All dogs need walking, don’t they?

[BruFord]

I only have experience of our current small breed dog so I have limited knowledge of how much exercise dogs need. But all of them need walking, don’t they? A quick online search tells me that they do, to a greater or lesser extent.

I’m wondering after a conversation with a friend who has two Lab mixes. Apparently, she doesn’t walk them, they run around in her large garden. They keep escaping though and my guess is that they’re bored and need more exercise.

We’ve always walked our small dog, he tires more easily now he’s older, but definitely still needs it. I find it bizarre not to walk a dog or use a dog walker if you can’t do it. Surely that’s the norm?

What a shit owner. Yes, all dogs need walking and dogs that size lots of walks.
It's not just moving, it's their minds. New smells, new sights, keeps them happy.

Don't know if anyone remembers Barbara 'SIT!' Woodhouse, but she said something that stuck with me for years - the dogs walk is the equivalent of them reading the daily newspaper with all their stops and sniffs.

Absolutely agree with you 100%.

One of ours is a GSP who is a brilliant dog but my god, he's hard work. You have to be willing to put the time and effort in EVERY SINGLE DAY. Otherwise he's pacing the house, whining and can't settle which is understandable as he was bred as a working dog and needs massive (off lead) walks to sniff and run around otherwise he's bored and restless.

Collies, spaniels, huskies, labs, German Shepherds, Vizslas, Weimaraners... All brilliant dogs but they have high energy and much greater needs due to being bred as working animals. Don't get them if you can't give them the exercise and stimulation they need.

Spot on. Standing outside "herding" planes and birds isn't exercise. Nor is spraying him with a hose pipe until he collapses.

What the fuck.

Yes they 100% need walking, and not just for exercise. The sheer volume of people I see 'dog walking' when the weather is nice compared to when it isn't is astounding.

I do believe to a point that dogs will just accept what they're used to, so if you don't walk them, they won't expect it. It's the ones who don't properly stimulate or exercise their dogs and then convince themselves they have some unfixable 'behavioural problem' rather than accepting that they're just BORED for the most part.

Some pet owners are just shit.

I do believe to a point that dogs will just accept what they're used to, so if you don't walk them, they won't expect it.

👏I have a colleague with a husky who claims he's "lazy" and doesn't enjoy walking. Truth is, she can't be arsed taking him out as he's too big and strong for her (the mind boggles) and so he's just become used to not going out.

It's so sad.

And agree re the weather too.

Lab - 💯

we have a lap dog and she hates walks but loves the garden (and has a big space) the furthest she will walk is round the block before she plonks her bum down - but this is a completely different type of dog obviously!

Oh god I’m that person who quotes the OP - sorry!!!

Yes, I have two low energy breed dogs but they need at least 2x20 mins a day or they get very bored very quickly!

Some well socialised dogs can and do become reactive.
our dog was attacked by two Rottweilers when he was one. In the two years since he has developed reactivity to certain dogs, which is why we class him as reactive.
80% of his interactions are positive but we don’t trust him so treat him as if he’s reactive to all dogs.
he’s always on a lead whenever another dog is within 10 metres of him which means we’re hyper vigilant when walking him around the fields.

Yes they all need walking unless a working dog/doing masses round fields etc.

The amount of walks depends on the breed and age of the dog. My elderly greyhound gets 3 walks a week typically as she point blank refuses to go every day now and zero chance if it's raining!

I do think Covid lockdowns ruined a lot of puppies 😢 mine never truly got over that lack of socialisation in her early months/year

Who the hell sells dogs to these people?????

One of the screening questions with the breeder was all about the breeds exercise needs and where we'd be able to take him to get sufficient exercise/how much time we could commit to walks etc.

I guess my point is that there are so many ways to fulfil a dogs’ needs without taking them on a regimented number of walks a day.

My own dog loves a walk but he also loves scent work in the garden. He loves car journeys. He loves a trip to a beer garden where he can soak in the sights and sounds, get some treats and just enjoy being with his owners.

The whole “set number of walks” thing is very human and very designed to fit around our busy lives - I suspect many dogs would be just as happy to have company all day, a big garden and plenty of breed specific enrichment.

