mastering the walk

CM has a helper and that helper tends to the rear for stragglers.  CM has flexible hours where he can exercise the dog in off-public time periods.  CM dedicates 4 hours 1st thing in the morning on fulfilling the dog#%92s exercise need.  CM has an isolated location that he can go that will be void of dangers and encounters from the public.  CM has the transport to move his dogs.
 
Lets see, maybe 10 years ago when I had 2 dogs, we would go for a daily walk in the woods right across from my house.  In that walk we would vist a clay fill (mountains of clay) and the dogs would get a lot of exercise.  But things change.  The woods were replaced with a golf course and the clay mountains have been incorporated into the course.  The golf course is fenced off. 
 
We started going to the park in the early morning hours.  The Danes were offleash and reach a pretty good gallup in their run.  Our time there was spoiled by people not respecting the exercise time.  I then reverted to only on the weekends and giving them a special outing by going to the Indiana Dunes for their walk.  Danes running on sands tire out very quickly.  Backyard time during the week and one special outing on the weekend.  I think that is a pretty good dog#%92s life.

ORIGINAL: Awsomedog

Dogs should have their needs met every day,

Yeah, I'm with you on that and am also glad to be on a forum where people pay attention to these kinds of things. Thanks for pointing out the common positive factor in all of us being here: we care for our dogs.

I think walks are more important for dogs that are confined to the inside, and are not able to go out and have play time off the leash. A dog that is confined in an apartment or house all day without the above mentioned play time needs to be exercised, and a walk is a more routine method for those dogs.
 
I don't always walk my dogs, but they do get enough play time and exercise.

ORIGINAL: DPU

ORIGINAL: Awsomedog

.... Dogs should have their needs met every day, and that doesn't happen in a back yard.

Sorry to disagree but the backyard does meet my dogs daily exercise need.

Sorry to disagree, but (IMPO) a back yard meets a dogs needs about as much chucky cheese meets a childs needs. Play as execise is not the same as constructive exercise, which is one form of how dogs naturally learn.

There is no way I can ever mimic the pack's play, interaction, and movement on the walk.  Walks are necessary in establishing and maintaining leadership and boundaries which I have yet to master with one of my dogs...but not to forget the importance of a change of environment and the opportunity to train the dog as situations come up.

Um...that sounds contradictory? Or perhaps i'm just not following you here.

Please also respect that owners have different home situations.  I can do as CM does and take the dogs on a 2 hour leadership walk every day.  But that would mean I would have to cut down on the number of dogs I have and eliminate the fosters.  I feel I strike a good balance between me fostering and the pack's exercise need.

Regardless of someones "home situations" when you bring a dog or dogs into your home, you are responcible for seeing that their needs as dogs are met. And what is one thing all dogs do that don't live with humans? They walk. 

If my dogs felt the need for a good romp without me, then why don't they just take off when they are outside of the fence on the agility course?  Or playing fetch?  I know that they aren't afraid of me, since I don't use physical punishment, and they know darn good and well that they are one heck of a lot faster than me.  So if they have this incredible urge to "move ahead" why don't they?  Why do they maintain a perfect recall even in the face of running or flying game?  They KNOW that through the tree line are wide open fields to run in, yet they make no effort to go there without me.  And when we are out for a romp, they are constantly looking back to check on MY location....I don't WANT to run, they do but they make sure I, their leader, is always in sight.

ORIGINAL: glenmar

My dogs needs are met also, without daily walks.  I leave in the dark and come home in the dark and LIVE in an area that has NO light other than what comes from my home...we are deep in the boonies...streetlights don't exist.  Other houses are a long ways off...at least a mile....they get a rousing game of fetch or a run on the "play ground" we've set up with some agility stuff, morning and nite.  They get free play throughout the day and their weekend off lead romps without fail.  I won't take my dogs out in a blizzard or sub zero temps and expect them to run and play because frankly, they don't like being out there anymore than I do in that kind of weather.  I agree that they need a daily something, but I'm not sure that a walk is always the be all and end all.

IMPO Play is just that...play. And as I've said before, when humans do not controll a dogs life, that dog will walk miles a day. It could be one reason dogs have four legs instead of two. The same as birds having wings, they were meant to fly. Dogs should know their environment, and that's not a back yard regardless of it's size.

ORIGINAL: glenmar

If my dogs felt the need for a good romp without me, then why don't they just take off when they are outside of the fence on the agility course?  Or playing fetch?  I know that they aren't afraid of me, since I don't use physical punishment, and they know darn good and well that they are one heck of a lot faster than me.  So if they have this incredible urge to "move ahead" why don't they?  Why do they maintain a perfect recall even in the face of running or flying game?  They KNOW that through the tree line are wide open fields to run in, yet they make no effort to go there without me.  And when we are out for a romp, they are constantly looking back to check on MY location....I don't WANT to run, they do but they make sure I, their leader, is always in sight.

