Do you always take your dog with you when you go for a walk?

[Puppmom]

Dog owners - when you go for a stroll through the neighborhood do you always bring the dog(s)? I do - I feel tremendous guilt if I don't bring the dog!

Don't get me wrong - we go lots of places without the dog but, if we're just headed out to walk the baby or get some fresh air, Hollis is always in tow. It just doesn't feel right to go without him.

 

[Tanzigrrl]

Re: Do you always take your dog with you when you go for a w

On weekends - yes. However, DH and I are currently into walking for exercise and so weeknights we tend to go alone, unless we're heading toward the door and our dog gives us "the look" and cons us into taking him along too. We enjoy walking him, but he's 9 years old so exercise-walking isn't really an option with him. Sometimes he "milks it" and makes my DH carry him a few blocks.

 

[kenny]

Re: Do you always take your dog with you when you go for a w

Yes, two dogs and a parrot.

 

[Haven]

Re: Do you always take your dog with you when you go for a w

Dog owners - when you go for a stroll through the neighborhood do you always bring the dog(s)? I do - I feel tremendous guilt if I don't bring the dog!

Don't get me wrong - we go lots of places without the dog but, if we're just headed out to walk the baby or get some fresh air, Hollis is always in tow. It just doesn't feel right to go without him.

We do the same thing!

We walk our dogs for about a half hour every morning and every evening, but if we ever want to go for an extra stroll, we take the dogs. Seeing their little faces in the window when we walk away would be too much for me!

Heck, DH drove 12 hours to visit me in NC this summer and brought the dogs with him. We went hiking together all weekend. (Well, the Shih Tzu spent most of the hiking time in his carrier, but he's an old guy and doesn't exactly hike.)

 

[NewEnglandLady]

Re: Do you always take your dog with you when you go for a w

I actually had to think about this. I don't think we've gone on a stroll without a dog since we got Byron 7 years ago, unless you count times when we are on vacation without the dogs.

 

[Puppmom]

Re: Do you always take your dog with you when you go for a w

Glad to know I'm not alone! I do enjoy my boy's company - except when he's diving for a slim jim or popcorn left over from the previous night's First Friday block party. I'm not one of those people that think my dog wants to go to Walmart and wait in the car or the flea market or the craft fair. I think he would prefer to be on the couch to all of those things but he's just so happy when he's walking through the 'hood. I just can't deny him that joy!

 

[calibali]

Re: Do you always take your dog with you when you go for a w

Of course! Our crazy Vizsla simply cannot get enough exercise and he loves to be outdoors (to point all the birds), so we make sure he gets out every chance he can.

What kind of dog is Hollis? I love pups.

 

[Puppmom]

Re: Do you always take your dog with you when you go for a w

Hollis is a Rhodesian Ridgeback...often mistaken for a Viszla by the average passerby.

 

[calibali]

Re: Do you always take your dog with you when you go for a w

Oh, I love Rhodesian Ridgebacks - they kind of do look like a bigger version of a Vizsla. It's funny that you say he is mistaken for a Vizsla. It seems like no one knows what a Vizsla is where I live and everyone always asks if our boy is a RR (it also doesn't help that there is a RR a couple houses down from me). I bet your boy is quite popular on walks because that really is a beautiful breed!

 

[junebug17]

Re: Do you always take your dog with you when you go for a w

I lost my boy back in January, but I would always take him with me on a walk. He was a lab and really needed the exercise, and going for a walk was his greatest joy in life. He just loved going for walks. I'm glad now I walked him every day, even in cold weather when I really had to force myself. The thing is, I can't bring myself to walk around the neighborhood without him , so these days I stick with the treadmill.

 

[Joolz]

Re: Do you always take your dog with you when you go for a w

I have 2 Vizslas Cali! Two girls, one turned 9 last week, the other will be 9 in January. And yes, they walk everywhere with me! But only now are they starting to get sore after long hikes and we have been mountain biking lately and have to take it easy on them.

