Dogs "sabotaging" weight loss.

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Replies

  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    Some of y'all might enjoy this book:

    Following Atticus: Forty-eight High Peaks, One Little Dog, and an Extraordinary Friendship

    Following Atticus is an unforgettable true saga of adventure, friendship, and the unlikeliest of family, as one remarkable animal opens the eyes and heart of a tough-as-nails newspaperman to the world's beauty and its possibilities. Tom Ryan decided to pay tribute to a close friend who died of cancer by attempting to climb all forty-eight of New Hampshire’s four thousand-foot peaks twice in one winter while raising money for charity. Tom was middle-aged, overweight, and acrophobic (a fear of high places).

    It was an adventure of a lifetime, leading Tom and Atticus across hundreds of miles and deep into an enchanting but dangerous winter wonderland. At the heart of the amazing journey was the extraordinary relationship they shared, one that blurred the line between man and dog.

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  • Rocknut53
    Rocknut53 Posts: 1,794 Member
    cbelc2 wrote: »
    There are special walking harnesses that prevent pulling.

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  • Rocknut53
    Rocknut53 Posts: 1,794 Member
    Rocknut53 wrote: »
    cbelc2 wrote: »
    There are special walking harnesses that prevent pulling.

    99v3vkck8484.jpg

    Oops, forgot the name. Pet Safe Easy Walk harness
  • successgal1
    successgal1 Posts: 996 Member
    I think somebody as overreacting by saying 77F can cause heat problems. Maybe, if your dog is drastically overweight or is used to much colder temperatures, or has a coat for much colder temperatures (husky). I'm in Florida, its frequently over 77F, and often with alot of humidity. The Golden Retriever and the Aussie get shaved. 77 is like a normal, comfortable temperature. Even in the heat of summer (90's and so humid you can see fish swimming through the air), they get walks, either early morning or late evening. There's light until 8pm at least in the summer. A half hour walk and then straight in to AC and fresh water, a box fan doesn't hurt for a faster cool down. But the point being a half hour walk is VERY important for the mental stability for some dogs. My husky mix is also a Belgian Malinois mix. Both high energy and need stimulation beyond runs around the yard. All the fetching and whatnot means nothing to the dogs like a half hour walk does.

    "As Cesar Millan, the Dog Whisperer says, "To your dog, your backyard is like a large fish bowl in which they are trapped. Fish swim, birds fly and dogs walk. Having a dog should not be about only fulfilling our human needs, we owe it to our dogs, to give them what THEY instinctually need."

    While this might seem like a daunting daily task, the good news is walking is mentally good for humans, too.

    For a dog to be mentally stable, you as an owner must take your dog for daily walks to release mental and physical energy. The proper way to walk a dog is the dog walking either beside you, or behind you, and never in front of you. This may seem petty in a human's mind, however it means a lot in a dog’s mind. When a human allows a dog to walk in front, they are sending signals to the dog that he is leading the human. Instinct tells a dog that the leader goes first. A lack of exercise allows the buildup of the mental energy which would otherwise be released in a proper walk, and permitting a dog to be pack leader can cause many behavioral problems in a dog—such as, but not limited to, hyper-activity, neurotic and/or obsessive-compulsive behaviors—all of which are signs of a dog that is not mentally stable."

    http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/articles/dogwalk.htm
  • cmarangi
    cmarangi Posts: 131 Member
    Coley88 wrote: »
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    @Coley88 I need to see a photo of your dogs I'm order to give you advice

    They are so cute! My dog thinks I'm dying or something when I'm doing my pushups, sit ups, etc. She gets super concerned. It's hilarious until she paws my face or jumps on me.
  • vivmom2014
    vivmom2014 Posts: 1,649 Member
    "As Cesar Millan, the Dog Whisperer says, "To your dog, your backyard is like a large fish bowl in which they are trapped. Fish swim, birds fly and dogs walk. Having a dog should not be about only fulfilling our human needs, we owe it to our dogs, to give them what THEY instinctually need."

    While this might seem like a daunting daily task, the good news is walking is mentally good for humans, too.

    I wondered if anyone was going to bring up Cesar.

