How Far / Often Do You Walk Your Dog?
Discussion
My wife and I alternate morning and afternoon dog walks. He generally chooses where we go, but on a 'normal' day, each walk is one to one-and-a-half hours.
Talking last night, it seems we both tend to see the same other dog walkers in pretty-much the same place each time, so my assumption was that they don't walk their dogs very far. My wife pointed out that they also see us in the same place each time, so they could reach the same conclusion about us.
Our neighbour used to walk her dog once a week, and I know a woman who walks her two King Charles spaniels down the middle of the road until one of them s
ts, and then she takes them home again.
Our dog is reactive and, whilst he wants to be friends with other dogs, he kicks off if we get too close, so I can't ask any of these other dog walkers about their routines. The only friends we have with dogs are into bike joring and hill running, so they're outliers.
So how far/long/often do you walk your dog on a 'normal' day?
Talking last night, it seems we both tend to see the same other dog walkers in pretty-much the same place each time, so my assumption was that they don't walk their dogs very far. My wife pointed out that they also see us in the same place each time, so they could reach the same conclusion about us.
Our neighbour used to walk her dog once a week, and I know a woman who walks her two King Charles spaniels down the middle of the road until one of them s
ts, and then she takes them home again.Our dog is reactive and, whilst he wants to be friends with other dogs, he kicks off if we get too close, so I can't ask any of these other dog walkers about their routines. The only friends we have with dogs are into bike joring and hill running, so they're outliers.
So how far/long/often do you walk your dog on a 'normal' day?
Our NSDTR goes out twice a day. Wife takes her out in the morning (around 30 mins) and I take her out in the evenings for about 40 mins ish. We try to do different routes so everything is a bit different each time but there's only so many routes you can do! She'll get at least 1.5-2 hours at the weekend though and goes to training for 2 hours on a weds evening. I do find that if you walk the dog further it just becomes fitter so we try and mix normal exercise with more mental stimulation too (searching for scents, some basic traing while out on walks)
I have two Yorkies, they don't need much in the way of exercise.
We go out several times a day for short 15-20 minute walkies; first thing 06.00, tea time 17.30 and bedtime 20.00.
Weekends usually go out at lunchtime too, plus the occasional trek into town via the long route which may take an hour.
They'll be ten years old in ten days, but they're not slowing down too much just yet.
We go out several times a day for short 15-20 minute walkies; first thing 06.00, tea time 17.30 and bedtime 20.00.
Weekends usually go out at lunchtime too, plus the occasional trek into town via the long route which may take an hour.
They'll be ten years old in ten days, but they're not slowing down too much just yet.
All our dogs over the last 40 years have a minimum of an hour in the morning and 45 min walk in the evening, once fully grown. Motto: A happy dog is a tired dog!
Our wire haired vizsla who is almost 4 takes all this in her stride easily, as have our previous dogs. As they have aged walks become slightly slower/ shorter routes. Once fed on return our current one usually crashes out for a few hours. Her interactions with other dogs helps to wear her out. We tend to walk the same/ similar routes and therefore there are other dogs who she will interact with regularly. Yes it is a bit time consuming but she appears to enjoy the sociability of meeting her “mates”.
Our wire haired vizsla who is almost 4 takes all this in her stride easily, as have our previous dogs. As they have aged walks become slightly slower/ shorter routes. Once fed on return our current one usually crashes out for a few hours. Her interactions with other dogs helps to wear her out. We tend to walk the same/ similar routes and therefore there are other dogs who she will interact with regularly. Yes it is a bit time consuming but she appears to enjoy the sociability of meeting her “mates”.
Our two Saluki crosses are lucky enough to have an acre or so of deer fenced garden to rumble about in so are perfectly happy with no "walk" at all but I tend to do a ~2 hour loop up and over and a local hill 3 or 4 times a week with them. The youngest absolutely loves running next to a bike so he also gets the odd trip out with the mountain bike.
They're both very chilled (or asleep) in the house and are lean and visibly well muscled so I think that's plenty!
They're both very chilled (or asleep) in the house and are lean and visibly well muscled so I think that's plenty!
Curlyvizsla said:
All our dogs over the last 40 years have a minimum of an hour in the morning and 45 min walk in the evening, once fully grown. Motto: A happy dog is a tired dog!
Our wire haired vizsla who is almost 4 takes all this in her stride easily, as have our previous dogs. As they have aged walks become slightly slower/ shorter routes. Once fed on return our current one usually crashes out for a few hours. Her interactions with other dogs helps to wear her out. We tend to walk the same/ similar routes and therefore there are other dogs who she will interact with regularly. Yes it is a bit time consuming but she appears to enjoy the sociability of meeting her “mates”.