 

[davi_el_mejor]

Re: Do you always take your dog with you when you go for a w

the dogs are the only reason I'd take a walk around my neighborhood LOL

 

[Jennifer W]

Re: Do you always take your dog with you when you go for a w

Not very often these days. The dog is an old, old lady - she can't really walk very far, especially on concrete pavements and cobblestones. We walk her mostly on grass and beaches these days. She isn't up for a trek round the village at all anymore.

 

[ChloeTheGreat]

Re: Do you always take your dog with you when you go for a w

Absolutely! My dog is the reason I go on walks at all. We run together too. I don't enjoy going for a jog unless my 4-legged workout buddy is with me.

 

[calibali]

Re: Do you always take your dog with you when you go for a w

I have 2 Vizslas Cali! Two girls, one turned 9 last week, the other will be 9 in January. And yes, they walk everywhere with me! But only now are they starting to get sore after long hikes and we have been mountain biking lately and have to take it easy on them.

2 girls the same age, that must have been crazy for awhile! I love how Vizslas are absolutely insane and it takes until they are 9 to slow down, and even then it's only a little...

Completely off topic, but did you do any competitions with your Viszlas? My pup is going for his JH this weekend (he's only 8 months).

 

[amc80]

Re: Do you always take your dog with you when you go for a w

Nope. We have two English Bulldogs. Physical stamina is not the breed's strongpoint. We would end up carrying the dogs after 1/8 of a mile or so.

 

[tigian]

Re: Do you always take your dog with you when you go for a w

I always take both our dogs when I run or walk. My husband usually takes the faster dog when he goes for runs since our lab/pit is kinda slow (like me )
I would feel too guilty not taking them since they get soooo excited when I'm putting my exercise clothes on. Plus, I feel safer when they are with me even though they are big scaredy cats.
They are also always included when we do outdoor things such as going to the beach, hiking, etc. They are our kids!

 

[Joolz]

Re: Do you always take your dog with you when you go for a w

I have 2 Vizslas Cali! Two girls, one turned 9 last week, the other will be 9 in January. And yes, they walk everywhere with me! But only now are they starting to get sore after long hikes and we have been mountain biking lately and have to take it easy on them.

2 girls the same age, that must have been crazy for awhile! I love how Vizslas are absolutely insane and it takes until they are 9 to slow down, and even then it's only a little...

Completely off topic, but did you do any competitions with your Viszlas? My pup is going for his JH this weekend (he's only 8 months).

Haha. They have two speeds: fast and stopped. We brought one of our dogs to a hunt test when she was about 7 or 8 months, where she didn't really understand the etiquette, she stole her running mate's bird! We adopted the 2nd dog when she was three and we briefly got interested in training them on birds again, but kind of fell out of it. The obedience portion wasn't our strong suit!

Good luck to you and your pup this weekend!

 

[kathsmith81]

Re: Do you always take your dog with you when you go for a w

I love Rhodesian Ridgebacks

 

[soocool]

Re: Do you always take your dog with you when you go for a w

DH and I always take our dog when we go for a walk. When he sees us putting our sneakers on, he'll grab his leash and drops it on our feet.

He also hangs outside with us when we garden. He's great at pointing out the dandelions and finding the mole tunnels (sometimes he'll even get rid of those pesky moles!),

 

[Puppmom]

Re: Do you always take your dog with you when you go for a w

Nope. We have two English Bulldogs. Physical stamina is not the breed's strongpoint. We would end up carrying the dogs after 1/8 of a mile or so.

Over the winter, DH was walking the dog and some rock salt got in the pads on his paws. There's no way our precious baby could walk around like that. I was standing on the front porch and saw DH round the corner carrying our 90lb dog! For reference, DH weighs about 145lbs.

When we first trained Hollis that there was no pulling on the leash, we were so proud. But Hollis is smart and figured out he could be in control by refusing to walk. He eventually grew out of it but man does it suck when you're half a mile from home and your dog plants himself in the middle of the sidewalk and stares at you as if to say, "What are you gonna do about it?"

