Dogs lacking exercise/stimulation

Just like people, dogs should be exercised hard enough to get their heart rate up for at least half an hour a day most days. If you're not doing that, even if your dog seems "content", you're not doing your dog, or yourself, a favor. 
Being a "weekend warrior" is a dangerous state-- if you don't get regular exercise on a daily basis the odds of suffering a serious tendon or ligament injury during your weekend activities is very high. Applies to dogs, applies to humans.

The nice thing about small dogs is they can get that half hour of heart-racing activity just by tearing around the house. [] Rascal spends at least an hour a day galloping around like a madman with a toy in his mouth playing keep-away with the 11-year-old boxer with neuropathy (any guesses on who wins the races? lol). Then there is the ever-popular hide and seek, the run to the window every time a squirrel appears underneath the bird feeder, the "I think I heard the fridge" 100-yard dash... there are lots of indoor games to play with a toy breed! Add a brief walk to that every day, and you're sittin' pretty.

ORIGINAL: Xerxes

After all this is a forum, not a grammar school.[]

 
I guess this is what is called a flyby to my post.  Often times, well maybe regularly for some, absolutes and certainties are used to make personal value judgments on others.  Just one time I wish I could witness a retraction to the absolute statement when contrary evidence or the word taken at face value is presented. 
 
Mudpuppy, exercise is relative to the individual human and the dog.   Your statement is  dour and I invite you to examine my dogs in person so you can see for yourself.  My dogs are just fine.
 

Just one time I wish I could witness a retraction to the absolute statement when contrary evidence or the word taken at face value is presented. 

 
 
Here is your retraction since it is such an issue for you and you so desire it DPU..
 
I retract saying ALWAYS in this situation since there has got to be some homes where throwing a ball in the yard for 5 minutes a couple times a week instead of taking your dog on a walk to get exercise just so happens to be enough exercise for that particular dog.  I personally don#%92t know any dogs where this is the case and where even the oldest dog can#%92t benefit from a daily walk up the street but perhaps I am wrong.
 
My statement should then read

 
 

People QUITE OFTEN seem to think if the dog has a yard and you go out a couple times a week to toss a ball for 5 minutes then your dog is getting plenty of exercise

 
I will go further, for your reading enjoment DPU, and retract saying "PET PEEVE" 
 
Pet peeve is not a strong enough word here.. so instead I will say "I find it freaking annoying as hell..."

ORIGINAL: jjsmom06

People QUITE OFTEN seem to think if the dog has a yard and you go out a couple times a week to toss a ball for 5 minutes then your dog is getting plenty of exercise

 
Actually, qualifying the "People" would make my wish come true.  Oh, and can you tell your friends to do the same.

I'd like to add that some- not all- of that exercise can be mental. You can tire your dog out mentally just as fast- in some cases faster- than by jut walking. And if you've got a dog bred for endurance (like the long-distance droverss- Smooth collies and rotties), that normal walking pace is a breeze for them, and they can go all day at it. But mix up walks with obedience work, things to sniff, stuff to bark at, and various things to climb on, pee on, and interact with, and it's relatively easy to have a dog that is tired out at the end of the day.

And while dogs definitely need stimulation, I think "two long offlead walks" is oversimplifying things. My boys would be bored silly. They get lots of shorter walks (probably 3-4 20 minute walks), a long walk in the morning (about 45 minutes), and 3-4 training sessions (anywhere from 5-30 minutes) every day. Indy gets less than Mal, at this point, since he gets so much exercise going to the farm with Mom, and Mal gets less on days we are seriously training.  It works well for us. Indy, as a young dog, was very high energy, but he's middle-aged now and starting to ease off on that some. Mal is a really nice, laid back dog by nature- one of the things I like about collies vs. BCs and Aussies. While he's happy to GET more exercise, his brain doesn't go kablooy if he gets a bit less.

Actually, qualifying the "People" would make my wish come true.

sorry.. guess you will have to just keep wishing then...

Oh, and can you tell your friends to do the same.

 

at least I have them and bother to be kind to people and actually make friends rather than bashing and baiting everyone.

