# Do you walk your dog EVERYDAY?



## McGloomy (Mar 13, 2018)

I'm lucky enough to have a German Shepherd who is calm and chill at home. He has a lot of energy whenever I exercise him, but at home, he just lays around and play with his toys. 

I'm curious. I do try to walk my dog everyday, but there are days where timetable doesn't permit and my dog is not walked. When he doesn't get his daily walk, he's the same energy as he does when he gets his walk. No worries though, whenever he doesn't get his walk we do nose work at home for 20-30 minutes, followed by learning tricks for 10-15 minutes and after that he's good and beat. He CAN not get walks for 2 days, and he will be fine and dandy and calm at home. But I wouldn't NOT walk him for more than 2 days. 

I know that walks are for structure and his mind. But he's gotten the idea (of walking and behaving on leash) so training is not a big issue on this part, and his mental state gets challenged with inside training, games and toys. 

He's not overweight. He's actually lean and it's hard to keep weight on him. He gets a lot of exercise regularly: vigorous long fetches at the park 20-30mins, bike, rollerblade, even swim. But I admit, he doesn't get walked everyday. 

How crucial is daily walk for dogs? Is it an ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY COME RAIN COME SHINE thing to do? Do you walk your dog everyday? Is there a significant difference between dogs that are walked everyday and walked EVERY OTHER day? What are your opinions?

Thank you peeps.


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## lrodptl (Nov 12, 2009)

My 2 GSDs get 2 hours of off leash walks every day,rain or shine,blizzard or hurricane. In between,they go on errands with me and lay around the house and yard.


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## Katsugsd (Jul 7, 2018)

I walk Katsu and my shiba every morning for about 20-30 minutes. Before that there's 30-40 minutes of play time. In the evening there's 1-2 hours of off leash play at the local park. Then, depending on the day, another 30minutes - 1 hour of indoor play/training. The shiba could probably go a few days without the extra stuff, but walking is a must for him. Katsu would probably go bonkers if I didn't do something with her. She could get away with no walks, but the off leash time is almost a must for her. We can get away with one day staying indoors and playing inside, but I wouldn't push it past that. I am not looking forward to her spay!


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## dogma13 (Mar 8, 2014)

Mine don't need an actual walk every day.They do need to get out and stretch their muscles every day.At the very least running around in the yard,playing with me and each other.What is really satisfying for them is trailing whatever critters have passed through overnight.


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## middleofnowhere (Dec 20, 2000)

Yes. 

Here we walk around 6 acres 2 x a day and we should although not always do a short bout of training 1 x a day.


When I lived in Wyoming, my dogs got a walk 2x a day. Sometimes it was 20 below. Sometimes when it was 20 below, the evening walk happened at 2 am because that was when the wind quit blowing. The evening walk was longer (around a 16 acre block) the morning walk was shorter.


When I lived in Arkansas, my dogs got a walk 2 x a day. Early in the morning and late at night (ok so 2 am again sometimes) when it was disgustingly hot.




So get your leash, put on your clothes, take your dog and get the heck out the door.


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## car2ner (Apr 9, 2014)

I need the walks as much as the dogs do. There was a time when they only were playing in the yard and even though we have a very large yard, they were missing their long walks. And we try to have some sort of 'adventure" on the weekends.


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## clipke (Nov 14, 2017)

I definitely don't but I'm fortunate enough to have two very energetic big boys so they keep each other active inside. During warmer months we try to go to the dog park a few times a week, and my dad occasionally walks them.


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## tim_s_adams (Aug 9, 2017)

My dog gets offleash exercise daily. But honestly, unless we're training we only go for on leash walks a couple times a week. I do have a fairly large, fenced backyard though.


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## Aly (May 26, 2011)

Once daily and, several times a week, 2x daily; one of the walks also includes a 20-30 minute stop at a nearby field or a large, wooded property where she can go adventuring off lead. I've been doing this for years. The only exceptions are if I'm travelling or managed to reinjure my back. It's a routine that's great for me and the dog physically, mentally and emotionally. You can even weave some training exercises into the walks (e.g., with two dogs, you get to play 'leapfrog' ). Plus, you get to meet neighbors (okay, so that's not _always _a bonus ) and to see stuff that you wouldn't do otherwise.


