I treat my yellow lab like my only child! Ruby is a hunting dog, so she receives plenty of exercise in our large backyard every day. She also loves to visit her puppy friends and neighbors for a good play session (never had an issue with other pets)! She is crate trained if necessary, but roams the house freely when I am gone (mostly sleeping in my bed). I typically let her out morning, afternoon, evening, and before bedtime to go potty, as well as two meals per day! I always leave out a full bowl of water and plenty of toys while out of the house.