This guy helps me to work out

2

Replies

  • Tacklewasher
    Tacklewasher Posts: 7,122 Member
    lporter229 wrote: »
    As a dog owner, it is your responsibility to make sure your dog is able to do what it was meant to do, IMO.

    My Westies are meant to kill rodents. Not sure I really want them doing that.

    They get a daily walk but are not really big walkers. The one can only go so far and then wants to be carried. She's got little legs for her size and has questionable hips.

  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    stormlover757 wrote: »
    Want steps???...Want to stay active?? Get a dog..You will then have no choice but to stay active..Problem solved!!

    This only works if one actually walks their dog. I know many dog owners who only walk their dogs on occasion and some not at all.

    As for my dog, she's an old lady...she can handle a walk to our mail box about 1/4 mile away and back, and that's about it.
  • maggibailey
    maggibailey Posts: 289 Member
    Two of mine love to walk. One has pretty serious back issues and can’t or shouldn’t, so she gets massage and stretching instead, and the other one gets pretty anxious outside of his comfort zone so he gets car rides for stimulating. The more I think about my dogs the more I realize they take up most of my life! ;)
  • pkweier
    pkweier Posts: 349 Member
    edited December 2017
    My pup gets me out of the house as the only way he will do business number two is on a walk. He goes out does number one comes in eats and goes to the door with a look that says hurry up it's time to GO

  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    WhereIsPJSoles wrote: »
    Am I the only one that has seriously considered dog strollers to walk a dog that can't walk for whatever reasons? If so, pretend I didn't post this, definitely not me, nope.

    I used to have one for my shih-tzu. She was older than my other 2 dogs, so couldn't walk as far/fast. She would let us know when she wanted to get in AND back out again. She loved being in there, she still got to sight see and be involved.
    She still got a walk every single day up until the very end, she was 17, deaf and half blind and walked slower than a snail, but she still got excited when it was walkies time!
  • jo_nz
    jo_nz Posts: 548 Member
    Our dog has been a great help with me getting more active (and regular walking reduces pain from an old injury, so I am glad to have a little extra motivation to make me get out and do it).

    I didn't specifically get a dog in place of a gym membership, but activity level was a pretty significant factor in selecting which dog to get - got one that suited our life...needs some exercise, but not too much for our lifestyle.

    I also find even when we don't get to go for walks, she helps me be more active. I have a sedentary job, but she is with me, so I at least have to get up to take her outside, or maybe play a game with her for a few minutes throughout the day. Helps me keep some balance in my life!
  • grinning_chick
    grinning_chick Posts: 765 Member
    Christine_72 wrote: »
    grinning_chick wrote: »
    maggibailey wrote: »
    I read it as a bit of fun and good on you OP for being a responsible pet owner who walks their dog! My four (dear god I did say four but what do you do when you marry a man who also has two?) are too lazy to be bothered with much exercise but I bet all of us would be in better shape if I started walking them!



    Walking a dog has no bearing on whether a person is a responsible owner or not.

    I vehemently disagree!!! If someone couldn't be bothered taking their dog out for exercise everyday, which is both physical AND mental stimulation for them then i would advise getting a cat or goldfish... Because a dog is not the right pet/companion for people like that.

    Playing fetch in the backyard isn't good enough! A bored dog is not a happy dog.

    lol. Who said exercise? We are talking about walking dogs. Again, whether you take your dog(s) on a daily walk has absolutely no bearing when it comes to determining of whether someone is a responsible pet owner or not. Disagree all you like; go to town on it. Personal opinion does not change reality.

    You are also now overlaying what are debate points in your mind which are not relevant to the original premise at hand. We aren't talking about bored dogs. We aren't talking about physical activity/exercise. The argument you put forth is that if people do not walk their dogs daily (or even regularly, if you want to walk it back to include more of the general population), they are irresponsible owners.

    You started with a too narrow flawed argument, and are now doubling down on it. There are countless mentally stimulating things an owner can do with their dog that do not involve walking them. There are countless physical activities an owner can do with their dogs that do not involve walking them.
  • grinning_chick
    grinning_chick Posts: 765 Member
    edited December 2017
    maggibailey wrote: »
    https://www.cesarsway.com/cesar-millan/cesars-blog/the-best

    https://animalfoundation.com/the-importance-of-walking-your-dog/

    https://m.petmd.com/dog/slideshows/general_health/top-ten-health-benefits-walking-your-pet-provides

    I’ll just leave these right here :). If you have a vet who tells you it is unimportant for good animal husbandry to provide exercise for you pets be they large or small, your vet might need a refresher course. And notice I said I don’t walk mine. But since I do all the things you mentioned above I guess I’ll consider myself a pretty fabulous pet owner though not as good as my vet says I should be due to the lazy portion of my post.

    I can't take anyone who thinks Cesar Chavez and the damage he has done to the average pet owning layperson's understanding of what is acceptable dog training techniques is a valid and reputable person to link as a subject matter expert, seriously. You should look into the material Sophia Yin has put out sometime. :) (pssssst....Jan Pol is not a competent veterinarian, either, just because he is on television, cutting massive corners when it comes to the standard of care to provide low cost care in an area of MI that suffers from a "DVM/VMD desert".)

