The First Annual "Get Off Your Butt and Walk Your Dog" Thread - Post your stats!

[kval07]

I've mentioned it elsewhere on the board, and I think it every time I walk my dogs and see other dogs cooped up: Dogs need to be walked on a regular basis. Not only is it good for you, it is also good for your dog! Big or small, active or a bump on a log, all dogs need regular exercise. It helps combat boredom and in turn, it can help prevent bad behaviors (chewing, whining, pottying on the floor, etc). Work, kids and all that other stuff are not excuses to neglect walking your dog! My dogs get walked around the block late at night since that is the only time I can walk them due to my work schedule.

When I walk my dogs, it makes me sad to see big huge dogs chained outside in a little itty bitty yard. That is not exercise! It makes me sad to see all the dogs looking out the window who I've never seen outside at all. Dogs need to get out and explore the world, pee on new things, and sniff something every two feet.

When I lived in an apartment, they needed to go outside numerous times throughout the day to go to the bathroom. Guess who had to haul their butt out there in the rain, snow, sleet, ice, blizzard, humidity, triple digit and single digit weather, morning, noon, night and wee hours to walk them? That'd be me!

So that is what this thread is designed for: helping you stay motivated to walk your dogs!

I pledge five days a week minimum, though I already do 6-7 days a week. Sometimes I get a lazy day where I'm too tired. I will walk my dogs around the block every day, which normally takes about 20 minutes. When the weather is nicer, we will expand our horizons and walk a little further in to new territory.

So, are ya going to join? How many days a week will you pledge to, minimum? And where are you going to walk?


PS: It doesn't have to be you who does the walking either! It can be one of your kids, your hubby, or even the kid next door. The main thing is that your dog gets the exercise he/she needs!

[VivaciousJewelz]

Awww, Krystle, what a great challenge! My roommate has a dog (a black lab) and she's not walked that often. How much of a walk should the average dog get at one time? I might start walking her dog if only for the exercise aspect of it (even though I hate cold!)

[kval07]

I don't know of a set length or time. You could gauge it by when she starts to pant a lot or looks tired. If she isn't walked often, you will have to build up to greater lengths. How much does the dog weigh, how old is she and what kind of shape is she in? Maybe someone can give you an idea of how far they walk their dog.

One thing I do recommend, depending on where you live and where you will be walking your dog, is Musher's Secret. You can only find it at select stores. I use it in the winter for snow/ice/salt and in the summer for the hot pavement. It was developed for sledding dogs. I know when my dogs need more because when they go out in the snow, they'll lift their paws up because it is too cold. It is made of natural waxes that protect their little paws.

[VivaciousJewelz]

Hmmm, she is 9 years old I think and weighs average? I dunno, she's not fat, but she's a lab, so they're big, maybe... 30 lbs? And I've lived here... 5 months and they've only walked her 10 times or so.

[farmergirl]

Hi, I agree completely!!! My chihuahuas are not going for walks per se cuz chi's, snow, and 20F (before wind chill) is a bit much. My middle chi, 1 yr old Dizzy still races circles in the front yard (2 acres?) and if it's not tooooooo bad I'll let Obie (4 month old longhair chi) race with her for a couple minutes. Rotterman (Angelbaby 10yrs) does go for walks with me almost every day and Chi's do go when weather is alot better.

I should probably add that I live in the country on 26 acres and all my dogs are inside dogs who are allowed out whenever they want.......

[brokenangel]

Hmmmm.... I'm going to join and say 3 days a week. I have a huge fenced yard and the dogs run around chasing each other. I can't walk them together until Abby is better leash trained. We do the dog park but in this cold it is usually empty.

My Abby girl, 7 yr old Newfie who weighs in at 166lbs, could stand to loose a few pounds. She does better off a leash than on, she knows who her people are so she doesn't run. She likes to pull me until she wears out. I've tried training her but she is stubborn and STRONG! I did buy a Gentle Leader for her that I am going to try. Any ideas for training her are welcome.

Zeus, my new baby. He is a 14 month old Greater Swiss Mountain Dog and he is about 110lbs. Zeus is a well mannered dog and very well leash trained. I haven't tested him off his leash, his previous owners said he wont run but she had total control over him. Trained him extremly well.

[Doglover8180]

Great idea! I will definately join! I pledge to 4 days a week but will try to work up to more. But I want a reachable goal so I will start with 4. I have a retriever as well - I would say your lab, needs a good 30 minute walk (they can go for longer than little dogs and they really need the excercise). My uncle is a vet and he always says, when a dog goes on a walk - for them it is like reading the newspaper, their sniffing is their way of knowing what is going on in the neighborhood that day, what has happened, it's what keeps them in the loop and I have been worried that my dog is depressed lately... she has a backyard but really likes interacction with others (especially dogs) I also pledge to try and arrange a doggie date for her atleast once a week so that she can socialize with other dogs... I want to nip my dog's depression (if that is even what it is) in the bud! So that is my 2011 dog walking pledge :)

I plan to turn this into a happy dog:

[kval07]

Hmmmm.... I'm going to join and say 3 days a week. I have a huge fenced yard and the dogs run around chasing each other. I can't walk them together until Abby is better leash trained. We do the dog park but in this cold it is usually empty.

My Abby girl, 7 yr old Newfie who weighs in at 166lbs, could stand to loose a few pounds. She does better off a leash than on, she knows who her people are so she doesn't run. She likes to pull me until she wears out. I've tried training her but she is stubborn and STRONG! I did buy a Gentle Leader for her that I am going to try. Any ideas for training her are welcome.

Zeus, my new baby. He is a 14 month old Greater Swiss Mountain Dog and he is about 110lbs. Zeus is a well mannered dog and very well leash trained. I haven't tested him off his leash, his previous owners said he wont run but she had total control over him. Trained him extremly well.

I have heard great things about the gentle leader, but I haven't had much luck with it. Chester, my yorkie, does fine on any old leash. But Roscoe, my other one, he's a little brat. He's a super hyper dog that chokes himself when he walks by pulling so hard and trying to out run the length of the leash. I'd have the gentle leader on him and he'd go running and whip himself around. It was completely useless on him. It is supposed to make dogs self-correct, but Roscoe is not the smartest dog by any means. I gave up and as long as he's attached to a leash, I don't really care what he does.

[Doglover8180]

I feel guilty for skipping walking my dog today - especially after just joining this - tomorrow - tomorrow is my day - I will start!

[kval07]

I feel guilty for skipping walking my dog today - especially after just joining this - tomorrow - tomorrow is my day - I will start!

That's okay. This starts January 1st, so let me update the OP!