Dog Ownership Guilt

Call me neurotic, but it always feels like I never do enough for my dogs. I'm constantly worried about them and get plagued by guilt when I don't have time to go for a walk or play ball. Sometimes the realities of life just intervene and there isn't enough time for my dogs, and I end up feeling guilty about it.

This past weekend was a case in point. One problem is I also own 3 horses. For the most part, I only get to see them on the weekends and sometimes on Saturdays I'm out at the horse ranch all day long, and that happened this Saturday. Then I had a social commitment Saturday evening, so didn't see my dogs until it was already very late. By that time I was tired and ready for bed. So I pretty much just fed them their dinner when I got home and then went off to sleep.

Sunday was no different. I had promised myself to spend more time with them and take the dogs for a walk, but I wasn't able to get around to it. I went out to see the horses again, and then had to go with a friend to a family gathering. I was gone most of the day. I stopped by in the mid-afternoon to check on my dog Tony who has heartworm, and when I was leaving my dog Jake was trying to get me to play ball with him. He looked really sad as I walked out the door, leaving me feeling overwhelmed with guilt again. I felt so guilty that even though I got home at 9:30 PM (hey thats late for a work night) I took Jake for a half hour walk.

I am wondering if other dog owners get these feelings of guilt when they can't walk their dogs or spend time playing with them.