Dogs that hate rain

[PookieDo]

I have adopted a dog from a relative - long story but dog is happy with us right now and I don’t want him to be unsettled. He’s a small terrier is about 5

I walk him every day but he hates morning walks and just wants to go back home

And he won’t walk at all if it is wet out and is hard to get to go for a wee in the garden without a lot of coaxing

It’s rained all week and although I have made him go for at least a short walk, he’s really unhappy about being wet and I feel mean about making him. But then I am worrying he’s not getting enough exercise if I do not.

He lets me give him a bath without any fuss, he is a good dog. And I play with him indoors a lot

Does anyone else have a rain hating dog? Do you make them walk or just let them be until the weather improves?

[MsMightyTitanAndHerTroubadours]

we had two GSDs who hated the rain, one of them once backed his arse out the door so he could pee, and not have rain in his face

He also turned tail for home one day when he had gone out with dh and the rain caught them....Dh turned around to see what the dog was doing as normally he walked really nicely ahead or close, and he was trotting home abandoning dh to his fate. :o :o

I know some dogs are not bothered by it, but the misery etched on most dog's faces when it's lashing rain is not something I want to see on my puppyfaces. And i do not like the rain either!

[MrsZola]

Boxer/staffie cross absolutely hates the rain! I have to bribe her to go out for a wee. She must have a bladder the size of the Atlantic because she can hang on all bloody day if it's particularly wet. I can't persuade her with bribes, holding an umbrella over her or me standing in therain, in my pj's and wellies trying to make it look like fun! It does worry me, it can't be good for her.

[Purplecatshopaholic]

My sighthound hates getting a wet head. He has a myriad of coats and things but hates going out in bad weather. If its really bad we will go out in the garden for him to have a quick pee (he literally goes out, has a pee, then stands by the door wanting back in), but he will refuse point blank to actually go for a walk.

[PookieDo]

He really hates wet ears

[BorderlineExperimental]

Three of mine are very much fair weather dogs and I've long since given up trying to force them out when I know they're going to be miserable. Generally the more interesting the walk the more rain they're willing to put up with but even so proper heavy rain is a no go.

When the weather is bad I just up the enrichment, training and other activities at home.

[Doriana]

My dogs are not rain lovers though they will always come out - just a bit reluctantly. One of them really hates his ears getting wet and will shake them to flick the rain off. The same dog gives all puddles a wide berth.

[MuthaFunka61]

My 2 year old lab jumps over puddles, hates the rain yet will jump into a pond on a sunny day for a swim.
He's a funny character

[pigsDOfly]

Agree with pp that it's about the noise. I read something a long time ago that said that it can sound very loud inside a dog's head when rain falls on it; so pretty unpleasant I imagine.

My small dog will run outside to wee/poo in the rain if I tell her she's ok but she doesn't like it and dashes back in.We don't walk in the rain.

However, the other day she decided she needed to have a nice long stroll in the garden and wandered around for ages completely oblivious to the pelting rain pouring down on her. Strange animals.

[Hoppinggreen]

I have a Golden Retriever, rain hating is not a concept I’m familiar with!

[mrsjoyfulprizeforraffiawork]

Ha, ha - we have very heavy showers this morning in my area and my dog was anxious for her walk (we got up late) so we went out in the middle of one - even though she was desperate, she was more desperate to go back into the flat immediately and wouldn't even have a wee in the garden before doing so. We tried again after the rain eased up a bit (she was keen again) and I put her coat on her (which sometimes makes her agree to go out in the rain). She hurried me down to the forest at the end of the road (more shelter from rain than her usual morning walk). I let her off and she trotted off to do a wee. We were just going to go on a bit further and the rain came on heavy again. She hid in the bushes, I went on a few yards to a better sheltered bit and noticed she hadn't followed me. I headed back for her and as soon as I hove into view, she turned round, kicked up her heels and hurtled back up the path to my road (she's never done that before). I ran after here and she was waiting just the other end of the path under someone's roof edge for me. As soon as I joined her, she was galloping back along the road to home as quickly as she could (fortunately, had come to me to have the lead put on before she did so). This is a dog who MUST visit the local lake and the local streams every single day for a big paddle.

