Does having a dog make/keep you more active?

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  • jijijay
    jijijay Posts: 4 Member
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    My boy has definitely made me more active! He has so much energy. He needs long walks daily and to be let off in a field to run. He's just turned 1 and is GSD x husky x whippet. He loves to play football in the garden!
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  • jackjackattck
    jackjackattck Posts: 117 Member
    edited March 2016
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    Depending on the breed, it will absolutely make your family more active. As most people on here have said already, the dog needs to be walked daily so that certainly helps with the activity level. On top of that, for me at least, my dog was very curious when he was a baby. He would wander around the house sniffing and trying to get in to anything he could, so he kept me on my feet just following him around to ensure he wasn't getting into trouble or chasing him to remove a sock from his mouth. And better yet, if you do not take the dog out regularly (depending on the breed), it will show you by terrorizing your house. When I would skip a walk day, I would come home the next day to a chewed up piece of furniture! That only had to happen a few times before I realized how critical exercise was to his behavior around the house.

    Meet Hercules!
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  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
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    LLT38 wrote: »
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    Here are my two furbabies. Having dogs will get you to take more walks so their needs are met. Even if my husband and I both walk the dogs in the same day, they still could go longer.

    Weeee another person owned by shelties. They are the best
  • Charlot4444
    Charlot4444 Posts: 170 Member
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    Well, sadly my dog I easily out walk him and often carry him to finish any walks we go on... lol

    But he sure is cute :)

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  • LLT38
    LLT38 Posts: 172 Member
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    singingflutelady wrote: »
    LLT38 wrote: »
    unxvqtyr41n9.jpeg

    Here are my two furbabies. Having dogs will get you to take more walks so their needs are met. Even if my husband and I both walk the dogs in the same day, they still could go longer.

    Weeee another person owned by shelties. They are the best

    They sure are! I saw your baby earlier in the thread and tried to reply but MFP was acting up. Yours is so cute!
  • I_Will_End_You
    I_Will_End_You Posts: 4,397 Member
    edited March 2016
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    My dog definitely made me more active. Before I got him, I would get MAYBE 5000 steps on my Fitbit, add in the daily walks and hitting over 10,000 is not a problem.

    Big dumb Pitbull weimaraner mix.

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    BensonUpsidedown.jpg
  • JeepHair77
    JeepHair77 Posts: 1,291 Member
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    jijijay wrote: »
    My boy has definitely made me more active! He has so much energy. He needs long walks daily and to be let off in a field to run. He's just turned 1 and is GSD x husky x whippet. He loves to play football in the garden!
    4jtkzfrpibio.jpg
    7k2vgrexhpn1.jpg
    wp1k6jiccozn.jpg

    I just fell madly in love with your dog and his crazy-long legs and goofy ears. :)
  • Emily3907
    Emily3907 Posts: 1,461 Member
    edited March 2016
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    This is seriously one of the happiest threads on MFP. Loving all the cutie dogs! Here is another of my pup, Bella (aka Princess Puppernut).

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  • starwhisperer6
    starwhisperer6 Posts: 402 Member
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    It can make you more active... My two are pretty happy to lay on the couch and watch Netflix so it is a choice. I have a 6 year old Lab, and a 7 year old puggle and while they love walks they don't demand them or care if they don't get one.
  • kk_inprogress
    kk_inprogress Posts: 3,077 Member
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    I_Will_End_You wrote: »
    My dog definitely made me more active. Before I got him, I would get MAYBE 5000 steps on my Fitbit, add in the daily walks and hitting over 10,000 is not a problem.

    Big dumb Pitbull weimaraner mix.

    longface.jpg


    BensonUpsidedown.jpg

    Awwww! Love him! He looks like my pit boxer mix.
  • Meganthedogmom
    Meganthedogmom Posts: 1,639 Member
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    hieugrant wrote: »
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    Wow you guys and gals are lucky! My dog hasn't made me active at al. All he's done is get me a bunch of girls, ughhh, so annoying!

    How YOU doin'?

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  • I_Will_End_You
    I_Will_End_You Posts: 4,397 Member
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    kkenseth wrote: »
    I_Will_End_You wrote: »
    My dog definitely made me more active. Before I got him, I would get MAYBE 5000 steps on my Fitbit, add in the daily walks and hitting over 10,000 is not a problem.

    Big dumb Pitbull weimaraner mix.

    longface.jpg


    BensonUpsidedown.jpg

    Awwww! Love him! He looks like my pit boxer mix.

    We thought he was a pit boxer mix when we got him....DNA test showed otherwise!
  • kk_inprogress
    kk_inprogress Posts: 3,077 Member
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    I_Will_End_You wrote: »
    kkenseth wrote: »
    I_Will_End_You wrote: »
    My dog definitely made me more active. Before I got him, I would get MAYBE 5000 steps on my Fitbit, add in the daily walks and hitting over 10,000 is not a problem.

    Big dumb Pitbull weimaraner mix.

    longface.jpg


    BensonUpsidedown.jpg

    Awwww! Love him! He looks like my pit boxer mix.

    We thought he was a pit boxer mix when we got him....DNA test showed otherwise!

    Ha, you've totally got me wondering because our girl has the same white chest star.
  • dbanks80
    dbanks80 Posts: 3,685 Member
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    http://dakd0cjsv8wfa.cloudfront.net/images/photos/user/bbd7/dc49/b549/633d/62b4/3ec7/34ba/817b3dd97fb5cb188cc1d022fc1b8ab9ccb2.jpg

    I hope this image copy works.

