To think this is more common than people realise

[OfficeProbx]

I live opposite an able bodied woman in her 30’s, with a teenage daughter. Shes self employed and home a lot. They had an old dog and got a new dog a few years ago - in lockdown. I can hear them barking from the house.

I have never, not once, ever seen them walk either of these dogs. I only know they exist as they are noisy and she has mentioned them in passing before. I’ve seen them once when they got out of the front door - dogs are not disabled and both a small breed that is very energetic.

a relative had a dog she rarely walked, just let out into the garden every few hours. Eventually she rehomed the dog as it became destructive.

I have a dog and I cannot imagine the misery I would inflict on it to never be walked. It makes me feel so sad for the dog.

I guess I might not always be home to see them walk the dog so might be wrong that it is walked at times, but I actually think this is something that is more common than people realise but people don’t admit to it. You have all the best intentions but then life gets busy and you assume the dog is fine just running around your tiny garden and before you know it, you haven’t walked your dog in months.

DHs family all have dogs and ours are the only ones who get regular walks (twice a day every day). They take theirs out every now and again and never if the sun isn't out. They say its because they're so badly behaved but I'd say they're badly behaved because they're not given the exercise they need

Yes, a friend of mine is a dog walker and has told me some horrible stories about people not walking there dogs or paying her once a month to walk the dog but admitting they don't walk the dog in between that.

Its not just about the physical health of the dog but there emotional and mental health. Dogs need to move, explore, sniff.

Are you watching 24/7 and absolutely sure the dogs are not being walked?

I do agree that dogs need to be walked. Most cats are happiest when they have unfettered access to the outdoors instead of being "house cats".

Did you post about this yesterday because you watch them on your ring doorbell?

The RSPCA refused us a dog years ago because we worked. We found another rescue centre who placed us a dog. My neighbours who didn’t work were allowed a RSPA dog. Guess which dog was NEVER walked and which dog had two long walks a day!

No I didn’t post and I don’t have a ring doorbell

I walk my dog around our area at all different times and have never seen them plus our houses are close and the rooms that overlook their house are our most commonly used rooms, you can see/hear. I know I am not home 24/7 so yes they might go out then, I said that. It’s just unlikely they bother, having never seen them, even during lockdown when they got the dog and we were all home all day with nice weather

Lots of people are shit dog owners, it was ever thus.

I had a short-term lodger a few years ago who brought a dog with her (I was way too soft and shouldn't have accepted it, lesson learned), she never walked the dog and wouldn't allow anyone else to walk it either. She would leave the house for long stretches of time, and I ended up looking after it for her. I ended our arrangement as a result.

The dog was sweet, but had attachment issues and was a bit of a nervous wreck because it wasn't being looked after properly. Thankfully I discovered she rehomed the dog with a mutual acquaintance shortly after she moved out, who was taking much better care of it thank god.

Dogs need exercise, stimulation, and training. Even small ones.

I look after dogs for a living. I must have dealt with over 500 dog owners. They all walk their dogs. So I think it's quite rare, tbh.

Surely someone who pays for walking is going to be more invested in their dogs wellbeing in the first place?

Maybe they have a back gate.

I think you’re right. I have two family members with small dogs that don’t get regular walks, just let out the door.

Yes they do but it comes out still opposite my house. Our houses are slightly staggered - they would come out of the front area, the back area is walled off

I have frequently witnessed this too. It’s animal cruelty but unfortunately tolerated in our society. One was kept in a concrete yard, and wasn’t walked unless I minded him. He also didn’t get any toys from them because he destroyed and wasted them.
Others kept dogs in an apartment and let them shit and piss on the balcony and just brushed it off over the sides, as if they were living in the Middle Ages. It’s heartbreaking really.

Yup, I have a few family members with small dogs who rarely walk them. People seem to think as long as you let them out into the garden then it’s ok. And because they’re small, there’s the assumption they don’t need as much exercise.

Our next door neighbours are the same, had two dogs (pom and a pug) that were never walked and barked all day either in the house or garden until they died and we have momentary respite until they got another dog - no idea what as this one doesn't even go in the garden, just whines and barks in the house. Bloody awful for the dogs and exceptionally annoying for us.

I think people might think this about my dog. He does get walked, but because my schedule changes every day, so does our walk schedule. My other neighbours have schedules like clockwork!

I live in SEA and you wouldn't believe the things I've seen, in my current compound most dogs are kept in the yard/drive way day and night. Some have free roam of the house, most don't. Only one I know of gets a walk. One poor mite (new puppy bought for daughter) is now caged in the yard, the cage is about 3 times the size of the dog. Food and water bowl kept outside of the cage. Poor poor thing. I walk past and look in, in disgust. The other day I saw the owner and tried to tell her it was vile but all lost in translation. I've seen worse, a cat in a tiny cage 24/7. I'm at a loss of what to do? It makes me absolutely sick.

There’s a German Shepherd round the corner from us who is kept in a back garden, never gets walked or let in the house much. Another neighbour called the RSPCA but they said the dog was being ill treated and nothing they could do. Still sad tho.

We have a lazy chihuahua who gets walked twice a day in all weathers. If it’s rainy or cold we pretty much have to drag her out of the house.

I worked with a couple of people who said this about their dogs 'oh, we've got a big garden so they are fine'
It's not about that, it's about the mental stimulation, socialisation etc.
Lots of small dog owners saying they don't need to walk their dogs round here.

It really doesn’t mean anything. I have neighbours that literally never see going outside. Yes, they have a dog. The thing is, they do go outside and they do walk the dog just not at the times when I see them. I know that because we chat over the fence, they tell me about places they go for walkies and we exchange dog treats. There are a couple of dogs at our park that I may see once or twice and then not for months. Does it mean they are not getting walked? No. It means that they are getting walked at a different time, at a different park.
I haven’t seen most of my cul-de-sac neighbours in 6 months we lived her. Does it mean I don’t have neighbours or that they never leave the house?

I've just started noticing this about our neighbours too. I WFH and I'm out a couple of times of day with our dog, times usually vary around work. I regularly run into other neighbours walking their dogs and I can see these specific ones coming and going all day... But I am yet to see them take this animal out or even load it in the car.

Ours doesn't get a daily walk but when we can, we do.

He has epilepsy and isn't always up for a walk. He's perfectly stimulated with brain games and garden play instead but I guess our neighbours might judge us if they think he doesn't go out for a few days.

Yep. My parents' neighbours have three dogs - 2 collies and a spaniel. They have quite a big garden (not massive) and a dog flap in the door so the dogs just freely come and go outside.

They never, ever walk the dogs beyond this. We've never seen them out with the dogs or putting leads on them, ever.

The dogs just run around the garden frustrated, tussle with each other, and bark their heads off at whoever comes past.

It's tough because it's not quite neglect at the level you could ring the RSPCA about, but it's definitely neglectful.

Well the kind of people who will pay you to look after their dogs aren't going to be the kind of people who neglect their dogs, are they? Your sample is biased.