 

[maplefemme]

Re: Do you always take your dog with you when you go for a w

Nope. We have two English Bulldogs. Physical stamina is not the breed's strongpoint. We would end up carrying the dogs after 1/8 of a mile or so.

Over the winter, DH was walking the dog and some rock salt got in the pads on his paws. There's no way our precious baby could walk around like that. I was standing on the front porch and saw DH round the corner carrying our 90lb dog! For reference, DH weighs about 145lbs.

When we first trained Hollis that there was no pulling on the leash, we were so proud. But Hollis is smart and figured out he could be in control by refusing to walk. He eventually grew out of it but man does it suck when you're half a mile from home and your dog plants himself in the middle of the sidewalk and stares at you as if to say, "What are you gonna do about it?"

Muttluks are great for this, our dogs are 130lbs and 140lbs respectively, definitely not an option to carry them! People salt their paths around here and these work great, also good for long walks in -30 degrees so their feet don't get frostbite.

Puppmom, that's too bad, back in the day this was not the case. Ken Mollett's efforts to bring them back to their former glory is quite something. We are once again seeing natural whelping and improved endurance in Victorians.
I love English Bulldogs, it's a great direction for the breed

 

[JewelFreak]

Re: Do you always take your dog with you when you go for a w

the dogs are the only reason I'd take a walk around my neighborhood LOL

Ditto! I always take at least one of them. Siberians need a ton of exercise & stimulation anyway, keeps 'em from climbing the walls. Or eating the furniture, chewing on the cats, howling in the middle of my favorite tv program.

My old boy LOVES to ride in the car; he'd move in & live there if I let him, so he comes on errands too, if they're short & the weather not too hot to leave him in the car for 10 minutes. He gets a fan club wherever he goes, so sweet & beautiful.

--- Laurie

 

[tigian]

Re: Do you always take your dog with you when you go for a w

the dogs are the only reason I'd take a walk around my neighborhood LOL

Ditto! I always take at least one of them. Siberians need a ton of exercise & stimulation anyway, keeps 'em from climbing the walls. Or eating the furniture, chewing on the cats, howling in the middle of my favorite tv program.

My old boy LOVES to ride in the car; he'd move in & live there if I let him, so he comes on errands too, if they're short & the weather not too hot to leave him in the car for 10 minutes. He gets a fan club wherever he goes, so sweet & beautiful.

--- Laurie

He's absolutely gorgeous! No wonder he has a fan club.

 

[Haven]

Re: Do you always take your dog with you when you go for a w

Nope. We have two English Bulldogs. Physical stamina is not the breed's strongpoint. We would end up carrying the dogs after 1/8 of a mile or so.

I love English Bulldogs. They are just the funniest dogs to watch, and so darn smushable.
We were in the local pet store the other day and this guy came in with a huge English Bulldog. The owner was short, squat, and, well, he had rolls of skin. Looked exactly like that bulldog, it was hilarious!

 

[Haven]

Re: Do you always take your dog with you when you go for a w

the dogs are the only reason I'd take a walk around my neighborhood LOL

Ditto! I always take at least one of them. Siberians need a ton of exercise & stimulation anyway, keeps 'em from climbing the walls. Or eating the furniture, chewing on the cats, howling in the middle of my favorite tv program.

My old boy LOVES to ride in the car; he'd move in & live there if I let him, so he comes on errands too, if they're short & the weather not too hot to leave him in the car for 10 minutes. He gets a fan club wherever he goes, so sweet & beautiful.

--- Laurie

Oh, what a face! He looks like he's smiling!
I just want to bury my head in that fur. Gorgeous boy.

 

[Matata]

Re: Do you always take your dog with you when you go for a w

Errr, well, we always take him with us, but he isn't a canine...

 

[LJL]

Re: Do you always take your dog with you when you go for a w

JewelFreak - your boy is beautiful. I have a couple huskies myself and my girl wont let us do ANYTHING without her. The other is just a puppy and isnt great at the collar thing yet... Can't imagine not taking my girl on errands, nevermind going on a walk without her - she would give us *that look*.

Here she is tagging along!