**To the mods.. if I need to retract that statement, just let me know and i will be happy to do so... It was low of me I will admit.. lower than I usually go.

DPU I am finished with this discussion and have said all I care to, perhaps you would care to end the grammar lesson and get back on topic.      

To get back on topic somewhat, I sometimes think that if *people* spent as much time looking after their dogs as they do arguing about the theory and semantics of it, we wouldn't even have the problem that's being discussed here.

Kate

I see a lot of big dogs penned up in backyard kennels and never see them at the dog park.  I work 8-5 daily, but if it is nice out, my girlfriend and I walk the dog to the 2 acre dog park every day, and depending on his level of interest in the other dogs, we stay for about 45 min to an hour.  If it is over 80 degrees, we take him out to the lake because he LOVES to swim and the heat at the dog park is hard on him since he is black and there aren't many trees. 

I can't really agree with the two off lead walks.  Bodacious is a good boy and will usually follow me off lead, but if he sees a rabbit or squirrel he will chase it as long as he can, which means darting across whatever road the rabbit does.  I do like to get him out off the lead and let him sniff around the yard, but I wouldn't ever take him on a walk without a lead.

Anyways, I feel so sorry for the dogs that never get to experience the dog park or don't get to experience it regularly.  It is such a great place for the dogs and is my dog's absolute favorite place to go!

ORIGINAL: dgriego
They are very flexible creatures.

Isn't it remarkable!

Yeah, I have one of those "high energy, not for the city" breeds predominant in my dog's mix. Yet, she's incredibly calm at home! Yes, she gets lots of walks and jogs, and different kinds of them (heels, loose leash, long line, off leash, dare I say, even Millan's "the walk"), plus training and play time. (We just spent two days in the mountains, and she was almost too tired to eat breakfast this morning!)

The backpack is a great idea, as is lots of mental stimulation.

I'm with those who are [:@] at the sad fact that many dogs spend their entire lives in a fenced yard. Besides feeling bad for them, and being irritated at their constant barking, their behavior makes walking through my neighborhood unpleasant for me and my dog.

I see how it happens, for some people, though. My neighbors walk their Amstaff once a year. Ok, I exaggerate, they do it 2x per year. They give up immediately, in disgust. The rest of the year this dog sits at their front gate barking at every moving vehicle/human/cat/leaf/paper moving in the street. Why don't they walk it? Besides the normal problems of being too busy and too out of shape themselves, they never learned how. The dog terrorizes them, pulls them around and does fierce lunging at other dogs. In otherwords, they are not capable of exercising their dogs, and they never will be! This dog has lived like this since she was a puppy, 5 years ago []

The woman behind me is elderly and has lots of physical problems. She has 2 good sized herding dogs in her backyard. Same thing, they bark and freak out and fly around their yard constantly. But she barely has the strength to get them out to the back yard as it is.

Another family has 2 little yappers. The old woman who owned them became hospitalized, and her family who *cares* for them can't stand their noise, so they leave them out in the yard.

I suspect this is pretty common. Some of these people can't afford training, some just aren't interested. "People" are just doing the best they can, and making some pretty sloppy choices along the way.

There's a husky that lives in an 8'x15' foot area with only a 3' high wire fence to separate him from the sidewalk. There's the golden retiriever who lives in a 5'x12' patio with 5' high cement block walls on all sides except the iron gate that is 1' from the sidewalk. There's the 4 husky/shepherd mixes who live up against a wire fence on a corner lot. There's the 3 chihuahuas and dalmation that live in a similar corner yard, with only an iron fence between them and the sidewalk (in otherwords, parts of their heads can stick out!). None of these dogs get walked or trained. No wonder they are so animated with passers by.

ORIGINAL: Edie
And people wonder why there are so many dogs with behavioural problems,thousands of whom get put down daily??!!

my sentiments exactly.