    I'm not a dog owner, but I'm surprised that OP is so defensive and sensitive about people inquiring why her dogs are walked infrequently. She apparently views inquiring as "bashing." ??

  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    vivmom2014 wrote: »
    "As Cesar Millan, the Dog Whisperer says, "To your dog, your backyard is like a large fish bowl in which they are trapped. Fish swim, birds fly and dogs walk. Having a dog should not be about only fulfilling our human needs, we owe it to our dogs, to give them what THEY instinctually need."

    While this might seem like a daunting daily task, the good news is walking is mentally good for humans, too.

    I wondered if anyone was going to bring up Cesar.

    I'm not a dog owner, but I'm surprised that OP is so defensive and sensitive about people inquiring why her dogs are walked infrequently. She apparently views inquiring as "bashing." ??

    I re-read the first two pages and there were definitely posts critical of her walking schedule and one that could certainly be interpreted as bashing.

    I believe that when someone is defensive, the opportunity for communication is lost, so prefer to use "I" statements rather than criticizing.
  • DBL_IronDog
    DBL_IronDog Posts: 115 Member
    Aw I love dogs so much! I have three and they make everything more fun!
  • emmaprocopiou
    emmaprocopiou Posts: 246 Member
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    This is my 'baby ' Khan the Chow Chow. He s my walking buddy but as you can see this is his favourite pass time.
  • I_Will_End_You
    I_Will_End_You Posts: 4,397 Member
    You can add me to the list of "irresponsible pet owners" who don't walk their dog frequently enough. Spring, summer and fall I walk him every morning and evening. We go hiking, to the park, to creeks to take him swimming, and on group dog walks with the rescue we got him from. In the winter? Heck no! I don't go outside when it's cold out. So except for the odd warm day, and the week after my daughter bought him a Chewbacca hoodie and wanted to show it off, he's hanging out in the house and yard. Sorry not sorry. If you asked him if he'd prefer to go back to the dumpster he was found in, the shelter he was in after that, or stay with a family who doesn't walk him when he's cold, I'm sure he'd stay with us.


    Oh hi.
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  • KittyHeaven74
    KittyHeaven74 Posts: 68 Member
    Heh, try having cats. ;-) Talk about brats! But of course, they think they're helping ...
  • murph155
    murph155 Posts: 116 Member
    My dog makes me fat because he's the devil. See?

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  • lindaloo1213
    lindaloo1213 Posts: 283 Member
    My dog will lick me relentlessly if I try to do any ab exercises on the floor. Planks? No way. Lol.
  • blues4miles
    blues4miles Posts: 1,481 Member
    Heh, try having cats. ;-) Talk about brats! But of course, they think they're helping ...

    Cats are always helping! Mine insists upon getting her treat as soon as I walk in the door (obviously so that I'll have more time to think about my own dinner and make the right choices). She also knows petting her while I'm planking is a good stretch for me. AND, she knows getting enough sleep is important. If it's late at night sometimes she'll just start loudly meowing at us like she's yelling, 'bed time guys!'
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    You can add me to the list of "irresponsible pet owners" who don't walk their dog frequently enough. Spring, summer and fall I walk him every morning and evening. We go hiking, to the park, to creeks to take him swimming, and on group dog walks with the rescue we got him from. In the winter? Heck no! I don't go outside when it's cold out. So except for the odd warm day, and the week after my daughter bought him a Chewbacca hoodie and wanted to show it off, he's hanging out in the house and yard. Sorry not sorry. If you asked him if he'd prefer to go back to the dumpster he was found in, the shelter he was in after that, or stay with a family who doesn't walk him when he's cold, I'm sure he'd stay with us.