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## CometDog (Aug 22, 2017)

No, no I don't. I work full time and have joint custody of 3 kids 12 and under. I do make sure to engage with him for 10 minute blocks several times a day. I pay the sitter to stay an hour more than needed most days so I can do chores like food shopping (my 2 boys are disabled, I cant bring both out together by myself)...but I also sometimes use that extra to walk him. Sometimes that is only once or twice a week though. However when my kids are with their dad (15 days a month-we do 50/50 time) life is pretty dog-centric after work and on the weekends. Long walk everyday, still the 10 minute blocks of training/mental engagement and IPO club and hikes on the weekend. 

So cumulatively he gets training in 10 minute blocks everyday, a daily 1hr walk 15 to 17 days of the month, and constant kid activity for the other 15 to 17 days. And IPO and hikes 2 weekends of the month. My one son has a tireless approach t playing with this dog. The "Valor Aus" game rips right through your head...but at least kid and dog are happy. And my dog has a kick butt out as a result.


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## Dunkirk (May 7, 2015)

I walk my dog first thing every morning for an hour, unless weather is dangerous (cyclone, rare). A year or so ago I was sick, so my husband exercised Nitro for me. Nitro remainded happy those mornings when my husband just took him for a drive in the car, rather than a walk. I found it interesting the outing was as fulfilling to Nitro as a walk. I don't think it wouldn't work as a long term strategy.


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## Beau's Mom (Nov 9, 2017)

I walk Beau daily unless I am ill or it’s pouring rain (rare here). We also play or train in 5-10 min segments at home a few times a day most days. If we miss walks more than 2 days in a row he gets harder to live with.


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## Thecowboysgirl (Nov 30, 2006)

For the most part, yes. It's pretty rare if I don't walk them. Like torrential freezing rain in which case we usually train indoors and I wear out their brains.

We have two different regular walks. One is a little under a mile through the woods, the short loop. This is their bare minimum walk and usually the loop I walk when we are training at something else that day.

Then I have an almost two mile walk up the road, about half of which they get to be offleash for. This usually on days we aren't training or they just need a little extra distance.


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## Beau's Mom (Nov 9, 2017)

Just saw @Dunkirk ‘s comment. Yes, for Beau it seems to be the outing more than the exercise. He settles down after a walk whether it’s .5 mile or 8 miles. He’s stronger, though, if long walks are the norm.


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## Thecowboysgirl (Nov 30, 2006)

Dunkirk said:


> I walk my dog first thing every morning for an hour, unless weather is dangerous (cyclone, rare). A year or so ago I was sick, so my husband exercised Nitro for me. Nitro remainded happy those mornings when my husband just took him for a drive in the car, rather than a walk. I found it interesting the outing was as fulfilling to Nitro as a walk. I don't think it wouldn't work as a long term strategy.



My girl sliced her paw pad pretty bad when she was like two and a half, still very active then. She had I forget but 5 or 6 stitches in her big paw pad and she was basically on crate rest and could only go outside to potty on leash and then right back in. It was a bad cut. We would put her in the van and drive her around town so she could look out the window for 30 mins because it was better than nothing when she was going stir crazy. It helped


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## Dunkirk (May 7, 2015)

Thecowboysgirl said:


> My girl sliced her paw pad pretty bad when she was like two and a half, still very active then. She had I forget but 5 or 6 stitches in her big paw pad and she was basically on crate rest and could only go outside to potty on leash and then right back in. It was a bad cut. We would put her in the van and drive her around town so she could look out the window for 30 mins because it was better than nothing when she was going stir crazy. It helped


We did the same after Nitro's elbow surgery. I once saw someone with a very elderly border collie being taken for a walk in a child's stroller. The dog was lying in the stroller regally, while it's nose got a good workout. :grin2:


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## Jenny720 (Nov 21, 2014)

My goal would to be walk daily but that does not happen it would not give them enough exercise either although they enjoy exploring. I do enjoy walking in the neighborhood and do that as often as I can with them. I make sure they get plenty of off leash exercise which they get in backyard daily. Even if I don’t have the energy there are trails near my house and a deep sand pit sump in the middle of the woods where they can chase each other around or trails at different parks or beachs usually once a week. I’m always interacting in some way. I seem to take them out if I have errands mostly in winter or periods of long rainy days because they can get stir crazy and we do a short walk around whatever town. 