How many people here manage to  take their dogs out for 2 long off lead walks a day,everyday? Which i think is the minimum for the average non-working breed pet.Then there's the high energy breeds which i couldnt even begin to imagine how much exercise they would need on a daily basis,hours of off lead romping...

my dogs get less excersise now that it's getting quite hot- after a certain point, it's just clear to me that they are DONE, and as their handler i think it's up to me to know their limits.  when it's cooler, we walk or run several miles a day ON LEAD. 

to the point of "off lead"-  not possible.  in fact, if you DO walk your dogs near me off lead, i would appreciate knowing when and where so we can avoid you.  no offense intended here, but my dogs are not the greatest fans of being approached by loose dogs while leashed, and i feel it would be tremendously irresponsible of me to allow them off leash due to their breeds.  i do allow them to use the off leash dog park when it's empty, and i will concede that there's no way i can run fast enough for long enough to get them this level of excersise while on leash, and that their behavior is much more manageable when they've really been "beat up", so to speak.  the only other thing that beats the dog park is swimming.

i will say, however, that i think i commit more time to excersising my dogs than the average "non-working dog" owner, and that i don't expect that the average person HAS this amount of time.  i am lucky in that i CAN do this- not everyone has that luxury, and then they just do the best they can, which, in my opinion, is just fine.

i also happen to agree that excersise level is best determined by the handler.  nobody knows your dog(s) like you do.

ixas girl your post brought me to tears...those poor dogs [] I think i would literally go nuts if i was surrounded by so many sad,neglected pets,it would do my head in.I have one neglected,outdoor toy breed dog behind us,and this enough to occupy too much of my thinking time [&o]

I'd like to add that some- not all- of that exercise can be mental.

Excellent point Pwca.For many dogs umpteen off lead walks a day wouldnt be enough..mental stimulation such as training and games etc is equally as important. I  know playing hide and seek,or hiding treats all over the house for my dogs to find,or some obedience training wears my dogs out mentally,and then a good off leash romp 'seals the deal' so to speak.

in fact, if you DO walk your dogs near me off lead, i would appreciate knowing when and where so we can avoid you.

Badrap rest assured i never allow my dogs to approach other dogs whether they are on or off lead,without first asking permission of the other owner or they get invited to play by the other dogs.Even though my dogs are big softies,they are huge bull mastiff's,and i realise most people would not appreciate them coming hurtling toward them. One of my pet peeves is inconsiderate folk who let their dogs charge up to anyone or anything whilst calling out "dont worry he only wants to play,he's friendly",the question i always ask is "how do they know my dogs are friendly?" [8|]

DPU my impression of your post is that you seem to have a guilty concience for some reason or another?? Why else the unwarranted attacks? Surely the more stimulation your dogs get outside of their yard,the better,no? Taking our dogs out is so much more than just the exercise they get.....

it's nice to know SOMEONE has good enough recall to keep their off lead dogs from approaching against their handler's will!  it's also nice to know that someone out there has enough respect for other dog's boundaries to excersise that recall.  FINALLY.  with that, i will restate my position:
 
please come and walk your dogs off lead near mine, so that my dogs and i may appreciate some good recall behavior in action![][]
 
BRAVO, and i have a whole lot of respect for that.  really, i do!

ORIGINAL: Edie

DPU my impression of your post is that you seem to have a guilty concience for some reason or another?? Why else the unwarranted attacks? Surely the more stimulation your dogs get outside of their yard,the better,no? Taking our dogs out is so much more than just the exercise they get.....

 
Funny, I attempt to correct IMO a harmful perception and get attacked and then I am called the attacker.
 
Ok, I will do and conform to the wishes of this majority.  I will start all over.
 
I will “Before you get your dog, think long and hard”.  I will have to make sure I can provide exercise according to specifications that includes the type of exercise that are sanctioned, the duration, and regularity, and oh yes, off leash time.  The six dogs that in my home don#%92t fit this so they will have to go.  The Great Danes are too old and won#%92t survive the exercise.  The emaciated foster undergoing HW treatment has to go because she won#%92t survive either.  The hound, well the hound is just too hard to satisfy the exercise need in a city neighborhood.  And the last one is too new for me to assess.
 
I will have two dogs and then have the time to provide lengthy exercise routines.  And since I only sleep 6 hours, I will have more time and then I could be giddy because I wouldn#%92t have all the chores when I get home.  I won#%92t have to clean up after the fosters, won#%92t have to prepare special meals, and I won#%92t have to spend time training.  Oh yeah and I won#%92t have all those vets visit.
 