If your dogs see you as leader and your not heading off, why should they? Dogs don't leave leaders they trust and respect. Perhaps that's how they see you.

I'm sure that they do, however, if I'm not filling some basic need it would seem to me that they would look ELSEWHERE to have that need filled.  I'm not sure that I would call the agility course play, but I wouldn't call it work either.  Its there for FUN and that's all I care about.  They can run the weave poles BACKWARDS for all I care....it's about getting a chance to do something different, to think, use their wonderful brains, and maybe learn some new skills.....that stuff is for THEM, not for me and my ego.  But, again, if I am failing them in some vital way, it would seem like THEY would look elsewhere for that need.

ORIGINAL: glenmar

I'm sure that they do, however, if I'm not filling some basic need it would seem to me that they would look ELSEWHERE to have that need filled.  I'm not sure that I would call the agility course play, but I wouldn't call it work either.  Its there for FUN and that's all I care about.  They can run the weave poles BACKWARDS for all I care....it's about getting a chance to do something different, to think, use their wonderful brains, and maybe learn some new skills.....that stuff is for THEM, not for me and my ego.  But, again, if I am failing them in some vital way, it would seem like THEY would look elsewhere for that need.

Depends, sounds like you may lead your dogs more than you think. You think of the agility work as play, but for them  the fact is, if your *leading* them to the course, having them perform a job they most likely love, and your having them use their brains. Those are some large needs that are being filled. Makes one wonder...how much more their lives would be balanced if some walks were thrown into the mix. Yours is a pack I'd love to see.

ORIGINAL: glenmar

Shall we try this one again?

YES!!  I applaud you moderator![sm=clapping%20hands%20smiley.gif]

ORIGINAL: Awsomedog

I would simply like to add this. I'm just glad to know that some people understand just how important walking is to a dog, and that they take the time to give their dogs something that they really need. Dogs should have their needs met every day, and that doesn't happen in a back yard.

Amen brutha!

I've always had the sense that Glenda is a good leader to her dogs, and they see her as one.

In the many conversations about leadership I've had with a lot of different eople, one thing does stand out...this does not come naturally to some folks. Some people need to work harder to get there and need specific exercises to feel more confident and be seen by their dogs as leaders.

ORIGINAL: Trevell

ORIGINAL: glenmar

Shall we try this one again?

YES!!  I applaud you moderator![sm=clapping%20hands%20smiley.gif]

I second that![sm=clapping%20hands%20smiley.gif]

ORIGINAL: Awsomedog
Regardless of someones "home situations" when you bring a dog or dogs into your home, you are responcible for seeing that their needs as dogs are met. And what is one thing all dogs do that don't live with humans? They walk. 

Yes I am responsible for seeing that the dogs needs are met.  Let me repeat, YES it is me and who better to know the needs that their caretaker.  The one who knows their mind and body and how much exercise they need or can take.  The one who knows what it will be like the next few days if older ones over do it.  Or what the next fews hours will be like for the ones that did not release all its energy.   Or even many years for now for the heartworm dog damaging her organs because she over exercised now.  I don't have the perfect dogs in my pack.  Some are old, some young, some ill, one has a neuro problem, one deaf, and one overweight.  I know each one, and every day going forward I know each one better.   I look at my home situation in its entirety and I compromise with give and takes for each individual dog, but on the whole the dogs have a good life and so do I.  CM sets the ideal but he does sight ompromises because of the individual's dog's need within the group.  e.g. additional help for the dogs that can't keep up with his walk.

A dog walks to fullfill a need.  And what is that need?

[color=#000000]All I know is that my dogs truly love to go for walks and that's why I do it.  I have a pretty good size fenced-in yard and I used to believe that running around the yard and playing fetch was sufficient.  However, my oldest dog has gone blind, and walks are the only way for him to get exercise now.  So we now take walks at least once a day, and my goodness, what a difference!  They just seem to get so much joy out of their walks, I feel guilty for not walking them more consistently in the past.  My youngest dog actually acts "proud" when he's out for a walk.  In the backyard (and in the house for that matter), he's a typical Schnauzer, territorial and barky when he sees other dogs walking down the street.  But on walks, he's like a different dog.  He doesn't even really pay any attention to other dogs, let alone bark at them.  He's just happy to be out and about, as is my older dog.  For me, and I really mean for me...my particular situation,  with only two dogs and a pleasant and safe neighborhood to walk in, it's such a simple thing to do to bring them so much happiness.[/color]