Even all the runs -do not tire max out I will need to play ball practice some tricks or training. Even if that is in the house it is just interacting or tug. -scent work seems to appease them. Kids always hiding and dogs find them. How to behave daily in life .

A few weeks ago I did a roll over video late at night- I had a empty box in the foyer to distract Luna i through some chicken in there. So max can roll over with her jumping on him. After he rolled over he ran through the house going nuts sucking in air looking for a tiny qtip with that was in a jar with a scented lid of either anise, clove or birch. Some reason thrown a treat in the box put him the nosework mode full throttle. I have not done this in along time - with the oils - and max would not stop - so it made me Bring my nosework scent kit out and do some hides for them. It made me feel guilty because max was really enjoying this. Luna also we had just started her in nosework and before Life got in the way but she picked it up real quick again she is a crazy smart learner.


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## Datura (Feb 16, 2018)

Honestly, no, we don't take walks everyday. 
Dean is 7 months old, and would probably love a walk a day, but I ended up having some health issues that put me out of commission for the past few months lol So I had to find some things indoors for him to do. We play fetch in the house. I toss the ball to one end of the house and he brings it back few dozen times. We practice heel inside. Or rather tried to. Once he realized the pattern we were taking On try 3 lol), he tried to get to the turns and wait for me. 
We don't have a fenced in yard (We rent) but I will hook him up to a long line and tie him to the porch railing and throw snow balls outside, or let him sniff and dig in the snow. About 20 minutes of that and he is ready for a nap lol


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## McGloomy (Mar 13, 2018)

Oh wow, I'm surprised that not all of us walk their dog everyday! I thought I was the odd one out. But from what I've read, those who don't walk their dog everyday mostly has a yard or a house big enough for them to 'stretch.'

My point is that I'm of the opinion that daily walks (not that it's not important) is secondary to more intense exercise. I feel that after rollerblading (which is a structured exercise), or playing fetch (also structured) for my 20-30 mins non-stop kills 2 birds with 1 stone: physical and mental. So sometimes I don't feel it's necessary to walk my dog 365 days a year, especially when my dog can be calm at home either way.

I could be wrong. Just an opinion.


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## atomic (Mar 28, 2016)

I rarely walk my dogs. I live on 25 acres and unless the weather is awful I let them run around outside and do for the most part whatever makes their hearts content. Most of the land is wooded mountainside so there’s a plethora of interesting stuff to explore, and also a creek to splash around in. My dobe is a frisbee maniac and he will play til he drops! He hasn’t yet though lol. Otherwise my two younger boys will play inside and my old pit is content to sleep if need be.

I do also take them on hikes at least every other week but try to once a week. It’s usualy around two miles as my old dog is nearly 11 and can’t overdo it, while my gsd pup is only six months old.


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## truckola (Nov 3, 2013)

I usually try once a day, she likes the outing and chase the ball


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## saintbob (Jul 14, 2018)

Pretty much yes, also clip Saint on to the 4wheeler for a 5mph trot for just under a mile about 3x a week. btw I got some of that Mushers wax just for that for when the ground gets frozen but we put it on weekly.

He really loves the 4 wheeler run but should I be concerned about his foaming at the mouth...he shows no other ill effect and always has water to drink.

I just don't remember our other dogs foaming at the mouth so much.


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## scarfish (Apr 9, 2013)

i never walk my dog. strange i know but i live in the ghetto and everyone has pitbulls and never leashes and i ain't taking the chance. she gets he exercise running around the yard and in the house. i never tell her to settle down. she can do whatever she wants. i take her wherever i go in the car and walk her around stores or bring her to work to play with my co-workers and stuff for mental stimulation. plus there's a roommate's dog and 2 cats and all play together all day.


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## Kari01 (Sep 7, 2018)

Unfortunately we have no yard, so I walk my girl 3 times a day, in all weathers. Doesn't mean it's a long walk though, but honestly she goes stir crazy if she hasn't had at least 1 or 2 walks, plus hours of play every day. When I am too sick to walk her, she becomes much more frustrated and testy. She needs to burn off her puppy energy


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## gabby100 (Dec 30, 2018)

We have big yard, so I walk my dog only on weekends. But I'm planning to do it more often, because our yard is always full of dog poop..


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