Why have a dog if you cant be arsed to walk it?

[FreyaFromTheFens]

I have 2 large breed dogs that need a lot of exercise, running off lead for a couple of hours a day minimum. We go twice a day every day no excuse.

I very rarely meet other dog walkers in bad weather and on facebook in the dog groups i'm in so many people were asking for advise on keeping dogs sane as they wouldn't be getting walks due to the bad weather!

Dogs thrive on being outside and need to run, sniff and interact with other dogs. I understand there are exceptions to this, elderly/sick or nervous dogs but generally they need to get out in all weathers.

Just put a fucking coat on and walk them, it's only rain and then the dog will settle. Hiding dry dog food in a toy is no substitute! 🙄

I know i'm not being unreasonable but want to know why you are if you don't walk in the rain?

he tries to shake all the water off himself whilst we're still on a walk

Mine tries to shake the water off while swimming!

After returning from an hour in the rain with dog + two small children (whom everyone probably assumed were drunk as they were belting out sweet Caroline around the park), I can see why people avoid it, and we do generally try to go quickly in a gap in the downpours but not possible today.

It's foolish though. If Ddog doesn't get 2+ hours a day he gets into an annoying, jumpy, attention seeking mood. Id rather get a bit wet then put up with an evening of that!

A shower and Ddog is fine, pour down, her ears go down and she powers home. Cold? Wind? Snow? loves it! That said, she gets a walk regardless but not as long as both of us would like.
She is also prone to sitting down or throwing herself down like she has been shot if I go 'the wrong way!' She is far too big and heavy for me to pick up. In the rain, the 'right way' is home again!

I see loads of people walking their dogs in terrible weather here. Mind you, I live in Cumbria. If you don't go out in the rain then you hardly go out at all!

I've got 2 spaniels and walk all weathers. In the summer you can't get away from other dog walkers, in the winter you barely see anyone other than the same few. It's horribly cruel not to exercise a dog.

I don't have a hard and fast set rule for my boy.

He is riddled with arthritis and so I take my lead from him. He makes it quite clear if he is up for going out, and very clear if he isn't.

I really can't see the point of making him do something he doesn't want to. But I do have a big garden and we spend time outside every day. Even if it's just a walk around and he follows me pottering about. He is so in love with fetching a ball, he would happily do that 50 times rather than plod after me in the street.

It's very different if you have a high energy working dog though I agree.

So you can't judge someone for not taking their dog out multiple times, or even every day.

What works for some, doesn't work for all.

Oh I hate this too! Not fun for the dog but people think it’s enough as they’ve taken them “out” ☹️

I completely agree with you
Dogs need exercise. It's part of the commitment you take on
Fair weather owners shouldn't have dogs in my opinion.

I don't have a dog but I still go out for a walk after work.
Only saw one person walking their dog in the rain this evening when there are usually loads in the dry weather.

Wish I could have a dog!

You’re so right, lazy owners use excuses like the dog doesn’t like it or they’re only small so don’t need it but the truth is they do. For general well being dogs need to move their bodies whatever their size and sniffing and communicating with other (friendly) dogs is such an important outlet.

Where did you get hairdressers from? They are clearly talking about dog groomers.

@WigglyVonWaggly Also is that your dogs name? 😁

I agree with you, and I like being out in the rain. My dog though, won’t set foot outside if she can even smell rain might be happening. If it’s raining she goes nowhere near the door if I open it. The opposite to usual!

We vary our walks every day from woodlands or fields or round lakes but never trudge about on leads on pavements as we live rurally and it just wouldn’t be fair for their breeds.
I do understand that some dogs hate going out in heavy rain and wind but we rehomed one of ours a year ago who wasn’t being walked as owner didn’t have time and he hated the first time we walked in the rain, shook and put his tail between his legs but as soon as we hit the field and he saw the other one run around he was off too as from then on hasn’t worried. Sometimes you just to make yourself/them 😊

I agree sadly, leaving them in crates for prolonged periods and not socialising them enough is far too common now.

@WiddlinDiddlin can you let your Saluki off the lead? We had a saluki cross, he was the most beautiful boy. Very aloof with strangers, even suspicious actually. If anyone he didnt know tried to stroke him he would glare at them and walk off!

But very affectionate with family, he loved his home comforts.

Err, where she says this @MagentaRocks ?

If I go somewhere that I can take him ie the hairdressers then I will (the hairdressers all love him and fuss over him) and the bank lets you take him in too as he enjoys these little social outings too.

Please tell my dog she needs to go outside for a walk when it’s raining coz she says no thanks

but she is exercised plenty if she approves of the weather outside and is part cat so sleeps all day whether walked or not

My dog refuses to go out for a walk in the rain. She will go to the loo and want to come straight back in 🤷🏻‍♀️ So sometimes I spend more time inside playing games etc.

And that’s not an excuse as @WigglyVonWaggly suggests. My dog hates going out in the rain. She’s plenty fit as she often does a 10-15k run with us and errr yes she has a coat 🤦🏻‍♀️

I have to say, that troubles me a lot. All those stinky chemicals in a hairdressing salon cannot be good for a dogs nose.

It's a dog. They're supposed to be descended from wolves ffs

Err, well, not all dogs are the same. So not all dog owners are 'lazy' for not walking in the rain, or not doing at least X miles per day or whatever.

Yes, some people get dogs and don't meet their dogs needs.

Other people choose dogs with different needs, and meet those needs

I've rehomed a badly treated dog. She can't walk far but, in the week we've been together, turns out she loves the rain!

The PP who said dogs need to socialise with other dogs, think again. Very wrong.

Some dogs do. Others don't.

Same with walking in rain.

That's why the OP is wrong.

Totally agree. I love rainy dog walks. Makes my cuppa taste even better once I’m dried off.

People go mental at you if you dare say anything against crating though. I got attacked on another thread just for saying we've never crated any of our dogs. I didn't even say they shouldn't crate, only that we don't. We're old school, our pups have all been free range - we just use puppy gates. It's a giant breed so we like them to have space and freedom.

Pup got two walks today in the rain... just saying...😉