Fairly similar to your experience... w
We went for a walk on 23rd Dec. I said "Lets go for a walk with the dog". Cue moaning, whining and general reluctance.
In under 5 minutes, DD was howling and screaming because she wanted to hold the dog. DS2 was having first go.
Around 5 minutes after that, her knees hurt.
3 minutes later, she was screaming that she wanted to hold the dog. I explain patiently that she can't yet as he pulls and needs to be strongly restrained if other dogs/people appear and she can hold him on the straight paths where we can see everyone.
DS2 instigates a snowball fight with DS1.
DS2 howls because DS1 has dared retaliate with extra force and quantity of snowballs.
DD throws another tantrum die to "hurting knees" and being "really really tired" and falls flat on her face to prove her point.
I re-evaluate the length of our potential walk and hurriedly take the christmassy photos I needed to take.
On a straight path, DD gleefully takes control of the dog after a lecture about holding the lead tight where she petulantly hurumphed and said that yes, she did know and yes she had heard me the 100 other times I'd told her. She lets go, the dog bounds off and jumps up enthusiastically on the first set of people he comes across, with me in hot pursuit (do you know how tricky it is to run on thawing snow/muddy paths whilst wearing snow boots?) having shouted at the DSs (currently engaged in WW3) to keep an eye on their sister. Dog has picked the only non-dog walkers in the whole 142 acre wood to "make friends with".
More tantrums from DD because she's no longer holding the dog, tantrums from DS2 because DS1 has destroyed his big snowball/thrown snow at him/whatever, sly kicking and thumping from DS1 to DS2 and the sound of me shrieking like a banshee at how this is why we don't do stuff as a family very often.
Of course, geocaching just gives then the extra bit of bickering over the GPSr but at least they are keen to go.