To think this is cruel to dogs?

[liftitlikeitshot]

My friend has two chihuahuas who are around 4 or 5. She has an average size garden, enough for them to run about in which they do in the summer. However, we were talking the other day about how much I have to walk my Alsatian and was shocked to hear she doesn't walk her dogs every day.

Of course I know that chihuahuas need less exercise than my type of dog but she says she walks them 2-3 times per week if they're lucky and the rest of the time they just run about the garden and house and play together. She also said, 'I take them out loads in the car' ?? Not sure how that is relevant as obviously that isn't exercise.

AIBU to think that this is pretty cruel to those dogs? Should I say anything? I would offer to walk them when I walk mine but they aren't good with other dogs except each other.

No keep it out of it.

If they're running and playing in the garden I would think that would be enough not ideal but I don't think it's cruel.

We don't walk our dog every day either. We play in the garden or scent games in the house but she doesn't like going out

I had a small dog to stay a few years ago, dogs owner (my friend) said she lives to walk every other day. I though ok, planned to walk every day- but nope the owner was right, the dog would hide when I got her lead, or refuse to walk! My dog likes a walk every day, but can miss a day and be happy. They are all different with different needs.

Not walking your dog every day is very different to never ever walking them

I don't think it's 'cruel' no. They benefit from a couple of walks a day (15-30 minutes is fine)

but as there's two of them and they're running about playing, I don't think not being walked daily us cruel. Not ideal, but not cruel.

a trip in the car isn't exercise, but it is a change of scenery/smells etc

Maybe she doesnt take them out, like you say they are not very good with other dogs and are happier at home running around the garden.

Dog behaviourists do say that walking your dog isn't compulsory everyday and isn't the only way to get them exercised. The context for them saying this is that sometimes it's better not to walk your dog, e.g. if it's hot (dogs can overheat at quite low temperatures) or if they've had a stressful day and need a bit of decompression time

For me it would depend on why your friend has decided not to walk her dog, and whether her dogs seem happy (I e. Calm and settled) with their current routine

It’s not just the physical exercise that a walk provides, it’s also the enrichment dogs get from sniffing. My dog is always more worn out when we go for a walk somewhere new and there are lots of different scents for her to enjoy.

Just read your post properly, if they're not good with other dogs then that could explain it. Every interaction they have with another dog would raise their stress levels and take a while to "come down" from. Why subject your dog to stress unnecessarily!

As the owner of a reactive dog it does make me a bit sad how lots of dog owners don't really understand what it takes to manage them and are a bit judgemental

I have a high energy cross (working Cocker x Bedlington terrier). I don't walk him every day, probably minimum 4 times a week, most weeks 5 or 6 times.

When I do walk him he gets at least an hour, predominantly or completely off lead at a variety of locations (woods, lakes, mountains, beach) and also comes with us mountain biking where he chases us on our ebikes for 10+ miles.

Some days he needs a rest day!

He also has access to the garden and his ball (he's ball obsessed).

Walking dogs is not just exercise or toileting. It's scenting and meeting other dogs and mental stimulation.
However, if you don't walk your dog daily, playing with it and providing some sort of mental stimulation can suffice. I'm not sure just letting the dog out in to the garden without any interaction or activity is a substitute for a walk.
My dogs get very excited when I walk them (twice daily, maybe one day a week only once). My garden is on the small side and one is not a particularly playful dog, so they don't get enough exercise there (plus they'd ruin the grass with their waste). Plus it's great exercise for me!

I wonder why she doesn’t just walk them when she takes them out in the car? Or does she just mean she runs errands with them in the car :/

Yeah I would agree that if you can't walk your dog for whatever reason then you need to think about how to provide that enrichment at home

I currently can’t walk my dog everyday. My husband is deployed and I have really dreadful SPD, some days I just can’t manage it. We play in the garden throwing the ball and play different games in the house like hiding things for him. He is absolutely fine and I don’t it is cruel at all!

She does do kongs and enrichment type games at home but still

So they're exercised daily. Sometimes playing in the garden, some times going for walks. And they have each other to play with on the days they're not being walked and meeting other dogs. And their owner does enrichment games with them. I think they're fine.

They have exercise needs, enrichment needs and social needs. All are being met.

Just because its not how you would do it, doesn't mean its wrong.

My medium sized dog just wouldn’t let us get away without walking her twice a day at minimum. She is very good at persistently letting us know it is time! Only exception is when its hot and even she acknowledges that the best thing to do is lie stretched out on the floor until it gets cooler.

maybe small/lap dogs are different, never had one and would never have one.

I don't think it matters so much with little dogs with little legs so much, as long as they have enough stimluation and exercise at home, but this will depend on the breed.

It would be unthinkable with a collie, pointer or another dog that needs loads of exercise and stuff to do though.

I would not worry too much but ideally she would be working on the "not good with other dogs" bit, for their sakes.

It’s very cruel. My dog gets a minimum of 2 hours a day out of the house come rain or shine. Don’t get a dog if you can’t give it the time it needs.

Not only do dogs needs the physical exercise, but they also need the mental stimulation.

Dogs have the same IQ as a 3 year old, so it would be like only taking a 3 year old out of the house 2-3 a week.

They aren't getting the sniffs from being out and about if they just exercise in the garden. Dogs need that mental stimulation. Imagine not being able to read/watch TV/look at your phone for a few days. It'll be like that for them.

Sounds like the dogs are okay with their routine. They're getting exercise and mental stimulation.

I didn't walk my dog every day - she was more than happy slobbing on the settee with a walk every few days and pottering in the garden.

If they're tiny dogs their exercise needs are very different to a German shepard. You can probably over walk the little dogs (though I've never had one - always had big dogs).