Too many people get dogs, disappear out to work for 8 hours a day and think that two walks make up for the fact that their dog is otherwise stuck inside alone. They’ll go on about how their dog gets at least two walks a day as though that excuses the rest of it.

You don't think that most dog breeders have morals or actually care about anything other than the money do you...?

Also, people lie.

Anyone can say “of course I’ll walk him three times a day” - there’s no way to prove that they won’t.

TBF my previous dog didn't need walking daily.

I always wanted to but he was a fussy bugger and unless the weather was just right for him he did not want to go out. I lived very close to fields and did ensure he got the opportunity daily to walk (except on very rare occasions) and I made him go out at least every 2-3 days as I would notice a difference in him by them.

But he made it very clear when he did not want to walk. As soon as we were in the field, I would let him off the lead and he'd do his business. If he wanted to walk, he'd happily run ahead of me. However, if he didn't, he'd return to the gate and sit there. I often tried to test him and carry on walking and get as far away as I'd dare before turning back, usually at least a field but it was a massive two field area to the next gate which I did sometimes and he just stayed put until I gave in and went back. Once I was back with him he would only want to go home. He really did make it quite clear!

He lived til he was almost 16, and I have many funny stories about him, including the times I had to physically tip him out of his bed to go for a wee when it was raining! He stayed in for 16 hours one time as it was raining outside, I really did have to drag him out then! 😂

They need a walk for more than exercise! Sniffing is so important to them- mine spends ages sniffing then pees no where near the sniffing spot 😄but also likes a run in his garden and scratching his back on the bushes. He sees his job as protecting us from squirrels, cats, magpies and crows.

Of course he has to bark out there every night before bed. Sometimes neighbourhood dogs will answer sometimes there's no reply. But he does it anyway 😊

A good rescue centre will do a home visit. Of course, prospective owners could promise anything and not do it!!

I hear you.

In the field I pay to walk in, my dog will often sit by the gate next to the car. He just doesn't want to walk. But if I ignore him and continue walking, he will occasionally run after me. I have made him walk and sometimes I have to put a lead on him to take him for a drag in the private field. It's crazy. But he is scared of crow scarers, those loud bangs ... and if one goes off, it's game over. He will try and herd me back to the car whimpering with his tail under his body.

I have another dog who loves everyone and loves other dogs. He is the younger of the two, and I have decided that when my older boy is gone (he is 12 this year) I won't get another. My younger boy who is 8 this year is happy pootling everywhere and anywhere with me. He loves life, whereas my older boy seems scared of living.

She’s small so appreciate easier but sometimes I pick mine up (if we’ve only been walking 5 mins for example and she’s just being lazy) and then walk for about 10 mins with her before putting her down so she has to walk back 😆

I know and that's why I used the word "usually".

As I said to another poster: That's why I used the word "usually" to indicate that there can be other reasons for dogs to become reactive but it's often the fault of poor early socialisation.

Couldn’t agree more.
we have a Weimaraner and yesterday he didn’t get a proper walk (as in running free in the woods, jumping ditches and generally expelling his endless energy), because I was busy first thing and had to take him to the groomers to have his nails clipped (which in itself is an experience!!).
then his second walk would usually be DH taking him out when he finishes work but DH came home with man flu.
By god the evening was a chore! He was bouncing off the walls and being really naughty (in a cute way).
At one point he took his favourite teddy and bounced him off every wall he could find.
but that was an exceptional day thankfully.

Beginning to wonder if I over walk my dog. She is small, we are out for 3 x 20 minutes a day. At weekends one of the walks each day is longer so she can gallop about a field pretending she is a race horse (she will do neat little jumps). She sniffs everything. Twice.

One of the biggest things I talked to DC about before we got her was the importance of walking the dog. We didn't get one to just watch it cut about the house. It's our responsibility to keep her happy and healthy. I worry about dogs that don't get out the house and garden purely because of lazy owners (and not because of the dog's age, behaviour etc).

Not if she’s enjoying it! My NDN has a dog similar size to mine and he’s waiting at the door at specific times for his three walks a day. You know your dog and she’s happy ❤️

My border collie is out for walks 4-6 times a day. He'd go neurotic if he didn't have that stimulation. Some people are just lazy arseholes.

👏