We have 2 x WHVs. 7 & 5 now.Our wire haired vizsla who is almost 4 takes all this in her stride easily, as have our previous dogs. As they have aged walks become slightly slower/ shorter routes. Once fed on return our current one usually crashes out for a few hours. Her interactions with other dogs helps to wear her out. We tend to walk the same/ similar routes and therefore there are other dogs who she will interact with regularly. Yes it is a bit time consuming but she appears to enjoy the sociability of meeting her “mates”.
They get an hour + in the woods in the morning and then (as you know) like to curl up and just be with us. Seems to work for them
Usually hour to 1.5hrs in the morning depending on what time I get up, and evenings 1-2hrs in the summer and 30-45minutes in the winter for our Labrador, most owners that we see seem to do similar as they're more often than not retired.
Will usually do retrieval training in the park a few times a week which tires her out much more than just a sniffing walk.
Will usually do retrieval training in the park a few times a week which tires her out much more than just a sniffing walk.
In the week our Westie has 30 mins in the morning at about 06.30 and another in the afternoon at 16.00, with occasionally another after tea (I'm from the North) at about 18.30. At the weekend we will normally have an extra hour long walk somewhere off lead. We don't tend to walk very far though, as he is very slow and spends most of the time sniffing things. He is 14 now, but he has always been the same even when he was a puppy. It is a standing joke locally, as every other dog walker passes us and often comes back past again later on 
fiatpower said:
I have possibly the laziest Golden Retriever going. We walk her for an hour or so in the evening. We tried to walk her in the morning too but she just refused to get up. Even in the evening we have to drag her out of the door. She's ok when outside but it's a battle to get her out!
Our retreiver was the same for a long time, and the word 'walk' doesnt excite him that much, whearas previous two retreivers it would massively. He loves it once he's out though. Usually 30-45mins in the morning and around 1-1.5hr evening.
I walk Shelby our 5 year old Cairn Terrier about an hour a day in the week and longer at weekends - normally hour to the pub, then back again !
she's off the lead the whole time though so running around and back and forth past me as well, so probably does about the double the actual distance (3/4 miles) pending what direction I have gone in
we are pretty rural though so that helps a lot !
we are very lucky with her, if I'm busy and she doesnt go out she sleeps, If I go for a day long trek she's keen as well
laziest active dog I have ever known
she's off the lead the whole time though so running around and back and forth past me as well, so probably does about the double the actual distance (3/4 miles) pending what direction I have gone in
we are pretty rural though so that helps a lot !
we are very lucky with her, if I'm busy and she doesnt go out she sleeps, If I go for a day long trek she's keen as well
laziest active dog I have ever known
fiatpower said:
I have possibly the laziest Golden Retriever going. We walk her for an hour or so in the evening. We tried to walk her in the morning too but she just refused to get up. Even in the evening we have to drag her out of the door. She's ok when outside but it's a battle to get her out!
HAHA, Puck is getting more like this and tries to head back into her little home under the stairs if you're not quick when putting your boots on. loves it once she's out but she's not a morning dog. It's good though as when you cant be bothered you know you don't need to take her out. ie yesterday I wasn't very well and my wife was in the office so we spent most of the day together on the sofa sleeping.Think this has been driven as she hasn't had a specific routine since she came home with us as a puppy being dragged here there and everywhere at different times of the day means she gets sleep when she can and doesn't sit whining for food at certain times of the day.
Juan B said:
fiatpower said:
I have possibly the laziest Golden Retriever going. We walk her for an hour or so in the evening. We tried to walk her in the morning too but she just refused to get up. Even in the evening we have to drag her out of the door. She's ok when outside but it's a battle to get her out!
Our retreiver was the same for a long time, and the word 'walk' doesnt excite him that much, whearas previous two retreivers it would massively. He loves it once he's out though. Usually 30-45mins in the morning and around 1-1.5hr evening.
At other times she's happy with a 90 min walk.
We've got a bulldog and a pug that do 1.5-2hrs most mornings in the hills.
Once a week or so the pug will just hide and basically refuse to go. Tonight she didn't even want to go for a pre-bed wee so I had to pick her up to get her outside.
The bull dog will sleep all day but if you get his lead he wants to be out and he's non-stop.
They also don't mind a proper duvet day, so if we miss a day here or there they are happy to spend the day snoring and farting.
Once a week or so the pug will just hide and basically refuse to go. Tonight she didn't even want to go for a pre-bed wee so I had to pick her up to get her outside.
The bull dog will sleep all day but if you get his lead he wants to be out and he's non-stop.
They also don't mind a proper duvet day, so if we miss a day here or there they are happy to spend the day snoring and farting.
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