How often do you really walk your dog?

[RedRobyn2021]

We have a small Labrador, a working lab type, she is 5yo and we live rurally. She's walked twice a day off lead about 35-40 minutes in the morning and then an hour in the afternoon (it would be less but I go with my 3yo daughter and it takes longer with her). Lots of ball, sniffing, chasing the occasional hare/deer/pheasant.

Mornings are a rush from the moment the alarm goes off at 6am as my DP has to be out to work for 7:50am. I do find it takes over our afternoons, I feel like I can't take DD to meet friends on afternoons because the dog has to be walked.

When I talk to friends or other people I know the general impression I get is that their dogs are only walked once a day (if they are lucky). Am I just making things harder for myself? I've taken DD out in all weathers (boiling sun, snow, rain, hail), even as a baby, to walk our dog.

If very very hot eg 25 plus outside mine do not walk outside. They just can’t. On the past despite getting up very early they can’t cope with the pavements, car or breath. We have a huge garden 1/2 acre and they play outside but really they lie in the shade and next to the air con. They just can’t cope with heat. (Labradors)

Three dogs. Aged 15 months (Show Golden), 6 years (Dalmatian) 10 years (Show Cocker).

They get an hour every morning. 30 minutes at lunch. Another hour in the evening/late afternoon. Usually works out around 10+ miles. That's rain (including 40MPH winds) or shine! They also have unlimited garden access, brain toys and each other to burn off steam.

I also flag that two of mine are 'show' lines. And they still get an insane amount of exercise. Working dogs need exercise (regardless of their lines). Ignore what others do. You know your dog best and labs are high energy (and if they don't get enough exercise they get destructive).

I'd also say keep your daughter going out with the dog. It's good for her (and the dog - labs love being with their whole family). Plus, one day if she wants a dog of her own she'll be more 'on it' knowing how much exercise they really need.

Our almost 3 yo show lab is very happy with one walk/day.

About an hour before work on weekdays then up to two hours on weekends.

Mine have no routine! Usually once for an hour or so, sometimes twice if I have time or the weathers nice. There’s no set time either, sometimes it ends up being 7pm at night by the time DH gets back.

Some days we just nip to the field and throw the ball. Some days we don’t go at all (like once this week when all of my kids were vomiting!) so they potter around the garden happily. The same goes for hot days, they lie around outside while I garden or whatever. Other days we do more, go training etc.

I am home most of the time which makes a difference. I find them more restless on days I am working and they are left longer than usual.

I don’t want them to expect a routine so haven’t created one. I don’t have super fit working breeds either as I don’t have time for them. As a result my dogs are relaxed all of the time until I get the leads out 😄

Four in total. Morning and lunch are each around 30 mins. In the early evening depending on how they are it's either a walk round the block or a 45 min walk . Then the last walk just before bed is 15 mins round the block.

They won't use the garden to toilet, plus I occasionally foster dogs and use the walks for training exercises.

Depends on the dogs imo, some need a muktiple long offlead walks and others would quite happily sniff round the garden.

Only one 'proper' walk a day plus some toilet walks. Days off she's often out with us for hours but below is the standard everyday.

Morning - 5 minute on lead toilet walk
Early Afternoon - 1 hour off lead walk
Evening x 2 - same short on lead toilet walk as morning

She's an 18 month old Springer Spaniel from working lines and this is enough for her - she's happy, healthy, relaxed at home.

In real life most people seem to have chronically underwalked dogs. Every time I read mn I read about dogs being walked for 2.5 plus hours every single day.

I don't know how people have the time tbh. And I think multiple hours of walks every day is unnecessary for most breeds - it's not just the length of walk but the quality that counts.

Three times a day, and her needs come before anything else as we chose to have her.

I'm sorry, did they pass away from old age?

It sounds like you really loved them and took good care of them, so they had a good life

4 year old working lab bitch here. Also rural.

Twice a day off lead for an hour or so each time. Always training as well (recall, generally attention games) I scatter feed her (throw her kibble all over the garden) - that takes her 2x20 mins.

Some days it's more as she comes out and about with me to do horses/just out and about etc.

She can get by fine on less sometimes but she's happiest with at least 2 hours a days. If I know it's only going to be one walk I'll make it a long one and really make her work for her food with snuffle mats/licky mats.

Three walks a day. Quick morning walk, dog walker in week, early evening another walk.

You need to get DH to do morning walk & then maybe you could get walker couple of days? DH could then do evening walk.

I don't think it's fair to limit their walks once children come along. Dogs need exercise to behave well in the house & be good with children. If they don't get enough exercise then they will get frustrated.

