Lone parent - Managing dog walks with 2 DCs

[blueslipper]

Hi - I have lovely family dog, 2 DCs (2yo & 4yo).

Struggling to manage the dog walks with everyone now that they have to come with me. They're a bit big for the pushchair (and we don't have a double any more). The 4yo can ride her bike, and the 2yo can scoot, but this limits us as to where we can go.

If it's just walking they whine and moan, so I'm not crazy about trying to do that every day.

I have a big car.

I'm just wondering about a tagalong for the 2yo. and the 4yo can ride her bike. Or just a bike seat for the 2yo?

We used to have a bike trailer for the 2 of them, but they're too heavy for me to pull along.

How do others manage?

TIA

My DCs are 3 and 5, we have a border collie. I have 2 parks within 5 mins walk - one with play area one without. Or a big nice park with a field part and good play area 5 mins drive away - we vary between them all.

I tend to set the children free on the play area while I throw balls for the dog, basically. Dog has great recall so if I have to attend to the children he will just lie there until I come back and carry on. Its a PITA in winter though when it's icy and they don't want to go and neither do I but he's a collie - he must get exercise or he would be a very unhappy dog.

I wouldn't like to just 'walk' the children somewhere, they would be too nosy, always poking about for sticks and bugs etc. Which has it's place, but I haven't got the patience to look thrilled about woodlice every single day

Thanks for the reply. I hadn't thought about that - just rocking up in one place then throwing a ball. That'd work well actually.

I found that you more you walked the stronger the little legs got and the less whinging there was. I think no matter when you start just doing walks you get the my legs hurt etc.

They have always done them, but not everyday whatever the weather. They do know dog walking has to be done every day now and is non negotiable, but it'd be nice to try and make it less of a chore and more fun iykwim. There are a few occasions when I'll be able to walk without them (thank goodness!)

The more you take them the stronger they will get. My DD dog walked as soon as she could walk and now she's 4yrs old she'll happily skip for a 5mile walk. We look for walking sticks, learn about trees, plants and insects (not just woodlice!). We stop to look at the 'view' and we chat a lot about nothing. DD2 who is 6mths now comes with us in a sling. She'll be 'trained' next. We have the most fun in the rain with muddy puddles (always have spare clothes in the car etc..). I'm going to miss my walking partner when she starts school tomorrow

My DS is 3 weeks. This is the first week I have the dog too as DP works away and sometimes takes the dog with him. I plan to put DS in the moby as we have open fields at the end of our road. I am worried about bending over to pick up poo as I am not that confident with the moby yet .....

They stop moaning after a while. The first time dd2 had to walk with us, she cried after about half an hour begging to be carried. Now, it's not easy carrying a 3yo when you have three dogs. She skips around now.

I used to have to have the dogs trained to ignore when the dc lagged behind and not to try and keep stopping for them, now I have to train them not to pull when the dc are half a mile ahead to try and keep up with them.

Good training is the key. Mine are all being retrained atm. I let things slip when I only had two for so long and now the puppy has brought a very unwanted dynamic to the pack, so my kids have to do three separate, very slow walks. Puppy spends more of the walk being corrected for unwanted behaviour than he does actually walking.

jesus i sympathise!! i have this every day! my 5 yr old doesn't moan, as he's used to it, but he does want to go certain ways andwe end up in arguments, as it's supposed to be for the dog not for himto find puddles with stone collections nearby to stand for 10 minutes!! have also got a 16 month, who now whinges to get ut of buggy as soon as we stop!! so yes, it's a royal pita, but have recently found a brilliant park, that's all open around kids area, so i canwalk round with dog and take them on equipment after, do get somesnotty bitches worried mothers, who stare at us even when he's on a lead and good as gold

hmmm, first time i've tried the strike through! didn't work did it?!

My 1st dc is happy to walk/cycle for miles without a fuss. The younger one can be staggeringly slow. She stops and looks and pokes around in the ground. It is far easier at times to have a toy to throw around!

