Why should I walk my dog?

I beg to differ forpaws.  My dogs love to run.  Thats all they do, run, run, run....

Me... not so much...

Agreed, which is exactly why my guys go outside in sets of twos and run and play in the four plus acres, up and down hills, through this darned deep snow, etc.  We (humans) do TWO circuits (and this is done THREE times) of the property and the dogs do MUCH more than that because we are minimizing OUR strenuous exercise (mushing through snow ain't no walk in the park) by throwing balls or frisbees.  So THEY end up doing 5 or 6 times more running than we do walking.  They all get their turn and usually we are out with each set between an hour and a half and two hours.  We don't call them in until THEY head for the doors.
 
There ARE folks tho, and no one who has posted at this point, who get really outraged about those of us who do NOT take our dogs for numerous walks each and every day.  I've been accused of neglecting my dogs.....of having too many to give them proper attention......so I'm a tiny bit sensitive about NOT leashwalking them every day, but honestly, they have a whole lot more fun OFF leash in the fields, or even in the yard.  I'm not going to make them go for leash walks just to make someone ELSE think I take good care of them! [8D]

No wonder you've gotten so skinny, Glenda!

I wish that I didn't have to walk C as much as I do . . . unfortunately, when he's in our fenced backyard he hardly runs around (he's an only dog . I'm trying to teach him how to retrieve but so far it's not working.  I can't let him off leash at a park - I think he would be gone in an instant (not sure if it's the sighthound in him or his age or his curiosity or a combo). Actually, I'm not sure if he would be dart off but I'm afraid to try!.
 
So C settles for a long walk or two per day, daycare twice a week, romps with other doggy friends sporadically, and training. Once I can start running with him I will do that, but he's too young.
 

I disagree too.  If you saw Scout on a walk, he is clearly dissappointed that I do not move at the speed of light like him.  He will do it, but it is not exercise for him and it is not the thing he would enjoy the most doing.  He likes to run as well, out and back to me, out and back. I take him running off leash on some trails in the woods and he probably runs 9 miles to my 3.  That being said, we are active in taking obedience classes(once a week).  So he gets plenty of training on the leash.  And most places around here are not dog friendly expect for petco.  And of course he's on leash in there.  Otherwise he's be at the bird cages pointing like a fool and stirring them all up ;o)

Touche Glenda.  I too hate it when everyone else knows whats best for my dogs!  Just take a look at them!  (still crashed on the floor)  Ya they definately don't get enough exercise.

Oh Scout you are a precious fool!  Poor birdies.  ROFL.

Sofia wants to run run run. I have asthma. This is a conflict!

She does have a strong pulling instinct, and I have a harness for her. I have a sled for her, and with a couple sandbags can probably poop her out pretty good that way, and I think she'll have a blast, and learn to pull for me.

As it is, I take her out on a 100 ft. rope and practice recall and "wait." "Wait" when she is on the rope means "don't go lightspeed, stop where you are because you are going to glug yourself at the end of the rope!"

I don't generally let out all 100 feet of the rope because it gets tangled in all the trees and bushes. She does some very wacky running in circles and bouncing and dog ballet and snow swimming and digging after voles etc. etc. She has a great time. There's also her beloved Rin Tin Tin pose (see avatar) on top of her dog house. She Surveys Her Kingdom.



There are scary loose dogs in my neighborhood, so until either my large boyfiend or my large landlord walks with me, I'm not walking her alone. There is a benefit to walking your own neighborhood, in that if your dog ever runs away from home, they will know the territory and can more easily find their way back. It also makes it less fabulously exciting to run away, because it's already familiar.

Sometimes we walk in town when I have students who don't show up for their lessons.

I hope it will show the pic, not just a link this time. Grrrr.

Oh my gosh jean that sofia is a cutie!  I didn't realize that she was standing on top of her dog house "surveying her kingdom"!  I love it!
 
What you say makes sense about the dogs know thier neighborhood.  Though I can't imagine Scout running away from home. If I even tried to leave him outside by himself, he runs to the back door and whines.  We do go running around the neighborhood though when I can convince myself to put my running shoes on after work....

Thanks for the nice compliments!

How old is Scout? I found that other than Sofia, who has always been a little escape artist (and who is weird in general), that regular dogs run away when then get into the teenaged years (dog teenager, you know, 9 mos to 2 yrs, depending on the breed/s), or as they get older and get bored with their surroundings, and want to "get more territory" (go out and mark), that's when they tend to suddenly decide it's a good time to go exploring.

I've found that if one thing is true, that ALL dogs want to go visit OTHER dogs! So I wouldn't trust Scout to always stay home. He might surprise you!

I'm sure he loves running with you, I wish I could do the same with Sofie. It will take me a long time to work back up to that again.

Jasmine has hated being outside by herself, since day 1.  If I run outside and forget somethng and leave her outside for a moment, she is on the porch waiting for me!  LOL!
 
Jasmine gets backyard time, too, fetching balls, when we can get her too.  She didn't like the uneven snow, for a while, but now the snow is melted.
 
She loves going for walks, but I'm sure I walk too slow for her!  LOL!  She can run FAST, when she wants to.

I'm not skinny....yet.  But with all these dogs to work, gosh, I might just get there one day!![]
 
I truely LOVE getting the dogs out and working with them.  I have as much fun as they do.  I just refuse to drag them out in nasty weather because someone ELSE thinks that I should, because they don't like getting wet and cold anymore than I do.  Although, they ARE better at getting through the snow than this old broad is!
 
And, I'm just gonna have to start mowing the fields once the weeds start to grow.....cuz I don't want ANY of us tromping around with snakes!

Weims are in general more homebodies.  Most of them would rather be with thier people than anything.  That doesn't mean they won't explore.  But from what I understand that normally doesn't happen for a few more years. Scout will be 2 in May. I am aware that at any moment that could change (though we took the ranging male equipment away last year...so he won't get distracted by pretty females). That being said he is never outside without someone present and recall training is a daily task! I don't think you can ever be too safe!
 
BTW, I like your blog!  So how do you live in darkness year-round ;o) And I watched that documentary on Timothy treadwell. It was very interesting and parts were actually funny he was so absurd.  Ultimately its just sad though. --sorry didn't mean to highjack this thread!

I walk mine because they seem to enjoy it.  They like to sniff the mailboxes that other dogs have peed on and just have a look around.  They get a little exercise, but I walk them mainly to expand their world for them.
 
We live in the suburbs, so walking is not a problem, since the roads are not busy. 

There are no dog parks or open areas where I can let gypsy run in safety near us.  We are in a small town and the areas outside of town are all fenced and filled with livestock, so NO running there either. So, Gypsy and I walk at least twice a day during the icky weather and three times in nice weather. Also, she is very much a social butterfly and loves to visit everyone.  This gives her a chance to visit, we work on obedience, and we are able to do breed PR on a daily basis.

I wish we had a small dog park here, but I suspect this is not to be.