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The doghouse

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

Original poster

To ask if walking your dog had an impact on your weight/fitness

35 replies

Yamyam13 · 04/05/2022 14:20

Just as the title suggests

Wondering if daily dog walking had any impact on your weight or fitness or if it's not high enough intensity to have much impact (asking as someone who was already quite 'on their feet' and active before!)

Hoping to get running again with dog once she's old enough but for now it's walks only for both of us

OP posts:
ChuckBerrysBoots · 04/05/2022 14:27

Nope. She spends so much time sniffing i’m
never on the move for very long!

MintJulia · 04/05/2022 14:30

My lovely neighbour bought a Bichon puppy last summer. She has lost 30lbs by walking him twice a day.

It's worked perfectly for her. She looks great.

cheapascheerios · 04/05/2022 14:32

I’m hoping to but atm dpup is to young for long walks but we are building up and I’m hoping to see a difference

OstrichFeathers · 04/05/2022 14:37

Sniffy dog here too, he's been useless to get me fitter.

SallyWD · 04/05/2022 14:39

I don't have a dog but walking definitely affects my weight and fitness. If I walk 10,000 steps a day or more I lose weight slowly (maybe a pound every 3 weeks but over the year that's a big difference). During lockdown I piled on weight because I was having much shorter walks because the children were so moany! I put on 12lbs and that was from eating EXACTLY the same food as pre-lockdown. My friend lost a couple of stone from walking her dog and eating the same food. It takes a long time but definitely worthwhile.

steppemum · 04/05/2022 14:45

I brisk walk, and he was off lead sniffing and running up and down, so I could keep brisk walking and he could have his sniffs.
he went running with dh too.

I definitely got fitter, but didn't lose weight.

Now new dog, less brisk walking as he is on a lead.

PestorPeston · 04/05/2022 14:45

Depends on the dog. Mine keeps me fit, she's an over active pointer though.

cookiemonster2468 · 04/05/2022 14:45

Depends how much you already walk/ how active you are/ how much weight you have to lose. There are lots of factors.

Obviously someone who is very inactive and overweight would benefit hugely.

Someone like you who as you say is already quite active, a walk might not make much difference, but it's not going to hurt either way!

tuliplover · 04/05/2022 15:06

Not really as it's too stop and start. I guess just walking even this way is better than not at all but it's not going to increase fitness levels. Unless you are walking over challenging terrain - that might do it. Hard to find that on city streets!

truhamboys · 04/05/2022 15:21

Probably the opposite really - for journeys where previously I would have cycled, often ddog can come with me, but he's not exactly bike compatible (fear issues with traffic). So, I often end up driving, either because a dog that wants to sniff doubles the walking time, or because walking a dog with traffic fear issues down a busy road is more trouble than it's worth.

The actual walking isn't far or fast enough to make a serious difference to my fitness, and I was happy with my weight before anyway.

OldEvilOwl · 04/05/2022 15:24

Of course. But then I'm aiming to walk 10miles plus a couple of times a week, with shorter ones in between

PragmaticWench · 04/05/2022 15:24

For me it's about keeping cholesterol down by walking, rather than losing weight. Plus, when DDog is behaving, walks around the fields improve my mental health immeasurably.

puppygalore · 04/05/2022 15:31

Not really, I had hoped do but during lockdown walks with the kids when she was a young puppy it was too short and stop-start to have much impact. I think nowadays the daily walks keeps me at my current weight rather than losing, but I've not really been watching my calorie input. For the past 6 weeks I've had a chest infection immediately followed by covid and am still recovering, so dog walks are either short and mainly me using the ball flinger, or else have been farmed out to H and the dog walker. Due to my working hours changing Pup also now does an extra day at daycare (3 now) but I'm hoping I can shift the stubborn final lockdown stone once I'm back walking 1.5 hours per day for 4 days a week and actually properly watching my food intake!

fairylightsandwaxmelts · 04/05/2022 16:06

No, not really, as I never get my heart rate up just by walking him.

He either likes a slow sniffy walk where he stops every two seconds, or he zooms about on the beach with his pals and I just supervise 🤣

Hullabaloo31 · 04/05/2022 16:10

It used to when he was younger. I also credit him with an easy labour with my first child as I was still walking him miles right up until I was due!

Rewritethestars1 · 04/05/2022 16:11

Yes definitely. I have teamed it with eating smaller portions and better but its most definitely helped. We do walk briskly over hilly often difficult terrain. We live rurally. Mine is a big active breed so needs lots of exercise which helps.
When she wasn't walking as much for 2 months recently (due to an operation) I noticed my fitness drop and I gained weight.

MrsWooster · 04/05/2022 16:11

Fitter? Yes.
Lighter? No.

NeverEndingFireworks · 04/05/2022 17:27

yes - definitely - when I just had one old dog who mooched slowly around the park I put on weight. I would not go for hour long walks everyday, rain or shine, if I did not have dogs, and I don't do the Gym - so walking is my exercise.

MaChienEstUnDick · 04/05/2022 17:34

Nope, mines a moocher. My mental health is definitely better though as I'm now outdoors twice a day. I did have visions of dropping a stone but nah Blush

EdithStourton · 04/05/2022 18:57

Yes! And DH walked them loads in lockdown and I put on half a stone!

Original poster
Yamyam13 · 04/05/2022 21:49

MrsWooster · 04/05/2022 16:11

Fitter? Yes.
Lighter? No.

This sums up what I was suspecting most would say and to be true!

Thanks for all the replies. We're cureently at a stage where we get the odd really stretch in, when she's on top
Form, walking to heel on a loose lead, and we have a good pace which is getting my heart rate up, then suddenly there's a very interesting used tissue,abandoned chicken wing or fellow doggo that takes priority 😂

She's a Lab so does/will require lots of walking etc. but I think I'll have to find the time and energy for some HIIT or something too if I want to really make an impact.

Do love the walks and it is definitely keeping me at a nice level of physical and mental fitness

OP posts:
BadAtMaths2 · 05/05/2022 07:24

Worse for the first year as couldn’t do the long walks previously did. Sniffy dog. She’s 2 now and will walk up hills etc, but have to watch for sheep which is a pain, a lot of walks we used to do our out of bounds or flexi lead now.

every walk is better with her though.

she’s keeping my in laws fit though as they are her doggy day care in the day…so she comes back to us knackered.

Chrispackhamspoodle · 05/05/2022 07:27

Definitely fitter as I go on walks whereas before I never would have.Day off today and going on a 2 hr walk 1st thing which just wouldn't have happened pre dog.She is high energy though.

PritiPatelsMaker · 05/05/2022 08:44

I definitely walk more so that must be beneficial. DH is less active than me and getting a DDog has definitely helped him feel better abs lose some weight.

pigsDOfly · 05/05/2022 10:55

Hard to know if it makes a difference because I've always walked a fair amount.

Dog's getting older now (11 years), as am I, so rather than running around with her as I did when she was a puppy walks have slowed down.

She still like to chase her ball a bit on walks so I suppose all the bending to pick it up and the getting up and down on from the floor to play with her in the house (small dog) is keeping me supple, I am very supple for my age.

Mainly, I think the benefit to my wellbeing brought about by being outside walking my lovely dog every day is enormous.