She can't keep up with me =(

Ireshgurl
Ireshgurl Posts: 559
edited October 1 in Fitness and Exercise
So I've been taking my furbaby out with me when i go walking, well because she needs to be walked and she's my motivation TO walk, but i've been noticing she can't seem to keep up with me :huh: . She's a 60lb 3yr old pitty who's in better shape then me or my hubby!! She stays strong in the beginning, but at about half way through she starts to peter out and that's when i hit MY stride. She makes my walks more enjoyable, till she starts to go slow. I don't know what to do to get her to keep up with me (and i ain't all that fast!!). I'm pretty sure i wouldn't be motivated to go for a walk if i went by myself......

Replies

  • odusgolp
    odusgolp Posts: 10,477 Member
    Hrmmm... I'm not nearly familiar enough about that breed's endurance nor yours, but way to go on the exercise :)
  • sc1572
    sc1572 Posts: 2,309 Member
    I say walk with her as a warm up, take her home, and then do your walk alone. :) I do that all the time! I have a pit mix and a dachshund...ages 3-4 and 9 :)
  • infamousmk
    infamousmk Posts: 6,033 Member
    Poor girl! You can't do anything to make her want to keep up with you or work any harder. You may just have to dig down and find the motivation to keep going even if you can't take her on your more intense outings.
  • forme2310
    forme2310 Posts: 157 Member
    I have a 5 year old basset/daschund that use to be my walking partner but he poops out and hurts his leg so the can only go for short walks all I can suggest is to keep walking him the more he does it the better he should get.

    Don t give up as you are right he needs it as much as you do
  • fab50G
    fab50G Posts: 384 Member
    Get a wagon and put her in it when she slows down! I'm sure she'll enjoy the ride and you'll add to your walk having to pull her along. LOL
  • Myobi
    Myobi Posts: 129 Member
    There are several possibilities, that vary.

    1. You could be running longer than she can run.
    2. How hot is it when you run? The hotter it is, the hotter a dog gets without water, since they don't sweat. She might be over-heating.
    3. What surface material are you running on? Depending on what it is/how hot it is, the pads on her paws may be hurting. (This is especially true if you're running on sidewalks or asphalt - neither is nice to a dog's paws!)
  • Chelij
    Chelij Posts: 49
    I have to take my fur babies out for walks separate of my workouts. They're chihuahuas, and while they can run pretty fast, they have no desire to run with me or as fast as i can.
  • pilotgirl2007
    pilotgirl2007 Posts: 368 Member
    Is it possible that she is not ready to go quite as far? I know when you first start running a dog you have to build them up to the milage just like you would yourself so it makes me wonder if you just need to hang in there with her. Go for a walk with her the distance she likes to go then take her home and finish your walk.
  • kathywoo10
    kathywoo10 Posts: 139 Member
    Maybe she just needs some water. My dogs only really get "tired" when they are thirsty, otherwise they can go for HOURS!
  • infamousmk
    infamousmk Posts: 6,033 Member
    Poor girl! You can't do anything to make her want to keep up with you or work any harder. You may just have to dig down and find the motivation to keep going even if you can't take her on your more intense outings.
  • CatMauro
    CatMauro Posts: 225 Member
    Hahaha ya Pitts can be kinda stubborn. I would suggest mixing up your walks. Take different routes or drive to a different area of the city to go on your walk. Dogs get bored with the local scenery if not and then the walk is no fun. Her endurance should increase over time but if it doesn't and you've tried switching things up, as another member said do your warm-up with her and then bring her home before your real workout.
  • sue26
    sue26 Posts: 412
    Buy yourself a malamute - they can go for ever LOL:laugh:
  • PlanetVelma
    PlanetVelma Posts: 1,223 Member
    Awww! lol Normally that breed is pretty high energy. I would just keep taking her with you and take her home after she gets tired, maybe she just needs to build up her endurance. If her energy level is really waning, you may want to take her into the vet (or give your vet a phone call - maybe they'll have some suggestions).

    My guess is your dog probably at that age where she just wants to relax. That's how my staffy mix is (she'll be 3 on Sept 3rd)...hell she's 75 lbs and if she could stay inside and use a litter box she would! LOL

    Now our Boston, forget it, you HAVE to make him stop, he'll walk himself to death, but he is barely a year old.
  • bethdris
    bethdris Posts: 1,090 Member
    I have a 9.5 yr old American Bulldog...She doesn't walk with me, b/c she only lasts about 1/2 mile. Then I have a 4 yr old boxer boy...hes crazy and could walk for hours!(want to borrow him?)...We just got a 6 week old white/tan pitty boy...can't wait to walk him and he can keep up!!

    I would just either start our slower, so she has more energy at the end, or take her for a short walk with more endurance(hills, etc).

    Good luck to ya! :)
  • JennyJH
    JennyJH Posts: 189 Member
    As long as she is healthy, a three year old Pit should be able to pace you at any level - as long as you let her build up. If she has only had sedentry walks it might take a little time. She doesn't have the psychological impetus you may have!!