I could change and stroll the neighborhood and observe.  I can stop keeping tabs on the dogs in my neighborhood and I could stop getting to know their owners so I can influence the caretaking of their dogs.  I would also have to stop placing shelter dogs that I have rehabbed with my neighbors.
 
I could do all this and what I get in return is inclusiveness.  I get to be part of group that judges others and don#%92t take into consideration individual situations.  I won#%92t have to get to know the dog because my new group will know my dog better than me.  I won#%92t have to play with my dog because the dogs will be doing mindless exercise to increase their heart rate.  And best of all I may get a friend.
 
I do what I do for the love of it and the pleasure it gives me.  And yes from time to time I do have a guilty conscience wondering if I could do more because I know I can because I do keep a reserve.  Again, all the dogs in my home are well taken care of.
 

Funny, I attempt to correct IMO a harmful perception and get attacked and then I am called the attacker.

Ok, I will do and conform to the wishes of this majority. I will start all over.

I will "Before you get your dog, think long and hard”. I will have to make sure I can provide exercise according to specifications that includes the type of exercise that are sanctioned, the duration, and regularity, and oh yes, off leash time. The six dogs that in my home don't fit this so they will have to go. The Great Danes are too old and won't survive the exercise. The emaciated foster undergoing HW treatment has to go because she won't survive either. The hound, well the hound is just too hard to satisfy the exercise need in a city neighborhood. And the last one is too new for me to assess.

I will have two dogs and then have the time to provide lengthy exercise routines. And since I only sleep 6 hours, I will have more time and then I could be giddy because I wouldn't have all the chores when I get home. I won't have to clean up after the fosters, won't have to prepare special meals, and I won't have to spend time training. Oh yeah and I won't have all those vets visit.

I could change and stroll the neighborhood and observe. I can stop keeping tabs on the dogs in my neighborhood and I could stop getting to know their owners so I can influence the caretaking of their dogs. I would also have to stop placing shelter dogs that I have rehabbed with my neighbors.

I could do all this and what I get in return is inclusiveness. I get to be part of group that judges others and don't take into consideration individual situations. I won't have to get to know the dog because my new group will know my dog better than me. I won't have to play with my dog because the dogs will be doing mindless exercise to increase their heart rate. And best of all I may get a friend.

I do what I do for the love of it and the pleasure it gives me. And yes from time to time I do have a guilty conscience wondering if I could do more because I know I can because I do keep a reserve. Again, all the dogs in my home are well taken care of.

DPU- no one is trying to attack you or tell you that you do not take care of your dogs. You do a wonderful job taking care of so many and have a good heart and you should be commended for a job well done.  Despite what you may believe about me and my views on this thread, I work close and personal with a greyhound rescue run by a couple who also must work full time jobs to support their efforts rescue efforts. The amount of work to care for 15-20 greyhounds in the kennel plus 12 additional dogs that live in their home because they are "unadoptables” is amazing and these people are incredible. They sleep less than 5 hours a night and that sleep is broken up by having to do a 2 am kennel turn out. They do not have the time nor ability to walk each dog.. they do what they can and for most of these dogs it is a "transition” and will soon be going to their forever home. 

  No one is saying that there aren't circumstances that might warrant NOT walking your dogs daily. Certainly a foster situation and dogs with special needs is different. But instead of saying something like "in my case, the dogs in my care have circumstances that do not allow them to be walked daily including medical conditions and age”.. you attack what other people have said and call out things in people's posts that not only do not contribute to the thread, but often are downright rude.     

  This entire post was based on YOUR AVERAGE dog.. that is in good health and CAN handle daily walking, but their owners are too damn lazy to provide this and they don't view dog ownership as a responsibility. You know that we are not speaking of someone who has 6 foster dogs and many of which have special needs.. but you take things out of context and act as though they are personal attacks.

  Again, I commend you on a job well done for the dogs that you care for. I am sure they could not find a human more caring to their needs and special situations.