[PookieDo]

I don’t know why he doesn’t like mornings - he will stay in bed after you get up and I have to physically take him downstairs to go to the toilet as he will find ANY excuse not to go 😂 you think he is behind you, no he’s off doing something else

He’s very playful so you can spent a long time doing that instead. He is an anxious dog but my garden is very flat and secure and quiet. You call tell he doesn’t like getting wet as he will use the gravel for a toilet if it’s raining and gingerly pick his way across the patio!

[spot102]

So currently it's raining so no one wants to go out and spot dog is in season so her outings will be somewhat curtailed anyway. I can see her being very irritating for the next few weeks!!!

[Singingcricket]

Oh well that's good he is healthy op! Dogs do need a lot more sleep and rest and time out than is generally acknowledged I think!

It was just the bit about him being reluctant in the morning that made me wonder tbh.

Is he getting enough sleep at night do you know?

Or is he fearful of going outside? (That can sometimes happen if puppies miss familiarisation training at the appropriate time.) But if he's happy in himself and not fearful or depressed, maybe he is getting quite a lot of exercise playing and running around the house?

I wonder if another doggie companion would get him out and about more?

[BarkandCheese]

My Pom doesn’t like heavy rain but is quite happy to go out in snow, drizzle and light rain. If it’s only for one day I let her have a duvet day, she’ll go out for a wee then run straight back inside. I make sure we have lots of indoor play time if she’s not getting a walk. I think it’s fine skipping the occasional day.

[spot102]

Also have a jack Russel and a spot dog, both dislike the rain but to be fair neither has a thick coat, intact I would say both had positively thin coats, so quite understandable! Got to admit, I'm none too keen on rain either so tend to wait till it's stopped before we go walking. It's quite rare we don't walk at all as I find they get restless and find themselves something to do, usually something that you really don't want them to do!!
They obviously get let out for toilet breaks, but usually involves one of us cowering in the doorway trying to encourage the dogs out, followed by the dogs nipping out and practically weeing on the doorstep! Rain I'd definitely evil

[MellowMelly]

My dog finds the rain far too distressing so I simply don’t take her out and I know that she utterly loves me more for that as she is super cuddly on rainy days

But she still needs to go outside for a wee and a poo so that in general does need coercive tactics (a firm shove does the trick or shouting ‘there’s a squirrel’)

[PookieDo]

He’s been checked he’s very healthy, not overweight he is just lazy. Lying on you in bed is his most favourite thing ever and he doesn’t want to stop to go walk!

[GooodMythicalMorning]

My English bulldog hates it too. Its the sound of the rain dogs hate. don't think we'll be going far today.

[bengalcat]

Yes my whippador hates rain and is terrified of thunder - funnily enough loves puddles , ponds etc and even in a drought will find water somewhere when out for a walk

[junenotoffred]

Yep! Sounds familiar - my cav hates even slightly damp weather & now at 13 1/2 point blank refuses to get out of his bed when I wave the lead at him on damp days. If he could keep all 4 feet indoors & dangle his rear end out of the back door he would. He's always been the same, I just don't drag him out any more - he's an old man so happy to forgo a walk now & then (but like others, take him anywhere near the beach & he runs around in the sea like the bonkers hound he really is!). To be fair, I don't blame them!

[CapybarasLoveCake]

Mine hates the rain. She really puts the brakes on if I open the door and it’s wet. I went to get her this morning for the school run but she quickly hid under a pile of washing, bless her.

[ErrolTheDragon]

My dachshund doesn't like the rain. He's not keen on doing much of a walk in our immediate locality either. But he can do a good long walk if we take him somewhere interesting. As he's 13 and in good health, it seems as though small dogs (he's a standard so not tiny) don't necessarily need walking every day.

[Singingcricket]

Pookiedo I would get your adoptee checked over by the vet I think. It's not usual for a 5 year old dog not to want to go for a walk unless it is raining or they are very overweight/unfit or they have a medical issue. (My daschunds hate the rain btw but could walk all day otherwise!).

Maybe he has joint pain, particularly bad in the mornings?

[Accountant222]

My schnauzers hate it also, they stand on 3 legs shivering

[Yokohamajojo]

Mine is a terrier too and doesn't like the rain, if I manage to get to the park and let him off, he is fine. Last night though we got about a 50m before he put the brakes on and refused to move. Tried again later when the rain was lighter and he was fine.