How Often Do You Walk Your Grey?

[Guest carolxi]

I guess I have to elaborate on my walks with Anubis. He would walk to the end of the earth on leash with me, and if we turned to go back he would start to dawdle or even statue! That being said, I have to say that our walks are not silent. We bond and he learns and so do I on our walks. I keep a running conversation with him, much like a mother with a small child. So in the winter, he has learned 'behind' which means walking directly behind me when there is only a narrow path in the snow to walk. I also taught him 'ice' so he slows down and I don't get pulled when its slippery or if he is walking ahead of me he goes very slow. I use the walking on a leash time for our visits or quality time. He gets praise for a good poop or pee. So for myself, I feel guilty if I just let him out in the back yard. He knows the difference, and sometimes, if I open the back door to the yard, he won't go out - he barks and jumps around and lets me know that he wants his walkie!!

[JohnF]

Our Peggy is about 2.5 years of age now and she has been with us since March last year. Her normal exercise is a 45min walk on leash along small town roads in the morning, a slightly longer one in the park in the late afternoon with some off leash time there if she meets her friends (I like the walking exercise too and off leash is god for her but not for me). Then in the the evening there's a 20 minute stroll around the block.

She can run around in the back yard but I've had to put plenty of lawn grit down when the weather got wet and she started to wear the surfce into mud. My last dog died at age 14 and I'd forgotten what a mess they can make when young and active.

Anyway... Peggy was not let off leash in public until I'd had her for about 4 months. she's not as bad at turning her hearing off as my Borzois were and will turn her head to look when I call and return for a treat, but to get her back instantly requires throwing her favourite squeaker toy in front of me. She likes walking in the rain, loves a light covering of snow, doesn't dislike the sound of thunder but seems to know when it's going to hail and refuses to go out. Each dog is so different.

Edited February 28, 2010 by JohnF

[Guest BostonDan]

I think it is most important that they are getting the exercise they need. I understand some cannot walk thier dogs, and a lot can't run with them. My living conditions require me to walk or run bella on a leash. This is something we both enjoy, and it is a great bonding time, not just potty time. We do this in any type of weather, though if it is very cold out I limit it to small times for potty and play a lot of fetch in the house to make up for it.

 

So far this has been a very enjoyable thing at any time, day or night, and has kept me in better shape as well as her. We had one small problem where i got hurt. It was nighttime, she is black, the area was dark and on a hill. She saw something and bolted forward fast and i did not see her "Rev" up for the lunge to stop her. The pavement I was on at the time was a little icey and she took me off my feet and I smacked my head on the pavement before I got my hand down to break the fall. knocked me out cold for about a minute and gave me a pretty good concussion. Never lost the lease though as I make it a point to wrap my wrist and then a finger. That was the only problem to the walking so far

As much as i wish i had a big fenced in back yard to let her go crazy in, I love our long walks and meeting up with neighbors walking thier dogs to allow her to socialize with people and dogs , but with the protective control of a leash with others

can't wait until the summertime for this.

[Guest BostonDan]

I also taught him 'ice' so he slows down and I don't get pulled when its slippery or if he is walking ahead of me he goes very slow.

 

wow, I can see where that is important now after writing my post and seeing this. Bella seems to always walk beside me or behind me, even when we run. At first she was in front of me and would stop and make me almost walk into her, but now she is mostly beside me when we walk. I always lead her out of the house, though she seems to be the first to walk in the house, which is better i think, since i am holding the door open for her

[Guest jaws4evr]

I love walking with the dogs. Brisk walks with only occasional human chosen stops are the way to go! Dog walking is relaxing, envigorating, and makes you feel at one with your pack. Jogging is even better because the greys are so beautiful in motion, however isn't as "relaxing" as walking obviously

 

Our grey isn't nearly as lazy as we thought she'd be, she could go for as many walks/runs per day as we could muster the energy for!