    She may also be getting bored - does she like playing ball? If so, take a ball with you & break it up a bit.

    Pits have strength and stamina and could physically keep up - but don't have the single mindedness of say a Husky (born to run) or sight hound when it comes to running.
  • dmpizza
    dmpizza Posts: 3,321 Member
    Humans are the best walkers in nature and pretty close to the best runners. Think about it, we are 1/2 leg. Dogs cannot do the same distance we can. They can't sweat and the only way they can tell you they are hurting is to slow down.

    They need exercise,but its different than what we need.
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    I have the same issue, but with my Pekingese. Three inch legs, and a smooshy face that makes panting not-so-effective. He used to drag me on walks, and now I drag him. :laugh:

    Walking in the morning or evening is better for him, and I walk shorter distances when I'm walking him. By myself? I'll go for miles and miles, but about 2 miles is his limit. Maybe three if the weather's right and the stars are in alignment.
  • JennyJH
    JennyJH Posts: 189 Member
    Yeah, but with a Peke you could pick him up and run lol.

    Not a dog built to run bless :)
  • taiyola
    taiyola Posts: 964 Member
    I have an 11lb Jack Russell cross Chihuahua who's coming up for 10 years old now. After about 90 mins he keeps looking at me and will stop if we're near home lol, but walking wise he's pretty fit, but sometimes finds it hard if I jog faster than he likes, even if it's only for 5 mins, so sometimes I jog on the fields and let him off the lead to jumo about barking at imaginary flies :laugh:
  • Ireshgurl
    Ireshgurl Posts: 559
    There are several possibilities, that vary.

    1. You could be running longer than she can run.
    2. How hot is it when you run? The hotter it is, the hotter a dog gets without water, since they don't sweat. She might be over-heating.
    3. What surface material are you running on? Depending on what it is/how hot it is, the pads on her paws may be hurting. (This is especially true if you're running on sidewalks or asphalt - neither is nice to a dog's paws!)


    Well, i'm not running, i'm walking, about 4 miles an hour (or so my iphone tells me) and we live in Key West and i ONLY walk her in early morning (if i actually get up) or evening bc even i can't stand the heat!! We walk on the sidewalk along the road or on the grass along the road. And at the moment, no longer then 40 min walks. I'm still workin up to goin faster and longer, lol. She's not a lazy dog by any means. We used to play hard core fetch with a chuck it and she could go for EVER doing that and hubby used to run her back in Cali on the trails he'd go on. Here my hubby will take her on runs with him in the evenings if i haven't taken her on a walk and he even says she's poopin out on him. I would prefer to stick to the same area because she's not exactly dog friendly....... not aggressive, just doesn't care 4 other dogs, and where i walk her there's little chance of coming across another dog. I don't want to overwork my dog, but we both need our excersise.
  • MLEme
    MLEme Posts: 45
    I have a 9.5 yr old American Bulldog...She doesn't walk with me, b/c she only lasts about 1/2 mile. Then I have a 4 yr old boxer boy...hes crazy and could walk for hours!(want to borrow him?)...We just got a 6 week old white/tan pitty boy...can't wait to walk him and he can keep up!!

    I would just either start our slower, so she has more energy at the end, or take her for a short walk with more endurance(hills, etc).

    Good luck to ya! :)

    same here... my american bulldogs lasts about 1/2 mile (if that) and my boxer / pit could run a marathon!

    Unless it is too hot - the vet suggested I either take them out really early in the AM or not at all... they can get de-hydrated / heat-stroke really easily...

    great job on the walking!!!
  • CatMauro
    CatMauro Posts: 225 Member
    There are several possibilities, that vary.

    1. You could be running longer than she can run.
    2. How hot is it when you run? The hotter it is, the hotter a dog gets without water, since they don't sweat. She might be over-heating.
    3. What surface material are you running on? Depending on what it is/how hot it is, the pads on her paws may be hurting. (This is especially true if you're running on sidewalks or asphalt - neither is nice to a dog's paws!)


    Well, i'm not running, i'm walking, about 4 miles an hour (or so my iphone tells me) and we live in Key West and i ONLY walk her in early morning (if i actually get up) or evening bc even i can't stand the heat!! We walk on the sidewalk along the road or on the grass along the road. And at the moment, no longer then 40 min walks. I'm still workin up to goin faster and longer, lol. She's not a lazy dog by any means. We used to play hard core fetch with a chuck it and she could go for EVER doing that and hubby used to run her back in Cali on the trails he'd go on. Here my hubby will take her on runs with him in the evenings if i haven't taken her on a walk and he even says she's poopin out on him. I would prefer to stick to the same area because she's not exactly dog friendly....... not aggressive, just doesn't care 4 other dogs, and where i walk her there's little chance of coming across another dog. I don't want to overwork my dog, but we both need our excersise.

    Sounds like it might be time to talk to your vet then. She shouldn't be slowing down like that at her age and if your hubby has also noticed a difference then there's definately something up.
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