Dog Lovers! Is Your Dog an Exercise Motivator?

I usually walk everyday and my dog goes along with me because he LOVES to go for walks. It's his true joy in life. The only time he acts excited about anything is when he gets to go. Lately I've had to sneak out of the house because my longer runs are too much for my 7 year old GSP. I have to make sure all my clothes/shoes/sun block are in my bedroom and I dress very quietly before sneaking out my window. He's fine on walks but if we go for too long, he'll be stiff and develop a limp for the rest of the day. So he goes with me on walks but my runs are now out.

So he motivates me to walk but he's a bit de-motivational for my runs because if I don't sneak out, he will sulk, literally sulk by sleeping in rooms I'm not in as opposed to always being at my side, around the house for hours after I return if he sees me leave without him.

Note: He's always off lease on walks and runs because I live in the boonies and have permission from all the neighbors within a 10 mile radius to have him loose. He has no interest in livestock or cats and we don't run on roads (all trail running). So my 2 mile walk is roughly 10-12 miles of running for him and a run of any length is just too much for his joints.

If there is anyone lazier than me, it's my dog. I used to take him running with me and he'd lie down on the sidewalk.

Mine does that on walks. :laugh: He'll go about 1/2 mile and then he'll just lie down and refuse to move.

If there is anyone lazier than me, it's my dog. I used to take him running with me and he'd lie down on the sidewalk.

Mine does that on walks. :laugh: He'll go about 1/2 mile and then he'll just lie down and refuse to move.

I have a pug and she does the same thing. Hates going for walks.

Our doberman, on the other hand. really loves it.

We have a lake near my house and I like to walk to the lake and back with one of the dogs (it's exactly one mile to do that). The doberman likes it better, but my pug needs to lose some weight so sometimes she goes whether she wants to or not. (but we have a long rest at the lake if I take the pug, so she can get some water and rest her tired little legs.)

Ran with her for years, did not even need a leash would stay right by my side. She developed hip arthritis, could no longer handle running and I gained weight and joined MFP.

No really. I used to run with my husky when she was my only dog back in the day. But now I also have a big german shepherd so walking both of them is a chore. And i definitely can't run with both of them because the GSD is too lazy. When I walk them I'm getting some exercise of course but sometimes it gets in the way of other exercise like running.

Hey! A forum post I can actually comment on!

That's a firm 'yes!' from me. I have to walk my dog, and then I also volunteer with a local rescue, so I take their dogs for walks as well. That's when I first started to lose weight, actually. When you have a hyperactive Husky cooped up in a kennel all day, you tend to ignore your own laziness to help them unwind. Bonus if the dog tends to be reactive, and then you have several unexpected weight training sessions built in! I both love and hate the mailman for that.

Plus, I had to put my own dog on a diet as well. So walking for his health helped to improve mine. No running, though. I also have one of those 'rocks on a leash' when it comes to anything more than a nice casual stroll around the neighborhood. (Another one of those cases where 'dog reflects the owner' I think!)

I have a Shih Tzu puppy and she LOVES to walk. Almost everyone in my neighborhood has a dog in their backyard and my little girl Daisy has many friends she talks to on our routes. She's so cute! She definitely keeps me getting up at 5:45 AM to take her out for her walk. She loves routine and if I'm late she is very anxious. In fact a couple days ago she was on my bed and I wasn't up yet and she got so anxious she threw up. So I get up like clockwork every morning. If I'm sick or something I feel terribly guilty because she gets very sad and then we have to play lots of catch and tug of war. My whole family walks her every night after dinner. It's such great exercise and quality time together!

My dog is a Goldendoodle. He walks 5 miles with me when we walk. The only challenge walking him is his obsession with squirrels. I find I have to watch them too or he will catch me off guard trying to chase them.

My dog is too lazy. He gets exctied when I put his leash on, but before we are to the sidewalk he's laying down, trying to sleep. LOL