[Guest bluefawn]

I do not have any place to take mine for walks. I live about 70 feet off of a very busy road where people just will not slow down their cars! They speed by, ignoring the speed limit, and there are no sidewalks or anything. The closest place to drive to is 12 miles away, and with work and school, this is just not an option. I do have a fenced yard, and I go out with them and interact and play with them. They get plenty of exercise, as they get out there 4 or 5 times a day, depending on my schedule. So maybe I am "the bad guy" here, but we do get plenty of bonding time

[Guest Drumhellergrey]

<!--quoteo(post=3852852:date=Feb 11 2009, 07:31 AM:name=JumpingGeorge)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(JumpingGeorge @ Feb 11 2009, 07:31 AM) 3852852[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->What does migrating have to do with walking your dog?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

 

There's a theory that in their "wild state", canines migrate as a pack on a regular basis (daily?), and that further, the organization and leadership required in this activity helps cement the pack structure and relationships. The theory goes on to posit that humans can re-create this activity, and thereby reap the benefits of being the leader of the pack and having stronger relationships between their dogs, by going on vigorous walks with their dogs, with the human firmly in the lead and in control. Cesar Millan promotes something along these lines.

 

Personally, I don't know or care how much of the whole pack/migrating theory is correct. I do know that being "in charge" on our walks (setting the pace, walking out front and not letting him stop and sniff every time he wanted to) when Arty first came home had a huge impact on our overall relationship, and led to a much better home life. It may not be right for every dog, but it worked for us.

 

I don't much care for Cesar Milan as a trainer. I think he is a very capable owner who understands his dogs and to see him out on a walk with his pack, you can see they're a happy, integrated pack and look upon him as the leader of that pack. I'm just not sure how well he transfers that to other people, and I think he has his limitations. Again, just my own personal opinion.

 

But I do agree with the walking theory with one qualifier. In the wild state, the dog pack are not on leashes. They fall behind, they straggle, they take little detours, but ultimately, if they want to stay part of the pack, they have to monitor the movement of the leaders and learn to keep an eye on them, and to keep up. You can't expect to achieve this state with your own offlead dog in a short time, but once you do, the rewards are tremendous. It teaches the dog to self-monitor and makes him dependent on the person in charge. Comes a point in the training of all my dogs where I have to let them 'get lost' in a safe place. I watch them unobtrusively, and they'll suddenly notice they can't see me and they panic - but they panic in a constructive way. They look for me. And then they come find me, usually at a gallop. And then they are just that little bit more a true part of our pack. You don't have to have them on a lead behind you to be in charge, you just have to be the one they want to keep up with.

 

 

 

 

Numerous times, i've made people change their walking styles because their dogs can not handle having a territory. The dogs have severe anxiety.

 

 

We, humans, tend to be guilty of applying human psychology to our canine companions. We assume our dogs enjoy leisurely walks where they get to stop every 3 feet and urinate. We often think "wow, how can one dog pee so much?". That is because your dogs stops and lifts it's leg or squats and lets a little urine out at a time but always seems to have some in reserve. The truth is, they are marking "their territory" and this gives them anxiety!

 

Agreed that they are marking over another dog's urine, but strongly disagree that it gives them anxiety. This hasn't been the case with any of mine. They positively enjoy the process!

 

There will inevitably be some over-anxious dogs or neurotic dogs who don't enjoy the process and in those cases, it would be right to remove that stressor from their routine - if you can't eliminate the neurosis (difficult) or help your dog become less anxious (entirely possible for many).

 

I've had two anxious dogs. Chronically anxious to the extent that it affected large areas of their lives - but both loved reading their pee-mail and contributing an 'answer'. I know this because they would pull me TO the spot and spend a long time 'reading' and resist moving on till they were good and ready, then give that satisfied snort that they do.

 

Think about it, everyday you do this leisurely walk where your dog marks every spot that he or she can. The next day, you go on another leisurely walk and your dog starts sniffing the same spots and realizes that some other dog has come along and marked over the area that they claimed the day before. This happens every day, 7 days a week for a month to a year. Wouldn't you feel anxious over "who's been invading my territory?" That would be like someone entering your house every day and you couldn't stop them from sitting on your couch and watching. You have NO control over the situation. All you can do is repeatedly ask for that person to leave your house but, yet, they never do. Dogs do not see the world as us, they see it in terms of what is theirs and what is not.

