Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Original poster

How many walks does your dog have a day?

40 replies

diddl · 04/08/2012 14:24

Ours usually has three.

Morning & afternoon ones both about an hour & a half-evening one about three quarters of an hour.

Dog doesn´t seem that bothered about afternoon walk just lately.

Is it OK that he just gets taken out for a chance to wee rather than a walk iyswim?

OP posts:
glasscompletelybroken · 04/08/2012 14:36

Ours gets two - one in the morning and one in the afternoon. She knows when it's time to go and enjoys it but she doesn't seem to care if it's a shorter one or a longer one. If you're spending over 4 hours every day walking your dog then I think you have room to cut down if you wanted to!

Original poster
diddl · 04/08/2012 14:41

I´m not bothered about cutting down for me-more concerned that it might be bad for the dogBlush

I guess if he´s happy to go for a shorter walk & just have a wee that´s ok.

OP posts:
Aquelven · 04/08/2012 17:17

One.
Two of them are tiny dogs, the others are couch potatoes & you sometimes have to drag them out for a walk!
The rest of the time they run saunter round the garden. It is a very big garden though.

Beamur · 04/08/2012 17:19

Is your dog getting on a bit? I'd have thought 2 walks a day would be ok for most dogs (depending on breed and age)
Mine gets walked twice a day and is offered the garden last thing at night if she needs a wee.

Original poster
diddl · 04/08/2012 19:31

No, only 6yrs old.

I suppose my concern is that if he only goes out morning & evening then it´s a long time between wees!

Thinking on, we´ve been later going out on the morning one, so he perhaps just isn´t ready to go again some afternoons.

It´s not set in stone that we always do one & a half hrs in the morning & afternoon-I don´t force him!

OP posts:
assumpta · 04/08/2012 19:59

40 mins morning and evening, trot around the block at lunch time and a walk up the end of the road before bed. Mad run around and play with his ball and a bit of training each day. Seems very happy with that.

D0oinMeCleanin · 05/08/2012 20:21

One mahoosive walk midday or a medium walk morning and evening or a short walk morning or midday and a goid 2hrs off lead playing with other dogs on the beach.

It depends what I am working that day or what we have planned. I don't do routines

CakeMeIAmYours · 06/08/2012 17:13

I think dogs tend to get used to the amount of exercise they usually have.

During the (admittedly infrequent) bursts of running enthusiasm I manage to muster, I take Ddog with me and it seems to be the case that the more exercise he has, the more he wants.

Normally, he gets a big walk (1-2 hours off lead) in the mornings and then a shorter one in the evenings too.

I find that mental stimulation in the form of short training sessions for all the good it does, teenager that he is now and playing games tend to tire him out far more than running around does.

What breed is your dog?

Original poster
diddl · 06/08/2012 18:21

He´s a German Shepherd mix.

Well, back to routine today as kids back to school.

Up & out this morning, so he was ready for his afternoon leg stretch/wee.

I just worry that if he didn´t go out at all in the afternoon it´s too long between wees.

Mind you, when he´s had enough he will just turn around-so he doesn´t go further than he wants!

OP posts:
CakeMeIAmYours · 06/08/2012 18:40

Fair point re the wee's - do you have a garden? In this weather, I tend to leave the back door open during the day and he just wanders in and out as he fancies.

You could just take him round the block in the afternoon rather than a full hour and a half...

Original poster
diddl · 07/08/2012 07:35

Yes, we do have a garden.

I do enjoy the walking but yes, can be more flexible.

It´s such a nice walk that once started, I just tend to keep going-unless it´s hot, of course!

OP posts:
MonsPubis · 07/08/2012 07:41

One of about an hour in the morning. Free run of the garden all day. Sometimes half hour in the evening.

LookBehindYou · 07/08/2012 08:09

3 walks. One of those playing and running hard with other dogs.
I don't consider time in the garden as a substitute for a walk (although we all do it from time to time). It's equivalent to a human pacing.

MonsPubis · 07/08/2012 08:28

Time out in the garden is still exercise. You know your dog's capabilities. One of mine is old, the other a pup. It is enough for them.

When the other dogs were young it was 2 hours morning, free run of the garden, and half hour evening.
Look It also depends on the size of the garden. If the dogs can run about in it, then it is great exercise.

LookBehindYou · 07/08/2012 08:48

Mons, I'm not outright denigrating the garden and having a big garden is fab. But I would take a pup and an old dog out for a gentle stroll so they have new smells etc.

MonsPubis · 07/08/2012 08:52

Which is precisely what I do, if you read my post.

LookBehindYou · 07/08/2012 08:56

Mons, calm down. My post wasn't even answering yours. You take your dogs out. Was just posting my answer to walking and then answered in response to yours. If it works for you and your dogs, great, seriously. I'm not the dog police.

MonsPubis · 07/08/2012 08:58

It's just that you are saying a garden is not exercise. Nobody has said on this thread that the garden is the only form of exercise their dogs get. Everyone walks their dogs. It was just a strange comment to make.

Original poster
diddl · 07/08/2012 09:03

Well it isn´t exercise for my dog unless someone is out there running with him!

He might do a half hearted "there & back"-but that´s it!

OP posts:
HopeForTheBest · 07/08/2012 09:07

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ on request of its author.

LookBehindYou · 07/08/2012 09:08

It's my opinion about subsituting a garden for a walk Mons. Dogs might trot around a garden but it is not the same as being out and socialising - it's just fidgeting. I see you said that time out in the garden is exercising. I disagree. Even if you're all outside playing with the dog in the garden, it still needs to go for a walk.

MonsPubis · 07/08/2012 09:31

"Even if you're all outside playing with the dog in the garden, it still needs to go for a walk"

Talk about stating the obvious. We are not that stupid. Hmm

LookBehindYou · 07/08/2012 09:36

Well how often do you take your dogs out Mons? Because you said when the dogs were younger you took them out but now the garden is 'great exercise.'

MonsPubis · 07/08/2012 09:42

MonsPubis Tue 07-Aug-12 07:41:27
One of about an hour in the morning. Free run of the garden all day. Sometimes half hour in the evening.

Read the thread

MonsPubis · 07/08/2012 09:45

And this.

MonsPubis Tue 07-Aug-12 08:58:10
It's just that you are saying a garden is not exercise. Nobody has said on this thread that the garden is the only form of exercise their dogs get. Everyone walks their dogs. It was just a strange comment to make.