Do your dogs get walked every day, regardless of the weather ? How do they react to going out in the wet and cold ?

[TheTecknician]

Prompted by about half a dozen dogs, including three Border Collies, I saw at our local country park on New Year's Eve. The weather had suddenly closed in with a stiff wind, dark clouds and heavy rain. I was heading back to the car but these dogs either didn't notice how unpleasant the weather was or just didn't care! They scarpered off ahead off their owners, tails wagging and barging through mud and into ditches.

Years ago, our family had three Cocker spaniels of varying ages. The eldest wasn't at all bothered by rain and snow and would still happily go for walks in lousy conditions. She was more of an outdoorsy dog than the younger two. They, on the other hand, could not be persuaded to go outside even in light rain, especially as they aged. Interestingly, all three spaniels took care to avoid remaining mud and puddles in dry weather and would pointedly walk around them. I can't imagine today's loony springer spaniels or weimaraners being so delicate!

Yes.

Three dogs in my house atm (I have my parents whilst they are sick and can't take her out). They went out twice today. I had two warm showers after.

Let's be honest, most of us live in the UK. Winters are shit. If you buy a dog, you are signing up to walk them 99.9% of the time in the winter months in rain. Buying a dog and then not walking it whenever it is a bit wet makes you a bad owner IMO.

Someone will come along and doubtless say dogs do not need walks every day and their dog doesn't like walks in the rain. Tough. IMO they shouldn't have a pet dog. Once every month or so is fine to miss a walk if there is a genuine reason (severe illness etc). But a bit of rain is not a reason. Even if all you do is take them for a quick 5 minute walk to relieve themselves (dog crap in the garden is unhygienic) then that's enough.

Ours will NOT go out in the rain. Not even in the garden. Luckily we have a covered area for them to go out to wee/poop. It's not just wet but crazy windy here atm so it's too dangerous to go out and they have no interest in leaving their beds/sofas.,

2yo Australian labradoodle hates the rain!

I had a husky collie cross. She loved the snow and would go crazy in it. Not a fan of wind and rain but would still go for a walk. She only swam in water twice and both times were an accident when she fell in! She also always ran around puddles. Always came home remarkably clean from the woods.

2 year old working like but family pet (not too bright!) won't go out in the garden to toilet if it's raining but will happily spend all morning galloping around if we are out in the wind/rain/mud/throwing himself through undergrowth. So he still goes out for at least an hour & has a round the block walk in the morning before I go to work. I'd only not take him out if it was a danger to life type weather.

I don't take him if it's super hot although that doesn't happen often and he refuses to leave the house if it's very windy.

Neither of us are massive fans of rain so tend to do a shorter potter in the rain, although he will happily tramp through mud.

@Baffledandalarmed
I agree, refusing to go for a walk? I can't quite grasp that. I wonder if it's because they weren't walked in bad weather as a pup?

Dogs need to exercise, they need to socialise and the need to check wee mail.

Just like small children, puddle suit on, out we go.

Everyone enjoys and benefits from fresh air, yes they may moan or even cry, but they will happy when they are home 😁and much more pleasant!

I live in a dog walking area, it makes me sad how few are walked on rainy days.

I've had dogs all my life and not one of them ever refused a walk in bad weather.
The dog over the road never gets walked this time of year, owner insists he doesn't like going out, she just shouts at him when she's coming in from where ever and he's desperately trying to get out the door.

We are out whatever the weather. Both dogs head straight for the biggest puddles.

They are not keen on going out to the garden for a wee in bad weather but as soon as they see me put on my walking boots they don’t care.

A dog picture at last 🐕 he does look happy

Working Sprocker here, loves going out in all weather, she doesn’t notice but on occasion when it’s been a sleeting blizzard she will shiver once she stops. Lucky for her she has a lovely dressing gown to put on and the heated seat in the car 😂

My German Shepherd will go out in any weathers! The wind makes him do zoomies and he loves laying down in puddles. In the 6 years I've had him hes only twice decided going out was a bad idea. Once was in hail ( he just put his head out and retreated back indoors) the other one was we got caught in torrential rain and even he decided it would be best to head back to the car 😂

Labrador - Absolutely. It would have to be raining fire for him to refuse a walk

Staffie - Same as labrador. Actually I think she prefers the rain and mud.

Brittany Spaniel - Immediately no. Absolutely not, it's not happening. He's afraid of rain, wind, thunder, fireworks, big squirrels, balloons and carrier bags. He's a greek rescue that failed as a hunting dog so I'll forgive him being a big chicken.

My two terriers must go out twice a day

1. because they will otherwise drive us mad
2. because of poopies which they can’t seem to do in the garden 😂

Years ago I had a German shepherd and a labrador at the same time they were walked twice daily in all weathers and loved it
When the lab was gone and the gsd got old and we slowed and then pretty much stopped daily walks as he couldn't manage them but he could potter down the road

My Belgian shepherd was walked twice a day rain or shine, he hated the rain but no way could we miss a walk

My current corgi x hates the rain and is quite happy to miss a walk or three if it wont stop raining but will jump in the deepest muddy puddle any chance she gets

Some people here don't seem to understand that all Dogs are different. Ours had a 5 mile walk yesterday and 3 on Saturday. They don't want to go outside when the weather is bad. It's not just about dogs not wanting to get wet, the sound of the rain is different with their sensitive hearing as is the wind. All this "dogs need to be walked/never heard of dogs refusing walks", you don't know all dogs!

ODFOD! We can sometimes get him out for a short walk but often it’s 4 paws hard down and a complete refusal to walk off the drive. He’s a breed native to hot and dry climates, hardly surprising that he’s not into being cold and wet.

@AlwaysGinPlease I live on the moors, it's always windy. A dog would never go out here if they couldn't stand the wind?? Yet all the neighbouring dogs seem to manage it.
Dogs need exercise, they need to socialise, they need to sniff, it's in their nature.

@Shade17

Unnecessarily rude. No need to tell someone to f* off just because they've stated an opinion you disagree with.

Assuming you are in the UK: In 2022 there were on average 151 days of rain in England. That's nearly half the year. Did you not walk him every time there was a bit of rain? Cos that's what I was talking about, not torrential downpours, but just rain. If you didn't walk your dog whenever it rained, then yes you are a bad owner.

We have a rottie, she doesn't mind the wind and rain so she gets walked daily. She doesn't like it when it goes above 20 degrees though, prefers to sit in front of her fan so we skip the walk on hot days

So they're used to it. Where it's not always windy/wet like that, dogs aren't. Simple really 🤷🏻‍♀️

@Ilovelurchers ah that makes sense! My boy is a deerhound/lurcher. He's very content and "it's ok mum, it's the thought that counts"

Twice a day, or once with additional gun dog water work or tracking. He is ecstatic to go out on any weather - loves the wet, rain, puddles, canal, lakes or mud. Typical Labrador really - he is my 3rd lab - I’ve learnt to invest in excellent all weather walking gear 😬

Dog is old now and doesn't like snow, wind and heavy rain. We go most days although if weather isn't great it will most likely be a quick sprint around the block during a gap in the weather. Very few days that we don't manage that.

I’m certain there aren’t 151 days of solid rain each year. The number of days it rains continuously all day must be quite low. It’s pretty rare we can’t find a dry gap for at least one walk.

I’m also pretty sure that the “bad owners” whose dogs categorically refuse to proceed in the rain would quite happily tell you to fuck off as well!

Would you suggest I injure my dog and just drag him round? 🤣