 

Ah, but that's exactly what does happen on the borders of a wild pack. They smell the other dog's urine and they know there are other dogs about. They can either sneak in and raid (which wild dogs will do - being opportunists), or if they perceive the other dogs as stronger, they can back off. I agree that on the lead they have no choice, but dogs are extremely adaptable, and they can learn (and most do learn) that in this artificial situation, the smell of the stronger dog is not a threat because their own (hopefully strong) leader is with them.

 

Hmm. That is a very intersting theory, and I'm not so sure I agree with the part about it causing them anxiety, at least not with greyhounds that I know.

 

 

I believe that Arty recognizes the pee of dogs he has met and had a positive interaction with, and his behavior when he's smelling their pee doesn't seem anxious at all. In fact, it seems interested, engaged, but relaxed. The only time he ever seems anxious is when he is smelling the pee of one particular dog who always barks aggressively at us. In that case, he gives it one quick sniff and then he always wants to cover it up right away with his own scent. I don't know how that would fit into your theory, it's just my experience.

 

Sounds about right to me, as a 'non-expert' but long time worker with dogs and owner of dogs.

 

 

 

This worked for Shelby. In the beginning, I allowed her to stop and scent mark via urine on spots along the bike path. Every day the same spots. Over the course of the following months, i started noticing anxiety creeping up on her as we were headed to the bike path. As soon as my truck turned the corner to the opening of the path, she would start to shake violently (after 2 months of it progressing). I couldn't understand why she was developing anxiety over walking at her favorite place with her favorite smells (or so it seemed). The anxiety got so bad, she started whining in the truck in the 3 minute drive to the path. Nothing else in her life changed, I just made the decision that it had to do with "checking pee-mail". She also was pulling on the leash and trying to drag me to the next spot to sniff when she had never done that before. She was trying to communicate to me why she was acting that way but i did not see the signs (as some people sometimes don't with their own dogs) but when i realized what was causing her problem, i took that territory away from her and within a week of daily walks, her behavior stopped. I've noticed that she doesn't care about pee-mail anymore because it isn't her "job" to patrol that area. Even off leash, she no longer does it.

 

I've bolded that part because I personally believe there is a huge difference in walking to a place from your own territory and gradually arriving at other dogs' territory, and arriving by vehicle and being suddenly dumped in a 'foreign' place.

 

Naturally, that would cause anxiety in a predisposed dog. My own dogs have loooved to do be driven somewhere new, but they do behave differently in places they don't walk to. They are 'off-territory' and usually much more tolerant of new dogs they meet for that reason. And for that reason, I believe it's a great tool for introducing your dogs to new situations and socialising them with other breeds. They are far, far less likely to react aggressively, simply because it isn't their territory and they know it.

 

 

My mother's pom went through the same ordeal. She had anxiety her entire 11 years. She wouldn't eat, never mind anything that crunches (like kibble), she would have a stress induced seizure if a fly was in the house (and i'm not kidding with that one). If the mood was bad in the house and there was stress, she would have a stress induced seizure, too. This went on for most of her life. She also stopped listening to any verbal commands and would completely ignore you if you were walking and you were trying to call her to you. it was like you weren't even there. One day i told my mom to stop walking her off leash and put a leash on her and take away her ability to patrol "her territory". She was absolutely NOT capable of being in charge of anything. If you knew the dog you would say the same thing. She used to be scared of a lamp my mom had. If you walked by the lamp and it vibrated from the foot steps, the shadow on the wall would cause her to seize. She actually did walk her on the leash and when she got home from that ONE walk, the dog ate dry food and hasn't stopped eating crunchy food since. She asks for it and tells you exactly what she wants (dry cereal, kibble, cookies) A once stress seizure dog hasn't had a single seizure since and that was over 6 months ago (her seizure frequency was once a week until this day). She is active, she listens, she eats, she loves her walks, she now plays and never did before....

