Walking becoming really difficult. WWYD?

[LeoTheLateBloomer]

I have a 6 year old labrador and a 14 month DD. It's just the three of us and we're all very happy but walking is becoming increasingly difficult.

I live at the top of a hill and all the good walks involve a steep climb on the return home. I use a back pack to carry DD but she's getting heavier and I'm finding it harder to take the dog for our usual long walks.

DD is walking but I'm facing quite a long period where she can't yet walk enough to cope with dog walks and her becoming too heavy to carry around on my back.

Does anyone have any suggestions? I desperately don't want to have to rehome him but I don't want him to be missing out on the exercise he needs.

Could you walk the dog when your daughter is napping in her buggy?

Could you not drive to an area where you can walk with dog and buggy?

Why can't you use a pushchair? I appreciate it's not great if you have to go up hills, but it is doable or maybe DD could walk that last bit?

I am saying this as someone who until very recently has been pushing a 'disabled' (I don't class him as disabled really, he has Downs Syndrome, but can't walk very far) 7 year old in a buggy with up to 4 dogs walking at a time whilst pregnant and some of it is very steep hills.

Is there any alternative way to exercise your dog - eg get to somewhere he can run offlead/fetch etc. I know this may not be possible - even if you have a suitable place not all dogs can go offlead and many won't play ball!

I am sure your dog would rather have shorter walks with you and DD than be rehomed.

Yes - and this stage is not forever. There was a thread yesterday about how far 3 year olds can walk, regular walkers can do a decent distance.

I had a similar problem when DS1 was a toddler. I used a push chair but he insisted on walking very, very slowly - far two slow for my (then) very energetic collies. I took a ball with me and whilst DS was examining every leaf, bug and rock we came across, I would throw the ball for my dogs. It kept them busy and exercised. Don't worry, it won't be long before this stage passes. My DS now has running races with collie pup which manages to tire both of them out. Result!

Thank you for your responses. I do use the pushchair, but it just means really boring walks rather than being able to go to our usual favourite places.

I'm relieved none of you are saying he'd be better off somewhere else

We'll just have to grin and bear it until DD can keep up with him!

Thanks again.

Could you buy a harness for the dog and teach him to pull when he's got it on? Then he can help you up the hill! Either attach the lead to a harness round your middle, a la Cani X, or attach him to the buggy?

I was going to suggest that Calamity but thought I might have dog experts jumping on me. My spaniel is fab at pulling me up hills

Exit so is my Collie Cross!

Seriously though - it should be perfectly possible to teach that "Harness on = Pull - flat collar/headcollar = Don't Pull" and being a Lab, he's the perfect size/build for pulling.

I wouldn't have suggested it if you'd got a Pomeranian

Would it be feasible to use the pushchair partway, secure it with a bike lock and do a fun bit on foot?

I agree that this too will pass

I have 5 dc's and do remember the frustration of the stage where they want to walk and study ever blade of grass, twig and leaf then after a while be too tired to walk any further.

I use a mixture of pushchair - it was an all terrain buggy and could go on the common quite easily - I also used a bike with a bike seat which then progressed to one with the child on a bike attached at the back.

Best of all was I got up early before dc's and OH got up and then got my OH to put the DC's to bed and went out with the dogs on my own in the evenings

I've tried the uphill husky thing but he's always too knackered from swimming to be any use!

you get about a year a year and a half where you have to just do walks that are fine with a buggy - but on the plus side, it's about that time that you can start training DCs to throw things in gardens for dogs