    Marley (Shih Tzu) 6 yrs and Mila (Samoyed) 3yrs
  • dbanks80
    dbanks80 Posts: 3,685 Member
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    dbanks80 wrote: »
    http://dakd0cjsv8wfa.cloudfront.net/images/photos/user/bbd7/dc49/b549/633d/62b4/3ec7/34ba/817b3dd97fb5cb188cc1d022fc1b8ab9ccb2.jpg

    I hope this image copy works.

    Marley (Shih Tzu) 6 yrs and Mila (Samoyed) 3yrs

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  • GYATagain
    GYATagain Posts: 141 Member
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    I have not read all of the pages of replies -- But in scrolling through most everyone loves to be active with their dogs! Wonderful! Now, from a dog trainers point of view --- Please keep said puppy on lead and train to be on your left side and pace you - not pull you. Also, not sure what kind of puppy you are getting, but if it is a large breed - please be careful, for at least the first 18 months, of the surface your puppy runs on. Large breeds (80# and up) Can develop joint and long bone issues if run consistently on hard surfaces or for long lengths of time without benefit of working up to it. Of course, not All large breeds go through that, but it can happen. I was very careful with my rescued Bullmastiff (he tips the scales at 150#). Around 15 months he did develop long bone issues in the front from chasing our rescue Boston Terrier around the yard trying to keep up with the little guy. I run/walk both my guys at least 2-3 miles each, if not too terribly hot, separately, so that gives me at least 5 miles a day. Speaking of heat, if you have a brachycephalic (squishy faced) dog, be careful of the heat. They cannot move air as easily as a long snout and can over heat much easier. Now, get out there and Enjoy!! I (& my dogs) absolutely Love our time spent walking/smelling/running/smelling/scratching/smelling... Takes me longer to do those miles and it is so very worth it to me (& them!)
  • I_Will_End_You
    I_Will_End_You Posts: 4,397 Member
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    kkenseth wrote: »
    I_Will_End_You wrote: »
    kkenseth wrote: »
    I_Will_End_You wrote: »
    My dog definitely made me more active. Before I got him, I would get MAYBE 5000 steps on my Fitbit, add in the daily walks and hitting over 10,000 is not a problem.

    Big dumb Pitbull weimaraner mix.

    longface.jpg


    BensonUpsidedown.jpg

    Awwww! Love him! He looks like my pit boxer mix.

    We thought he was a pit boxer mix when we got him....DNA test showed otherwise!

    Ha, you've totally got me wondering because our girl has the same white chest star.


    Well, my dog's coloring comes from the Amstaff side, and the same markings are common in boxers, too. Backyard breeders breed pits with weimaraners trying to get "blue" puppies they can pass off as purebred. The DNA test was fun, if we pick up another shelter mutt, we'll definitely do it again.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
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    Keeping my pups/dogs on lead is one bit of advice I've never followed. I've walked all my dogs off lead from day 1 when tiny puppies, and that's just what they got used to doing.
    I've never had a dog that as soon as you let them off lead they get over excited and sprint off, because they love the freedom of being off lead, because mine are never on lead, so it's no big deal to them.
    Obviously If I'm on a busy road or street I clip the lead on, but that is very, very rare.
  • starwhisperer6
    starwhisperer6 Posts: 402 Member
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    Christine_72 wrote: »
    Keeping my pups/dogs on lead is one bit of advice I've never followed. I've walked all my dogs off lead from day 1 when tiny puppies, and that's just what they got used to doing.
    I've never had a dog that as soon as you let them off lead they get over excited and sprint off, because they love the freedom of being off lead, because mine are never on lead, so it's no big deal to them.
    Obviously If I'm on a busy road or street I clip the lead on, but that is very, very rare.


    But you see this is why it makes people who do have dog aggressive dogs nervous. When I am walking and I see a dog of leash I always get worried. if your dog is friendly and approaches my dog will bite them. And I am not saying your dog would come over you may have perfect control of them. But I don't know this, so I don't want to take my dog out hoping everyone has their dog on leash, and hoping no friendly dogs run over to say hi :/
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    edited March 2016
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    starwhisperer6 wrote: »
    Christine_72 wrote: »
    Keeping my pups/dogs on lead is one bit of advice I've never followed. I've walked all my dogs off lead from day 1 when tiny puppies, and that's just what they got used to doing.
    I've never had a dog that as soon as you let them off lead they get over excited and sprint off, because they love the freedom of being off lead, because mine are never on lead, so it's no big deal to them.
    Obviously If I'm on a busy road or street I clip the lead on, but that is very, very rare.


    But you see this is why it makes people who do have dog aggressive dogs nervous. When I am walking and I see a dog of leash I always get worried. if your dog is friendly and approaches my dog will bite them. And I am not saying your dog would come over you may have perfect control of them. But I don't know this, so I don't want to take my dog out hoping everyone has their dog on leash, and hoping no friendly dogs run over to say hi :/

    Definitely understand. I get nervous when I see a dog on lead approaching, and put mine on leash until we've passed. I also hate rambunctious uncontrollable dogs running up to mine, always followed by a call of "Don't worry he's friendly" by the owner. If they are going to have them off leash then they need perfect control/recall over them.

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