 

Your mother's Pom sounds neurotic and most definitely over-anxious and it sounds as if this approach worked well for her. I imagine that (like my first greyhound) she didn't want to be in charge, but your mother - for whatever reason - hadn't managed to convince her little dog that she was the one in charge. A dog in that 'Oh crap, I'm in charge here and I don't know how to do this' situation will naturally spend all her energy looking around her in a state of mild panic and won't be able to listen. This will also affect the rest of her life and she'll develop neuroses like 'I can't eat this' or 'I can't cope with flies' or any number of other unreasonable behaviours.

 

Most people don’t know that "the walk" is the most important bonding moment a dog can have with their owner. It tells your dog all about you. They learn how confident you are, what type of leader you can be and if you can handle anything that comes your way. This knowledge is applied to every other aspect of your relationship with your dog.

 

 

Now that I do wholeheartedly agree with. The walk is vital to the way you and your dog/s relate to each other and also affects other areas of your dog/s' lives. Whether you walk, what kind of walk it is, and whether it meets a particular dog's needs will define your relationship. Absolutely.

 

 

Wow....I spent the whole morning reading this thread. Fascinating read, indeed This thread brought out a lot of emotions and different ideas.

 

I multiquoted two comments from silverfish, as they most closely convey my thoughts on this subject.

 

I walk Ted twice daily. more hikes than walks really. They all start off on-leash, but as soon as the area permits, I let him have his off-leash time. HIS WALKS usually last between 60 to 90 minutes, although they vary with weather changes and how well I feel that day,(I have a chronic disability). Never less than 60 minutes however, unless it is dangerous to be out in extremely cold or hot weather. His walks always end on-leash.

 

I tend to agree with some components of the "migrating theory" stated at the beginning of this thread, but I also agree that it doesn't need to be a totally structured walk, in the sense that the dog has to be on-leash and is only allowed to sniff and stop when you let it. They are after all "HIS WALKS".

 

Lastly, I want to thank all that responded to this thread, no matter what their opinions were. I learned a great deal from reading each and every comment.

Edited March 22, 2010 by Drumhellergrey

[Guest Drumhellergrey]

OK, now I've had time to read the first couple of pages so I see what you're talking about with 'migration'.

 

<!--quoteo(post=3852852:date=Feb 11 2009, 07:31 AM:name=JumpingGeorge)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(JumpingGeorge @ Feb 11 2009, 07:31 AM) 3852852[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->What does migrating have to do with walking your dog?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

 

There's a theory that in their "wild state", canines migrate as a pack on a regular basis (daily?), and that further, the organization and leadership required in this activity helps cement the pack structure and relationships. The theory goes on to posit that humans can re-create this activity, and thereby reap the benefits of being the leader of the pack and having stronger relationships between their dogs, by going on vigorous walks with their dogs, with the human firmly in the lead and in control. Cesar Millan promotes something along these lines.

 

Personally, I don't know or care how much of the whole pack/migrating theory is correct. I do know that being "in charge" on our walks (setting the pace, walking out front and not letting him stop and sniff every time he wanted to) when Arty first came home had a huge impact on our overall relationship, and led to a much better home life. It may not be right for every dog, but it worked for us.

 

I don't much care for Cesar Milan as a trainer. I think he is a very capable owner who understands his dogs and to see him out on a walk with his pack, you can see they're a happy, integrated pack and look upon him as the leader of that pack. I'm just not sure how well he transfers that to other people, and I think he has his limitations. Again, just my own personal opinion.

 

But I do agree with the walking theory with one qualifier. In the wild state, the dog pack are not on leashes. They fall behind, they straggle, they take little detours, but ultimately, if they want to stay part of the pack, they have to monitor the movement of the leaders and learn to keep an eye on them, and to keep up. You can't expect to achieve this state with your own offlead dog in a short time, but once you do, the rewards are tremendous. It teaches the dog to self-monitor and makes him dependent on the person in charge. Comes a point in the training of all my dogs where I have to let them 'get lost' in a safe place. I watch them unobtrusively, and they'll suddenly notice they can't see me and they panic - but they panic in a constructive way. They look for me. And then they come find me, usually at a gallop. And then they are just that little bit more a true part of our pack. You don't have to have them on a lead behind you to be in charge, you just have to be the one they want to keep up with.

