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 of course they do. They need to run and don't mid the weather (and no they don't wear poncy coats - they've got fur!) Do require hosing down when we get back this time of the year though and a towel dry.

@DifficultPifficultLemonDifficult ah! So beautiful!

@SirChenjins I purposely didn’t open that one!

Aaw! My rotttie was the same. He wouldn't even go for a wee in the garden if it was raining.

My cockapoo will not go out for a pee if it’s raining, but he’ll go for a walk and go into every muddy puddle he can find! He’s ten now and hasn’t slowed down at all.

Fuck sake. We can't even have a thread about dogs without someone being told to fuck off. @Shade17 you weren't rude.

My dog is ok if it starts raining when he's out (although once after a particularly torrential downpour he stank of fish for days so I won't do that again) he's not a fan of wind, rain, heat or anything that makes him vaguely uncomfortable. He has been known to sit/lie down and become an immovable object but his breed is known for its stubbornness.

When we got him we were told they need 2 hours of exercise a day. Great, I thought. I have never met such a lazy dog. He has poorly feet and legs so he can't go every day and sometimes he is fine and others it's too much and he's sore after so he hasn't had anything longer than 45 mins for months. It's mostly a sniffing exercise.

It's not just the dog that needs to get out more 😉

It’s funny to read the posts asserting that all dogs need walked every day and no dog minds the wind, rain or snow. Of course not all dogs like walking in bad weather - don’t be daft!

Yep he goes out everyday and I curse him for it. He just does that stare if I don’t 😵‍💫

Beagle - yeah, out every day, every day was an opportunity for new smells and a race across the park with me.

Staffie - out every day, but he'd want his coat on at least for the first half.

Working Cocker Spaniel.

Walked twice a day.

In Sunshine, sleet, snow, howling gales, torrential rain, hurricanes...

Only time I don't walk him is when it's too hot!

My labs will go out happily for a walk but hate going into the garden for a wee when it’s raining. Weird really, dunno what the difference is, especially as any water course is sought out on walks.

One dog doesn't seem bothered and actually yesterday my son took him for a long walk in the rain and he loved it! Came back bouncy as if he was a pup (he's 14). Had a bit of zoomies even though they'd been out for an hour.
My other dog has alopecia and doesn't like the rain even if wearing a coat. But she'll go out if put on a lead.
Funnily enough they both happily walk through puddles or mud at any time!

My older lab is the same!

She will walk in any weather, and look sad when it’s time to go home.
But ask her to go for a pee in drizzle and she looks at you like you’ve tortured her

Also, will get into any cold, muddy, icy, stagnant lake
Put her in a warm bath and it might as well be acid

Tbh we don't necessarily go for a typical dog walk every day but will nearly always do something. Mine isn't a huge fan of the rain either so that does effect what we do. For example in the last week we did -
60 min agility training + 40 min walk
3 hour hilly hike
Rest day - just some scent work inside
Came to work with me - outdoors running around most of the day but didn't get a 'walk'
5 hour hike up a mountain
Rest day - basically slept all day

I think it's really important for dogs to have rest days (like us) and some times people get too hung up on the dog having to be walked every day. Although physical exercise is important, scent work and dog tricks tire my dog out just as much if not more.

I was going to post about my Cairn and I see there are other Cairn owners here... Oh my God yes, mine does not give a rat's arse about whether it is sunny, raining, hailing or windy. She's going to be 14 years old this month and still expects her daily hour walk (it was 2-3 hours when she was younger). She does not seem to feel the cold or the heat, she's always happy and active. I miss the day-long hikes in the mountains with her. Unfortunately at the equivalent of 92 human years those days are behind her.

I have a fair weather jack Russell chihuahua cross who gives me the cold shoulder for hours if I attempt to take him out in the rain. Infact if it's raining and I start to get my coat on he hides upstairs 🤣 I grew up with collies though, and they went out minimum of twice a day in all weather and weren't fussed by rain.

Both working dogs happy in rain, wind. However, in hot weather they'll amble early morning love a swim in the sea but then move around indoors or in shade for the rest of the day.

She won’t walk if she’s on the lead but once I drive to the park and carry her to the entrance and remove the lead she is off like a maniac. She charges around and acts like nothing is different. Then I put the lead back on and she can no longer walk.
Blooming nightmare.
She won’t poo in the garden so whatever the weather she needs a walk.
Good job I love her because she is a massive drama queen.

@43ontherocksporfavor It really depends on the dog. My BIL’s late bulldog would often go outside, walk a few steps, sit down and refuse to move. It’s difficult to argue with a stubborn bulldog. He was always up for a game of tug-of-war though. 🤣

Mine is an Italian spinone who is totally miserable if the temperature gets above 20. The colder, wetter and windier it is the happier she is. It was absolutely horrific today and she was running around like a puppy. I did hurry her home when the wind picked up as there were a few ominous sounding cracks from the woods and I didn't want to be in there any more.

Our 2 year old lab loves zooming round the park after her ball in all weathers, so it's 2 walks a day as usual. She was so filthy earlier I had to hose her down outside, as I knew a rub down with towels wasn't going to get the muck off...

Of course, for her pre bedtime wee, if there is the slightest drop of rain she pokes her nose out the back door sniffing suspiciously and needs a prod to go out

The elderly greyhound absolutely not, wild horses couldn't drag him out in bad weather. He has to have his coat put on and be followed with a brolly just to go in the garden for a wee if it's raining .

The Deerhound and Borzoi however would not be deterred by a hurricane, monsoon or ice storm unfortunately. Suppose that's what I get for getting a hardy Scot and an insane Slav. I don't think I've been fully dry once today.

Oh my God the bath and puddles thing with my lab too! Little fuckers 😆

My rescue mixed breed sidesteps puddles!

I've had dogs on and off since 1995 and have never had one bothered by weather. I've walked them regardless.

Current lab no different, although I did notice only the stalwarts were out this morning.