# Exercise when it's raining



## cassadee7 (Nov 26, 2009)

I am curious... what do you do with your dog for exercise when it is raining? I am not a fan of wet dog/mud, so I am looking for alternatives to rain walks/yard time.

When it is raining, we sometimes play fetch in the living room in a controlled manner. We do some basic OB inside and put her kibble in a treat dispensing ball that she chases around the house. We also will go to the Pet store sometimes to walk around and do OB.

What do you do?


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## wilbanks17 (Feb 11, 2011)

The pet store is a good idea. Ofcourse, we have an indoor K9 facility so its makes it very easy when the rain is falling.


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## GSD07 (Feb 23, 2007)

I'm not in any help here because I walk rain or shine or snow. I own appropriate gear so I am always comfortable. Inside of the house is a place for being calm and relaxed so no games. Well, except some rough housing LOL


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

me too , it's outside, Masi can only take so long being cooped up in the house, so it's outside at times no matter the weather


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## GSD_Xander (Nov 27, 2010)

Being in OR I know your situation - this weather has been SO rainy and cloudy this year. 

I took an old pair of jeans and old pair of shoes and delegated them to walking/rain gear...of course, you can get better rain gear than jeans and sneakers. 

Xander and I will go for a walk when it's raining - one day we even went to the park and played in some really big puddles. It was fun. 

Sometimes I feel like I have more mud than dog since this weather just doesn't want to dry up! LOL


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## Zan (Nov 12, 2010)

And raining, and raining, and raining....gosh this is the coldest/wettest spring I can remember, and I'm a native!

I wish there was an indoor doggie play facility somewhere...we would be there in a minute. For now it's walks/runs in the rain, and some light fetch indoors. I'm going to re-paint anyway so the basement walls have little tennis ball marks all over them.


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## Gilly1331 (Apr 16, 2011)

If you have a treadmill easy walks on the treadmill will still give exercise during the rain. Fetch inside, and training is always good. My guys love being outside in all weather and mope around if they are left inside to long. Both of my are big fish so the rain doesnt scare them.


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## JanaeUlva (Feb 5, 2011)

We go outside rain, snow, cold. With the proper gear it's actually nice. However, I am considering training Minka to jog on the treadmill for those tornado-ish type days when you shouldn't go out to play.


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## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

We go out in all weather here. No fun drying off muddy, wet dogs but we all feel better after we get exercise. 

Check out rei.com for good rain gear.


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## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

Yup, we are outdoors as well.

I have invested in Muckboots and a nice Columbia water-resistant jacket.

Oh the joys of having a dog! 

We do invite doggy friends over as well to play in the house, but Stark and his buddies are pretty reserved indoors so it's more for company/socialization than real "playing".

Training, hide-and-seek, sitting on the balcony watching the rain, etc..


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

If you live in Washington, you'll just have to suck it up and go out rain or shine! 

I use to live on Vancouver Island - loved the rainy days - my spaniel mix didn't care if it was raining or not, and I loved having the beach all to ourselves. 

And I bet Saber's coat will shed rain and mud wayyyyy better than my old spaniel's mix long-coat and Keeta's silky soft coat, so if we survived happy and healthy despite the rain, I'm sure you guys will be fine too.  (go to a thrift store and stock up on what will be refered to from now on as "dog towels") (that's my tip for rainy-day exercise!).


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

I am going out to put stakes for my fence within a fence in the back yard. Getting ready to lay out a long run area I can toss balls, line with fence underneat and pine straw on top because our mud is, well, red mud. But we don't play inside other than hiding toys..................

I really want to get a treadmill going for me and the dogs but I have other things to complete first.


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## cassadee7 (Nov 26, 2009)

Wow, this whole GSD thing IS a lifestyle change! You mean I can't sit inside in the picture window in fuzzy slippers and drink tea with my little poodle-pom in my lap and my GSD at my feet when it rains??? Speedy never in his 12 years needed a walk in the rain 

Yeah, okay, I guess I will suck it up and get a raincoat and some "dog towels" (nice tip). I do not like wet dog smell... but hey for the last 12 years my dog has not shed, I have never found a dog hair in my food and his poops were so tiny I couldn't even find them to pick them up half the time... so I guess if I can adjust to the hair in everything and the giant poops and the dog chewing a bull penis in my living room, I will adjust to rain walks too!


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## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

HAHAHAHA... Shawn, you made me laugh so hard when I read your post.

Having grown up with GSD's and never having another breed I can't even imagine not having hair in and on everything and being expected to walk/play/train/run in the rain with my dog.

I think my next dog may be a poodle... sleeps on my lap, no shedding, no walking in the rain.. fuzzy slippers... that does sound nice... Hahaha..


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

If it makes you feel any better, this is a typical walk on the trails here, from last fall. This is where a hose and dog towels come in real handy after we get home:









Look at the smiles on their faces! Worth all the mud in the world!


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

Castlemaid said:


> Look at the smile on their faces! Worth all the mud in the world!


And exactly why I have a pickup truck with crates in the back under the camper shell

I have survived one too many hairnados in my SUV, whose muddy windows I could not see through. (So not I have a camper I cannot see through but big towing mirrors)


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## cassadee7 (Nov 26, 2009)

Lucia, wow! Yeah, I'd say that makes me feel better. LOL!


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