 

 

 

 

Numerous times, i've made people change their walking styles because their dogs can not handle having a territory. The dogs have severe anxiety.

 

 

We, humans, tend to be guilty of applying human psychology to our canine companions. We assume our dogs enjoy leisurely walks where they get to stop every 3 feet and urinate. We often think "wow, how can one dog pee so much?". That is because your dogs stops and lifts it's leg or squats and lets a little urine out at a time but always seems to have some in reserve. The truth is, they are marking "their territory" and this gives them anxiety!

 

Agreed that they are marking over another dog's urine, but strongly disagree that it gives them anxiety. This hasn't been the case with any of mine. They positively enjoy the process!

 

There will inevitably be some over-anxious dogs or neurotic dogs who don't enjoy the process and in those cases, it would be right to remove that stressor from their routine - if you can't eliminate the neurosis (difficult) or help your dog become less anxious (entirely possible for many).

 

I've had two anxious dogs. Chronically anxious to the extent that it affected large areas of their lives - but both loved reading their pee-mail and contributing an 'answer'. I know this because they would pull me TO the spot and spend a long time 'reading' and resist moving on till they were good and ready, then give that satisfied snort that they do.

 

Think about it, everyday you do this leisurely walk where your dog marks every spot that he or she can. The next day, you go on another leisurely walk and your dog starts sniffing the same spots and realizes that some other dog has come along and marked over the area that they claimed the day before. This happens every day, 7 days a week for a month to a year. Wouldn't you feel anxious over "who's been invading my territory?" That would be like someone entering your house every day and you couldn't stop them from sitting on your couch and watching. You have NO control over the situation. All you can do is repeatedly ask for that person to leave your house but, yet, they never do. Dogs do not see the world as us, they see it in terms of what is theirs and what is not.

 

Ah, but that's exactly what does happen on the borders of a wild pack. They smell the other dog's urine and they know there are other dogs about. They can either sneak in and raid (which wild dogs will do - being opportunists), or if they perceive the other dogs as stronger, they can back off. I agree that on the lead they have no choice, but dogs are extremely adaptable, and they can learn (and most do learn) that in this artificial situation, the smell of the stronger dog is not a threat because their own (hopefully strong) leader is with them.

 

 

Wow....I spent the whole morning reading this thread. Fascinating read, indeed. This thread brought out a lot of emotions and different ideas.

 

I quoted some from silverfish here, as they most closely convey my thoughts on this subject.

 

I walk Ted twice daily. more hikes than walks really. They all start off on-leash, but as soon as the area permits, I let him have his off-leash time. HIS WALKS usually last between 60 to 90 minutes, although they vary with weather changes and how well I feel that day,(I have a chronic disability). Never less than 60 minutes however, unless it is dangerous to be out in extremely cold or hot weather. His walks always end on-leash.

 

I tend to agree with some components of the "migrating theory" stated at the beginning of this thread, but I also agree that it doesn't need to be a totally structured walk, in the sense that the dog has to be on-leash and is only allowed to sniff and stop when you let it. They are after all "HIS WALKS".

 

Ted and I have definitely bonded, because of these walks.

 

Not everyone can get out to walk their dogs on a regular basis, but I feel that if you can, then you should. Even if your backyard consists of a 6 acre plot. Your dogs need to feel the connection that only a walk can provide.

 

Lastly, I want to thank all that responded to this thread, no matter what their opinions were. I learned a great deal from reading each and every comment.

 

PS- sorry for the somewhat double posting , but I wanted to include both of the quoted pages from silverfish, as well as add one or two other thoughs.

