To not walk the dog every day?

[StuRedman]

Just had a horrible row with DH and dd (12) because I asked her to take the dog for a walk and she refused, DH kicked off a bit about getting rid of her because she doesn't get a daily walk and he never wanted a dog anyway. He never walks her, although sometimes comes with me or dd when we do. They have now both gone out with her, although she would have gone alone.

She is a miniature breed, a chihuahua cross, she's tiny (2kg) and I walk her maybe four days out of seven but not every day. I have severe depression and often can't face getting dressed let alone taking the dog out. We have a large garden that she spends a lot of time in. She's a happy little thing and mostly sleeps on me all day with a few bursts of playing outside, with me with her rope toys, or with a kong. Imo she is fine with the amount of exercise she gets but dh can get very fixed on rules and in his mind you walk a dog every day.

I love her, we've had her since she was a puppy (she's 15months now) and dh saying he would put an ad in the paper has broken me. I know he won't, it was just a rare loss of temper, but the whole exchange has really upset me.

What do you think? Am I a terrible dog owner? Would she be better off elsewhere? I can make more of an effort to take her out, and will, but I just wanted to find out if anyone else has a happy dog that doesn't get a daily walk or if I'm deluded.

[StuRedman]

Poor neglected dog.

[sonjadog]

I think 4 days a week with longer walks like you do now is fine, but on the other days, could you manage a shorter walk? Even 10-15 minutes around the block would get your dog out and stimulate them. I don't think you need to force yourself to do a longer walk every day if you can't manage it. Hopefully, you will be gradually getting better so this is a temporary situation anyway.

[StuRedman]

That's a good idea about the outfit. Half my problem is getting out of pjs, especially on days I don't take ds2 to nursery.

[NeedACleverNN]

I can jack Russell in her?

Is she a jack chi?

[KP86]

I'm in the camp of a large garden making your current situation being ok. Your dog is still out of the yard more than half the week, and you interact with her every day.

As PPs said, unless she's being naughty and destructive, which would be signs of her being unhappy and bored, don't feel guilty.

DH putting pressure on you like this can't be helping with your depression, either.

[StuRedman]

And whoever said up thread (sorry, I'm on my phone and it's a pita to scroll), the diary idea is a good one. Dh and I actually wrote an action plan for me to follow daily, including have a shower, get dressed, walk dog, put a load on. I will start doing it as a checklist every day.

[StuRedman]

She is a jack chi, yes, but far more chi than jack in temperament, and size. She's gorgeous, and very much a lapdog.

[NeedACleverNN]

I had a long hair chihuahua and a jack chi

These were my two. The brown one is the chi and the black one is the fruit bat jack chi

[StuRedman]

Oh how gorgeous!

[TheWitTank]

YY to previous post about Chi 's putting on weight. They are prone to getting a bit chubby (one of the dog breeds more likely to suffer from obesity) so do make sure she is having a good old run about, be it in the garden or out and about and watch the treats!
Would you DD be more inclined to walk the dog a few times a week for an incentive -a friend of mine pays her DS a few pounds a time to walk the dog (they do this instead of pocket money). I know you shouldn't have to pay her, but it might be worth it!

[hellhasnofurylikeahungrywoman]

Oh my, she looks very hard done by .

She's rather gorgeous btw.

[NeedACleverNN]

Yours is a beauty too.
My jrt was a tri colour like her. He was pts 3 years ago from cancer

[NameChange30]

Your activity diary sounds like a good idea, but can I suggest putting some pleasurable activities in there as well? Obviously walking the dog should be reasonably pleasurable, but I mean completely non-chore things that you will enjoy such as reading a book or magazine, listening to music or the radio, etc. I had CBT for depression and my therapist always encouraged me to put pleasurable things in there too. Sometimes I don't feel I've "earned" them but that's the depression talking.

[NameChange30]

She also said to keep the diary manageable so I could stick to it even if I didn't feel like it. I was always trying to put too much on the list and not achieving any of it!

[IoraRua]

I am in the camp of the dog needing a walk every day - but teens are very bribable and I'm sure you can come up with something to encourage dd to help out on days you really can't manage.

[TooGood2BeFalse]

She is beautiful!!Love her!

We live in an apartment and have a small Peke/poodle cross. DH and I, despite our best intentions, are a scatty, disorganised pair. We have one son aged 4 and another due this July.I work mornings while DS is at nursery, and DH works nights. Our dog gets at least 2 short 10-15min walks a day and 1 longer walk of about 25mins. The only way we made this work for us and made sure we never slipped up was to make it part of our routine - it soon becomes as second nature as making sure DS has breakfast. (One less thing to bicker about too, no 'are you doing it then,I'm tired' kinda thing,as it's a given who will do which walk)

We worry that it isn't enough for him, but he is slim and healthy and seems to be a very content fellow.

I'm sure it's easier for your dog cos you have a lovely big garden but could you maybe try a rota of who walks her?Or would your DH and DD not be too bothered by that?

[Gabilan]

I sometimes think that if a zoologist wrote a textbook on the ideal conditions in which to keep a human, many of us would fall short. I'm under too much stress, my housing is too cold and I spend too much time alone.

So not having a walk a day might be sub-optimal. I'm sure that on balance it's good enough, and more than many humans get.

[StuRedman]

I think I will do a rota. Monday's are a bad day for me so I'll ask Dd to commit to every Monday. I will make it part of my routine to take her out the rest of the weekdays and stick to it without fail, and we'll carry on with our longer family walk at the weekend.

I'm going to take her and Ds2 down to the coast on Wednesday and walk along the sea front, she's never seen the sea and it's only twenty minutes away.

[MrTiddlestheFatCat]

Oh she is gorgeous...those little ears

She looks in fantastic condition from the photos, but I'm sure you already know that.

[NameChange30]

That sounds like a good solution. It's fair enough to ask DD to walk her once a week, and if it's every Monday it will become part of her routine. I'm glad you plan to walk her the rest of the week and I'm sure it will help you too. Enjoy your walk on Wednesday, sounds fun!

[MiffleTheIntrovert]

I don't like know nothing about dogs but know what it's like to dread having to get out of the house. My suggestion is could you listen to music on iPod/phone? The music might make you "enjoy" the walk a bit more and if you have head/earphones in you won't have to talk to people You could make up a playlist for doc walking.

Disclaimer: obviously ignore if this is not the done thing and you are meant to interact with the dog not listen to music

[MiffleTheIntrovert]

I don't know nothing!? I don't know anything.

[Happyrouter]

Well I'm only on my first dog who is only 14 months so I'm no expert but my personal experience is that it is very obvious when dog has cabin fever and hasn't been out enough/needs to go out. Of course they're all different but I really would expect trouble from your dog if he was bored or had excessive energy to run off.

I would have thought that if dog is healthy and relaxed then it's happy.

[Greyhorses]

I always feel guilty if mine don't go out everyday too however mine are big working breeds. I would aim for shorter walks daily and make it more managable.

I wouldn't worry about missing the odd day but even 10mins is better than nothing