Most days we do two walks a day. About an hour each. If we want to sleep in or the weather is particularly bad we might only do one walk, but in that case we would try and make the walk longer than usual to make up for it. We always do at least one walk unless in exceptional circumstances that would make it dangerous, like if it was too hot and the dog would overheat. We have a golden retriever.

I used to be religious about 2-3 a day, and then depression and ill health happened. Getting back into it now. I do feel bad for their lack of walks but to be fair they seem happy enough just being by my side.

That actually makes me feel rubbish that you think this is the bare minimum

It's been hard keeping up with this, especially when DD was a tiny baby

My dog is very fit and healthy, perfect weight says our vet. I don't think I could do more than this with her

I've always tried hard to keep everything the same for her, even when I was heavily pregnant and even when we had DD

I do 1x 1-hour walk work days, she has access to the garden all day ( DH retired) , and the weekends, she has classes, workshops, hired fields, and long walks currently out for 3 hrs. 1hr each way, hour dog field. Large mixed breeds dog.

Basset Hound

He has a dog walker for 2-3 hour walks x 3 a week and x 2 a week he goes to a doggy daycare where he leaves home at about 8 and returns about 4 Weekends and bank holidays he gets 1 walk it depends on what is happening how long a walk but dh often walks him in the morning as they love that early morning time. Dh takes a cup of coffee and dog has a good sniff. They often meet up with another couple of regular early dog walkers so the dogs have a play.

In the summertime dh often walks him for about 20 mins first thing in the morning. but this is not a regular thing. More an additional.

When we had the really hot days dh would walk him at like 6 am and he would spend the rest of the day by the fan :)

Today his walk was a 2 hour walk down to town and back complete with some cheese as we stopped for a bit of lunch.

He is super social so enjoys the hustle and bustle of the town at times but equally adores a good sniff around in the local park/field.

At least once a month we take him to a local beauty spot and walk him the 5 mile route.

Bassets have a reputation for being lazy but that is not actually true they have great stamina and can keep going for ages.

DDog is 5

4 year old border terrier and 18 month old cockapoo - off-lead walk/run around first thing, 45-60 mins on work days but up to 2 hrs at weekends (also go for bigger beach walks etc at weekends). Second sniffy lead walk in the afternoon/evening 20-30 mins.

If it's very wet and rainy, the morning walk might become a longer lane walk to avoid the mud fest of living rurally.

Edit...they do have a dog flap and access to a good size garden all day, I WFH full time and DH is usually around. They also play a lot together and in summer they race around the garden for ages.

2.5 to 3 hour walk in the morning, then 30 minutes in the evening. DH is retired though, so the morning walks are his ‘job’.

I tell myself it's good for DD when we're getting a face full of wind and rain 😂

I think from another posters comment the one thing I'm going to change is I am going to get her some more puzzle toys

Mine gets about 40 minutes every day from me. Out with the dog walker once a week for a couple hours. Longer at the weekend and my eldest takes him out after school for half an hour but that's on lead. He is eight now but always been a lazy bugger. He prefers to lay on his back with his bits in show and periodically checks noone of interest is outside the window. When we go camping he can quite happily do ten miles plus so it isn't an inability! He likes his toys but not so much in the way of zoomies these days. He's just bone idle.

Three cocker spaniels. 1 hour 30-2hour walks a day during the week. Longer at the weekends.

@RedRobyn2021 - ours are working labs too and like I said, sometimes only get one walk a day. I wouldn't describe what you do as the bare minimum personally.

Something to make sure she's using her brain is likely to be more worthwhile than trying to walk more.

Ours gets one proper walk a day of 1-2 hours, occasionally more (or less if it's raining heavily), then a 10-minute 'poo walk' in the evening. Sometimes a short sniff round the block in the morning. She's 5.

Yes this is what I'm thinking

I don't know anyone that walks their dog as much as we do

All our neighbours have dogs, one takes theirs to work with them, one walks there's once a day if it's not raining, a couple of elderly retired neighbours who go up the lane and back 1/2 times a day, I have 2 neighbours who I have never seen them walk their dogs and we have lived here for 6 years

2 walks, each between 45-60 mins plus training ( 20-30 mins). He goes to doggy day care at least one day a week and we are looking at activities for the weekends. He’s 15 months and this seems to work for him. Much longer than an hour and he gets overwhelmed. He can be out all day as long as he has chill periods. Currently he is asleep on the sofa..

It is difficult to juggle dogs and kids, especially when they don't want to go. And a problem if it's stopping you from doing other things together. Maybe you could aim for two days a week that you don't do the dog walk. If you're out that afternoon then you or your partner take the dog later on. Or if out in the morning, one of you get up early to get a good walk in.

My kids are 9 & 6 and don't always want to come for a walk. We've compromised this Easter hols on them coming on the walk every other day.