Edited March 22, 2010 by Drumhellergrey

[Guest duckbilled]

We really want to walk Ike more than we do and the less we walk him the worst he is on walks. He is not hard to control but he will stop cold several times in a 30 minute walk. He just stops and won't budge. My wife usually walks him and this really frustrates her. I have a little more luck. When he stops, I turn him in a circle in the opposite direction and then turn him in the right direction. This works 30% of the time. Lately I have been trying to watch him out of the corner of my eye. I am looking for something that grabs his attention. As soon as I see his head move, I give the leash a light tug to break his focus.

 

I really think he stops when something gets his attention and he decides that he must investigate it (or pee on it) before moving forward.

 

He is leash trained by SCAL and I know he has it in him because he did fine when we first got him.

 

Any ideas? Right now I really want to take him out for a 30 minute brisk non-stop walk so I can get some exercise but it is really hard to get a pace going with all of the stops.

[Guest Drumhellergrey]

We really want to walk Ike more than we do and the less we walk him the worst he is on walks. He is not hard to control but he will stop cold several times in a 30 minute walk. He just stops and won't budge. My wife usually walks him and this really frustrates her. I have a little more luck. When he stops, I turn him in a circle in the opposite direction and then turn him in the right direction. This works 30% of the time. Lately I have been trying to watch him out of the corner of my eye. I am looking for something that grabs his attention. As soon as I see his head move, I give the leash a light tug to break his focus.

 

I really think he stops when something gets his attention and he decides that he must investigate it (or pee on it) before moving forward.

 

He is leash trained by SCAL and I know he has it in him because he did fine when we first got him.

 

Any ideas? Right now I really want to take him out for a 30 minute brisk non-stop walk so I can get some exercise but it is really hard to get a pace going with all of the stops.

Is he allowed sniff when he walks? The reason I ask is mine would do the same thing, (statue) when sniffing at something really interesting. If he does it when his head is upright it is possible that he senses some form of prey,in the form of a cat, or squirrel, nearby.

 

The answer to both could be to give him a bit less leash, and just keep moving in a forward direction. You don''t always have to keep a short leash when walking. Just when he is focused on something other than the task at hand, which would be to move forward. Don't be so strict as to never allow him to sniff, he can do that when you are both tired from a brisk walk.

[Guest Obidog]

We walk ours twice a day,around 45 minutes each time, the whippets get walked once at the moment because Patch has sore feet. I think I could walk Obi all day at times. He is sill a pup at near two and is full of beans, and I had some wonderful advice from an experienced greyhound lady who said that a tired Obi would be a good Obi.

[Guest littermates]

ok. here goes-I really don't walk my pair very often. I take them to an old grove & they run free. case deer into the thicket & generally have fun. they're dogs.

ready for the blasts now.

 

Marianne

 

Jake & Spirit

[Guest caliebsmom]

We usually walk our dogs twice daily for about 30 minutes. More or less depending on the temp as they are both heat sensitive breeds. Once in the morning before we leave. I feel much better leaving knowing they've had their exercise and are ready for a little nap time. We almost always do an evening walk as well. We change up the routes but do have some favorites. It is usually a fairly brisk pace with a few stops to sniff but moving most of the time. I have to admit that in years past we were a little lazy about the walks thanks to the ease of the fenced in backyard. It is still the main focus for potty times but my dogs are simply happier and better behaved when walked regularly. I can tell how much they enjoy the time.

[Guest Energy11]

Well, we USED to walk them on the property every morning, before this HEAT came! Now, NO WALKS ... just short turnouts in the small and larger pens. The dogs need more exercise, but not in this heat. :-(

[Guest KennelMom]

we aren't doing much walking now b/c of the heat. Occasionally it'll cool off enough in the late evening to go.

[kickchick2000]

I walk Milky Way every night between 7:30 and 8:00pm. Whoever says dogs can't tell time is crazy, he knows EXACTLY when it's time for a walk because if I'm not ready he lets me know. The last few weeks we have had brutal heat, still 90 at 7pm, so walks have been kept very short usually just to the end of the street.

 

Our bulldog does not get walked at all this time of year, in fact about all she can do is go to the potty and come back in. The heat and the humidity make it very hard for her to breath due to her facial structure.

