Are you walking your dogs during this grotty, miserable weather?

[TheTecknician]

I don't have any pets but I wouldn't blame any person or pooch for staying indoors today while it is cold and drizzly. And muddy too. This morning I've only seen one dog and that was inside a local coffee shop. Plus a rather bedraggled-looking pony that was being walked in the direction of its stable. It was wet through.

Hopefully we'll have some sunshine tomorrow 😎.

Working golden retriever and springer spaniel, so definitely yes. They love the rain, they love puddles, they love rolling in mud. They're designed for it - I really enjoy seeing an absolutely filthy gundog. I imagine it's a lot more fun to get in that state if it's not you worrying about cleaning it all off... same as children! My dad's dog is less keen on rain though, he plods miserably and turns back pretty fast, then resolutely sleeps the rest of the day in the hopes we'll have turned the taps off by the time he wakes up. It's their walk after all, we humans just do what we're told.

I walk my friend's dog every Saturday and today is no different. It's not even particularly cold where I am. The only time I wouldn't is if my friend says it's too hot for her

@Lastqueenofscotland2 @trainedopossum totally not the point of this thread but I’ve always hankered after a staffie x whippet. Did you just wait for a rescue to come up roughly that type or manage to find one otherwise? What are they like? Good or bad to know about?

Back to this thread - my old Boston terrier and current staffie cross, they will do anything to avoid a walk in the rain. Brakes go on firmly so it was just sending out to the garden. But I have a cavalier too and he absolutely loves it and sees it as a bonus.

My friends sausage dog will literally cross her legs to avoid going out in this
she also huffs if you are still up after 10pm or up before 10am
she might venture into the garden for a wee but will be glaring at you the whole time and run back in to get under the duvet. I think she’s secretly a cat

I think she’s secretly a cat

Judging by the sausage dogs I know, she may well secretly be a cat but she will also believe herself to be a big cat - a lion or a tiger - rather than just a lapdog-sized cat. Oh-so-delicate but also magisterially huge and powerful seems to be their self-image.

Decades back, our eldest cocker spaniel would happily go walkies whatever the weather. She was born in the countryside which might explain her tougher attitude. However, the two younger CS were less impressed by rain and could only be persuaded outside with difficulty and patience! They would deliberately avoid walking through puddles too.

Yes. Unless it is proper stormy with thunder and lightning as that would freak them out. I am more likely to miss walks in the summer when it is far too hot for them and they are struggling with the heat.

The only weather we don’t go out in is if it’s too hot. But we have a large, shady garden he can play in; if I were in a flat or similar I would just walk very early.

Didn’t yesterday as she refused. I had to shove her out the door to get her in the garden. We’ve been out today, was only drizzling.

I took mine out yesterday and it was tipping down and the fields were flooded. One of my dogs didn’t mind it but one of them got a bit sulky about it. I spent the rest of the day feeling guilty!

Got a springer spaniel we went out at 7am,round the reservoir and woods,3 mile walk for us and probably 6 miles for him.this including mud puddles and a swim.

only time we don’t take him out is when it’s thunder and lightning and too hot (we go out early if it’s forecast hot weather )

You’re giving others poor advice so I’ll call that out. You owning a dog is neither here nor there.

It’s not exaggeration though, they can over heat and burn their paws. They still need walks, just in the cooler times of the day.

Yep. I am slave to the spaniel. Therefore we must be outside for as meant hours as possible everyday to allow him to pretend he’s able to hunt & flush things out of hedges (he can’t- he is useless! 🙄)

Yes of course. Rain, wind, snow, warm, cold etc. When we have a heatwave, he gets a walk very early and/or late.

I don’t mind rain or cold, but I do hate strong winds, and strong winds combined with heavy rain is particularly awful, but that’s what Dryrobes are for!

I think he missed one walk in the height of the pandemic when we all had Covid and had to stay at home. A dog walker or friend walked him most days but there was one day no one could do it.

Just back from a very muddy, slippy walk around our local wood. I hated every minute of it but little miss doggy met her best friend and had a good chase so at least one of us had a good time.

Autumn and, increasingly, Winter in this country now are just mild and wet, which is a shitty, shitty, shitty combo. What happened to the cold crisp underfoot days? I saw a brimstone butterfly on Thursday, when it was like a summer's day. They're supposed to be fast asleep right now, getting ready to come back out in Spring, for god's sake.

I couldn't be tied down to going out every single day sometimes twice a day in all weathers to walk a dog. I don't have pets, so I'm sure it's a labour of love for those who have them.

I much prefer to sit on the sofa under my heated blanket and drink hot choc. But I'm not lazy at all, I go walking regularly but at a time of my choosing! I suppose I would just hate the rigidity and the timetabling of it. I'd imagine I'd groan if I had to leave a lovely warm house to go out in the rain and wind. But that's what you buy into with a pet that needs walking. Hence why I don't have one!

Nope. If you own a dachsund you'll understand. Im having to carry him outside to get him to pee, slightest aniff if rain and he refuses to move. He does have a coat- he lays flat if its put on.
If it ever slows to skight drizzle we're going out.
Playing games, hide the ball etc....

@BigGirlBoxers, maybe it depends where you are in the UK. I’m on the south coast and some of the heatwaves are pretty intense- definitely too hot to walk a dog (official advice from dog charities etc is nothing over 25° I think). My dog just gets his walks early or late on those days.

As for pooches missing their walks on wet days- I’m sure some do. I regularly see dozens of people out with dogs when I’m out with mine, but on the truly awful days, I see a lot fewer dogs and owners!

Lmao of course I am. My dog is a high stamina high energy beast and she needs a minimum of 2 hours a day exercise. She'd be climbing the walls if she didn't get it - it's what you sign up for when you get a dog. Rain or shine.

My elderly greyhound is not a fan of the rain so will be doddering in the garden in his raincoat and boots with my husband following him with an umbrella - he will absolutely point blank refuse to go for an actual walk, and won't go out in the wet without his coat and booties (seriously) but he's 16 so he's allowed to be a lazy little princess.

I think it is the dark, rather than rain or cold, that does the most towards tempting me into bad habits, like shorter walks and/or finding reasons to skip my dog's late afternoon second walk.

I have to give myself a good talking to some days, to prevent shortchanging my terrier.

It depends on the dog, if it's large and hairy then anything over 20c can be risky. It's not exaggeration, it's the advice given by the BVA and The Kennel Club.

Dog gets walked no matter what. She would be climbing the walls, it is honestly easier to walk her than try and get the energy out at home.

Frankly, if you don't walk your dog cos it's rainy or windy you're pathetic and should.not have a dog

I love it, I don't always want to go or enjoy it when I'm out but the feeling of getting home and getting cosy is worth the walk. Like my dog I feel quite claustrophobic if I don't get out

Yes, in every weather, early mornings, after work; she's a Jack Russell dickhead and goes mad if she doesn't get her exercise.