    Again, not talking about exercise. The premise put forth was if you don't walk your dog you are not a responsible pet owner, period. According to her you are, indeed, an irresponsible pet owner. As in, no "fabulous" in sight.

    Your veterinarian judging you based on his/her outdated personal opinion on the topic is unprofessional. So is not taking the time to help you identify activities you *would* enthusiastically engage in with your pet(s) which you'd both enjoy, based on personal knowledge regarding both of you, rather than chastising you for not walking your dog. No other way to call it. See my previous personal anecdotes upthread, which are not the only anecdotes like them in the world. Dogs get obese from being overfed, not from a lack of daily walks.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    I guess my question is WHY would you not take your dog out everyday, what's stopping you (general you)?
    We don't have the stringent dog leash laws here in Aus that the US has, so we go down to the beach or large walking trails, the leash comes off, and we let them run and play with other dogs to their hearts content.

    There are many, many days where I couldn't be bothered walking them, but i do it anyway, because of the immense joy it brings them. My dogs needs over ride my laziness every time. I just can not equal the exercise, stimulation and social interaction they get out in the real world, at home.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    edited December 2017
    grinning_chick wrote: »
    Christine_72 wrote: »

    Yes, but they walk themselves. Unless you have an indoor cat, then yeah, the onus is 100% on the owner to provide adequate stimulation.

    So the shortened lifespan, injury, disease, uncontrolled breeding, and loss of wildlife that goes hand in hand with letting your non-farm/ranch cats roam stray are all acceptable to you, then.

    Interesting.

    My cat is spayed, we live at the end of a quiet cul de sac, no traffic, and my cat has not killed one animal in the 4 years we've had her. She is a home body and far from a "stray"...

    ETA: Plus we lock her in at night.
  • WhereIsPJSoles
    WhereIsPJSoles Posts: 622 Member
    But this is the fun puppy thread, ya’ll....
  • maggibailey
    maggibailey Posts: 289 Member
    grinning_chick wrote: »
    maggibailey wrote: »
    https://www.cesarsway.com/cesar-millan/cesars-blog/the-best

    https://animalfoundation.com/the-importance-of-walking-your-dog/

    https://m.petmd.com/dog/slideshows/general_health/top-ten-health-benefits-walking-your-pet-provides

    I’ll just leave these right here :). If you have a vet who tells you it is unimportant for good animal husbandry to provide exercise for you pets be they large or small, your vet might need a refresher course. And notice I said I don’t walk mine. But since I do all the things you mentioned above I guess I’ll consider myself a pretty fabulous pet owner though not as good as my vet says I should be due to the lazy portion of my post.

    I can't take anyone who thinks Cesar Chavez and the damage he has done to the average pet owning layperson's understanding of what is acceptable dog training techniques is a valid and reputable person to link as a subject matter expert, seriously. You should look into the material Sophia Yin has put out sometime. :) (pssssst....Jan Pol is not a competent veterinarian, either, just because he is on television, cutting massive corners when it comes to the standard of care to provide low cost care in an area of MI that suffers from a "DVM/VMD desert".)

    Again, not talking about exercise. The premise put forth was if you don't walk your dog you are not a responsible pet owner, period. According to her you are, indeed, an irresponsible pet owner. As in, no "fabulous" in sight.


    Actually if you would be so kind as to turn your judgment down a few gizzilion degrees what I said in my original post was just a high five to the OP for taking care of his pets needs as the whole post had gone to hell with people freaking out that said OP might have gotten a dog for all the wrong reasons which also seemed a bit jump the gun on judgment. I simply googled walking your dog and picked the first three that showed up. Oddly enough there was not a single one on the first four pages arguing that walking your dog is a bad idea. I’m glad you are feel very strongly about animals there should be more people that do. But you seem a little freaked out that no one else is doing that he right thing. It’s ok I’m a good pet owner :)
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    WhereIsPJSoles wrote: »
    But this is the fun puppy thread, ya’ll....

    Yeah true. The not walking dogs thing really touches a nerve with me. I'll bow out now, as my passion and opinion on this will never change!

  • JoLightensUp
    JoLightensUp Posts: 140 Member
    edited December 2017
    WhereIsPJSoles wrote: »
    Am I the only one that has seriously considered dog strollers to walk a dog that can't walk for whatever reasons? If so, pretend I didn't post this, definitely not me, nope.

    I was walking around a local lake and a woman was walking one dog and had the other - a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel - in a stroller. We chatted and she told me that he had a bad heart murmur and couldn't walk far, but loved to go on his 'walks'. It was so sweet.

    I've never owned a dog even though I love them. I love to stop and chat to dogs and their owners. I should look at the rescue dog walking idea.
  • lokihen
    lokihen Posts: 382 Member
    I was hoping this would turn into a dog picture thread.
  • whosshe
    whosshe Posts: 597 Member
    grinning_chick wrote: »
    Christine_72 wrote: »

    Yes, but they walk themselves. Unless you have an indoor cat, then yeah, the onus is 100% on the owner to provide adequate stimulation.

    So the shortened lifespan, injury, disease, uncontrolled breeding, and loss of wildlife that goes hand in hand with letting your non-farm/ranch cat(s) roam stray are all acceptable to you, then.

    Interesting.

    Why are you so triggered?
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