[Guest Jacks_Human]

Jack typically goes on two short 'potty' walks a day, but I also take him to the park for a long walk or sets of sprints (I enjoy my zoomies too, since I used to run competitively ) less frequently, or play inside when he's in the mood (I have a fairly large flat, which affords him ample room to race about like a maniac and play fetch).

[Feisty49]

Annie Bella gets walked at least twice a day -- 3/4 of a mile to 1.5 miles each, depending on where we go, how I feel and if it's hot (she doesn't do well in hot weather so we shorten our walks). In the winter when it's very cold and/or stormy, we do one short walk. These are exercise walks. I walk her out back (I have 11 acres) at least 3 times a day for potty breaks and sometimes just because.

[RedHead]

I do have a yard but it is very tiny, so I mostly walk the pups for potty brakes and exercise. We go about 45 minutes in the morning (we jog on the sidewalks, I let them sniff/walk in the parks) before work and then, depending on the weather, 1-2 hours after work. We go between 4-8 miles each and every day, I do a lot of jogging and hiking.

[Guest aowam]

Living in a townhouse with a deck means that I have a virtually nonexistant backyard, so walks are essential. I agree that dogs need stimulation in the form of exercise--hey they have 4 legs--same as in my own opinion birds should be able to fly and fish should be able to swim in something bigger than a cup. I mean, there's pretty much nothing else for them to look forward to being essentially prisoners in our homes with 9-5 workers. With that said, my walks tend to be a brisker pace than a stroll: first lenient for potty time, then quicker while he gets his marking out of his system, and then a no-stop rule (he has as long as the leash to make any marks) to the end which may end with a short sprint. Sometimes I train him to jump over low fences on the walks, haha.

[Yamaha_gurl]

Our walks vary so much. Somedays we'll be lazy and just do a quick 20 minute walk (she has a large fenced yard), other days on the weekends we'll go hiking for 2 hours. So I can't really vote with that.

[Pepsi2004]

I voted never, but then had to also vote in the other 2 categories to make my vote count. Out "back yard" consists of about an acre or so that is securly fenced, so Charlie can do as he pleases. He is never out there alone though.

[Greydawg]

There is no better stress-reliever for me than walking with my dogs. It puts everything right with the world.

 

At a minimum, they get about three 20-30 minute walks (plus a quickie) for exercise, stimulation and to do their, ahem, tinks and stinks.

 

[RaineysMom]

I voted 2 or more times per day, but that does vary. I walk both of them in the morning (except for today as it's FINALLY raining here ) if I'm not working in the a.m. and then Bruce and I walk them again after he gets home from work (if I'm not working the afternoon) -- so some days they get 2, some only 1.

 

they take generally 30 minutes, but that's mostly to do with the fact that I let them stop pretty much as often as they want (which is answer #3) -- we have a fenced in yard so they can get their main exercise there (but rarely run anyway) and I feel that the walk is their way to get their socialization in by sniffing (they are boyz so they do a LOT of sniffing and marking!) so I let them sniff away. It's more of a PITA for me as it's not the kind of walk I'D like but they seem happy.

 

unfortunately, Nube is a greyhound snob and now Larry is feeding off his I HATE OTHER DOGS mentality when we see other dogs (only from a distance, I have to keep them far, far away from actually encountering one, at least with Nube -- I hope to try to introduce Larry to other dogs when walking alone with him).

 

ETA: I just saw the posts about the dogs getting "anxious" over marking their territory -- and while this makes sense, I know that in our case the boyz LOVE the sniffing and marking they do -- I do not see ANY indications of stress whatsoever.

Edited May 31, 2012 by RaineysMom

[GreyhoundGirl]

I have to walk mine as I don't have a yard. We go out 3 times a day for 10-20 minutes to potty. On top of that we walk the hiking trail which is about 2 miles a few times a week. We also go to the dog park (I know how people feel but in my town it is not used because most people have yards and I go at off times). I'm really working to lose weight and the dogs are along for the ride!

 

 

I agree that I have bonded quicker and more strongly with my hounds because we walk together so much.