I completely sympathise Tiger! I have a 3 yr old and a newborn and two Jack Russells. Although we had the dogs before children arrived (only briefly!) my H used to be enjoy walks and we'd go every day together. Since first DC my husband is suddenly too tired to help with dog walks and seems to think they don't need a walk for days on end. This leaves me to do it all - even when I was heavily pregnant. I love going on walks but not with 2 children. I don't let the dogs off the lead when I take both Dcs as it's too stressful. My dogs chase squirrels and do their own thing so I can't be watching dogs while my 3yr old's running everywhere. I've actually considered giving my lovely boys (the dogs!) away to a good home as I'm really struggling with it all. Although I think this may be partly hormones as my newborn is only 4 weeks' old. I love my dogs to bits but I just can't give them the time they need now I have children. My nearest park is a 20 min walk away (along a dodgy path too with drunks etc.) I used to drive there when in only had DD1 but now I have newborn too I can't fit buggy and dogs in boot. I do have a sling but I find that too awkward to bend and pick up poo and also if i have to suddenly put dogs on lead or something I prefer having baby safely in buggy out the way of any danger. Sorry I can't really help, but I do sympathise with the difficulty! x

Hi Tilly
It's very early days for you isn't it and boy you've got your hands full! I use my sling everyday and find bending knees with a straight back the way to pick up poo. It took me awhile to get my walking fitness back post birth but I have and I feel better for it. Don't expect too much too soon and I hope you don't have to regime your boys. It does get easier, I promise

oi tilly!! tell your 'too tired' dh to get off his lazy arse and walk the fucking dogs!!! honestly, have you told him all this? can't believe he lets you struggle that much, what would he do if you said the dogs had to go? would he be bothered?
i'm so on your behalf as my oh did a similar thing, we bought a big assed dog (rhodesian ridgeback) and i walked him in morning and he did nights when he got home, then after couple of months, he decided dog only needed one walk a day, (guess which one??!!)iv'e been out in snow and ice while heavily pregnant and with then 3 yr old, but the poor dog needs a walk, so what can you do?? he does take him now,if i haven't been able to for any reason, but i told him if we ever split the dog's mine!!!

Thanks for your messages of support minstrel and alien. Unfortunately, I think H wouldn't care if we rehomed dogs. He does love them, but not in the way I do. He doesn't care if they don't have a walk every day and when I've suggested a rota he won't stick to it. On many occasions he's told me he'll walk the dogs when we get in from a day out, then we get back and he's suddenly 'too tired'. Although my dogs are very small they're full of energy and Jack Russels can live til 14 or 15 so we've potentially got another 9/10 years.
Alien, I completely sympathise with your situation. the dogs would be mine too if we split!
Minstrel, I'll try the sling again soon and see if it's any easier. it'll be ok on the days my 3yr old is at pre-school, it's just when it's me and the 2 DCs that it's a nightmare. And when the days get shorter too!
My H doesn't get up til about 7.30 or 8 every day so technically he could get up earlier and do a dog walk, but no - he doesn't bother! Makes me so angry. I feel like everything is my responsibility.

yep, same here, as if he knows i'll never get rid of the dog, i have to put up or shut up. can't be bothered fighting about it,so just get on with it. He said when summer kicks in, he'll start walking him at night again, but never materialised :(

I'm juggling two very energetic lurchers and a 3mo who dosent like being in his buggy. I've got a decent sling but with m y bad back its an instrument of torture so I only use it if he's really kicking off. I spend a small fortune on diesel taking them to places where I can let the dogs off and push the buggy for a decent walk. It do sent help that my dp's dog can't be trusted not to run off and kill things. I don't have any answers just sympathy.

Do you have any friends with dogs you can arrange to meet up with for walks?
Eases the burden if there are more adults - even if they have kids too.

Sorry - just returned to the thread.

Have made the decision to purchase a good 'workhorse' double pushchair. I'll have room for the scooters, so if they want to get out and scoot/walk they can, but there is the option to get in the pushchair.

I do think they'll get used to walking further, but in the pissing rain and wind I think all reasoning would have left us all.

That's how it's going to be for now, and I feel good that decision has been made. I feel so sorry for those who are contemplating rehoming the dog/s. Nightmare situation.

Arseface - I have used friends/relatives to join us and jolly things along, but the DCs have sussed this out, and whine equally badly once they've had enough.

I don't know anyone else with a dog that could share the walks either (and lets face it; reciprocation would be even more difficult.

So that's it - I'm going to appear in an AIBU thread soon for having a soon-to-be 5 year old in a pushchair

yanbu to strap and gag a 5 yr old in a buggy :)

Oooh gagging... I like!