still would have those reservations, if I had one. I don't own a dog for the very reason that I wouldn't be able to spend enough time with it currently (even though I'd love to have one); but I grew up with labs and have been around a lot of them. All the positive association in the world is not going to keep an athletic sporting dog like a lab happy and healthy in a crate for 9 hours every day, in my opinion. Especially an aparment bound dog that can only get exercise with they're with someone.

jamesdak 

Yep, I've got to agree with that. Our dogs live outside in a large pen surrounded by over 100 ft of 5 Ft horse fencing and I still feel bad for them. They have a double insulated doghouse that sit on concrete and then off the ground as well as a 16' x 12' sloping roof over there dog house. Have power run to them to keep the water unfrozen and then a large grass area to play in. Yet I come off a farm where our dogs have the run of acres of land and I feel bad about them being in a pen. In the past when we did not have proper room for a dog we did not have them. I could not keep a dog in a kennel all day.

ALLSTOTT

Yea at night they sleep with me in the bed. I dont think they hate there kennels because they go in them when i tell them too or point to them. Plus i bought them kennels that are huge. My lab has one for a great dane and my weenie dog has one for a lab. Unfortunatly where i live no one reallys talks to eachother. hell i dont even know anyone in my apartment complex lol.

dstrong 

Trade your dogs for cats...cats won't care if you go for rides.

FL_MarkD

In fact, they will be happy you left. Dogs are a lot of work, but give back a lot. Tough call, glad I can work at home and don't feel bad leaving the dog on the weekends to ride.

Mark

aham23

whats another 2 hours if they are already spending 8 to 9 in the crate. srsly. later.