    I loathed the Florida summers and still walked my dog twice per day. After he passed away, I no longer walked in the summer, because then it was all about me. But when he was in the picture, I did it for him despite personally wanting to be in the AC.
  • Rachel0778
    Rachel0778 Posts: 1,701 Member
    You can add me to the list of "irresponsible pet owners" who don't walk their dog frequently enough. Spring, summer and fall I walk him every morning and evening. We go hiking, to the park, to creeks to take him swimming, and on group dog walks with the rescue we got him from. In the winter? Heck no! I don't go outside when it's cold out. So except for the odd warm day, and the week after my daughter bought him a Chewbacca hoodie and wanted to show it off, he's hanging out in the house and yard. Sorry not sorry. If you asked him if he'd prefer to go back to the dumpster he was found in, the shelter he was in after that, or stay with a family who doesn't walk him when he's cold, I'm sure he'd stay with us.


    Oh hi.
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    He is so adorable!!!
  • ceckhardt369
    ceckhardt369 Posts: 115 Member
    edited February 2016
    This is typically where my boy is when I'm doing yoga lol. He learned to not sit all the way on the mat when I was practicing handstand and landed on him!! Gotta love their need to be close! The other two typically stay away while I'm working out and most of my equipment is in the basement so the only time they are around is when I do yoga upstairs.

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  • I_Will_End_You
    I_Will_End_You Posts: 4,397 Member
    edited February 2016
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    You can add me to the list of "irresponsible pet owners" who don't walk their dog frequently enough. Spring, summer and fall I walk him every morning and evening. We go hiking, to the park, to creeks to take him swimming, and on group dog walks with the rescue we got him from. In the winter? Heck no! I don't go outside when it's cold out. So except for the odd warm day, and the week after my daughter bought him a Chewbacca hoodie and wanted to show it off, he's hanging out in the house and yard. Sorry not sorry. If you asked him if he'd prefer to go back to the dumpster he was found in, the shelter he was in after that, or stay with a family who doesn't walk him when he's cold, I'm sure he'd stay with us.

    I loathed the Florida summers and still walked my dog twice per day. After he passed away, I no longer walked in the summer, because then it was all about me. But when he was in the picture, I did it for him despite personally wanting to be in the AC.

    Good for you, I'm not that unselfish.

    Rachel0778 wrote: »
    You can add me to the list of "irresponsible pet owners" who don't walk their dog frequently enough. Spring, summer and fall I walk him every morning and evening. We go hiking, to the park, to creeks to take him swimming, and on group dog walks with the rescue we got him from. In the winter? Heck no! I don't go outside when it's cold out. So except for the odd warm day, and the week after my daughter bought him a Chewbacca hoodie and wanted to show it off, he's hanging out in the house and yard. Sorry not sorry. If you asked him if he'd prefer to go back to the dumpster he was found in, the shelter he was in after that, or stay with a family who doesn't walk him when he's cold, I'm sure he'd stay with us.


    Oh hi.
    ed2ce212-784d-4910-905f-7f96c3ddaeed.jpg

    He is so adorable!!!

    Thanks!
  • VegasFit
    VegasFit Posts: 1,232 Member
    You can add me to the list of "irresponsible pet owners" who don't walk their dog frequently enough. Spring, summer and fall I walk him every morning and evening. We go hiking, to the park, to creeks to take him swimming, and on group dog walks with the rescue we got him from. In the winter? Heck no! I don't go outside when it's cold out. So except for the odd warm day, and the week after my daughter bought him a Chewbacca hoodie and wanted to show it off, he's hanging out in the house and yard. Sorry not sorry. If you asked him if he'd prefer to go back to the dumpster he was found in, the shelter he was in after that, or stay with a family who doesn't walk him when he's cold, I'm sure he'd stay with us.


    Oh hi.
    ed2ce212-784d-4910-905f-7f96c3ddaeed.jpg


    This ^^^^^^. I was reading some of these comments like who the heck has time to walk a dog 3-4 times a day. Lol. My four dogs get lots of love and attention but daily walks, nope. They are all rescues too.

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  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    All the fetching and whatnot means nothing to the dogs like a half hour walk does.

    "As Cesar Millan, the Dog Whisperer says, "To your dog, your backyard is like a large fish bowl in which they are trapped. Fish swim, birds fly and dogs walk. Having a dog should not be about only fulfilling our human needs, we owe it to our dogs, to give them what THEY instinctually need."

    This is the most spot on way I've ever seen it explained :+1:

    My conscience gets the better of me if I don't walk them everyday.
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