Ohfercrissakes. It’s a well known fact by who? People in this thread that might be a step above you? Use your brain for once.
There is nothing wrong with walking dogs, the point is whether doing so, particularly daily, is necessary to their health and well being. I’ve had several dogs at all times for the past 40+ years, my vet bills are almost non-existent, I compete almost weekly in performance events and do my share of winning, so even to you it should be obvious that my dogs are far from neglected despite their lack of walks. How is this a subject I know worlds more about than you? Aside from the stupid things you’ve been claiming, I’ve been completing in various dog sports and breeding litters for decades, teaching obedience & field classes, reading the various trade journals, attending seminars and on and on. You are a pet owner, I am a professional. Give it up.
Oh please, this isn’t rocket science. I don’t need to be a professional dog trainer to know that you’re supposed to walk a dog, just like I don’t need to be a professional chef to know I should eat fruits and vegetables.
Anyways, you’ll get your wish in that I am giving up. Not because you’re right, but because I know from past threads that you are either a troll or you don’t have the brains god gave patio furniture, so there’s no point arguing with you.
Oh my god Nava, don’t lie! You TOTALLY yell at your canary. And beat him too I bet - 'cus that’s what normal pet owners do!
Curlcoat, I don’t know shit about you, but if you honestly think coming to this forum and posting that you beat your dogs and threaten to off yourself ‘cus people are mean to you is going to go well then you’re friggin’ delusional or you can’t read.
Also, your ideas about dogs are your own - I’ve never heard any reputable dog trainer suggest that walks aren’t part of good pack behaviour/training. Frankly, as you’re saying that beating your dogs, yelling at them and keeping a half of one alive in your backyard is good training, I’ll stick with the actual experts as opposed to internet superheros such as yourself.
OMG, I feel really dirty and traitorous and stuff but I’m going to have to agree with Curlie in this instance…shit, where’s the Barfie Smilie when you need it??
I’ve had dogs that needed walking twice-daily, and I’ve had dogs that would rather curl up and die rather than go for the dreaded Walkies…so that when the lead came out and the words, “Hey, d’ya wanna go for a walk” were uttered, the canine in question headed straight under the bed to sleep a bit more. That’s our current mutt…Boris, a maltese/shitzhu cross with an extreme aversion to movement.
My bestest ever dog though, Jack, was a Blue-Heeler/Kelpie cross…a breed renowned for being total maniacs if they’re not kept busy at all times. But Jack just wanted to sit by my side all the time. He followed me out to the dunny, he’d help me hang the clothes on the line, he sat with me whilst I watched the telly…the worst thing though was that I wasn’t allowed to leave the house without him. So Jack became a fixture of the car as well. I had to buy a station-wagon with a window that wound down so that he’d be comfortable hanging out while I was working.
We took him camping to get a whiff of the great outdoors, but he preferred to sit by the fire or in the tent so that he was close to me and the kids. He never barked, he never whinged, and he was as healthy as all buggery until he developed cancer at around age 11.
And we never took him for a walk, not once, not ever.
You either need to meet some new trainers, or seek clarification from the ones you know. Any working dog that gets plenty of exercise, in addition to lots of field work, absolutely does not need to be walked regularly. If what curlcoat says about his/her dogs is true, then they’re getting more stimulation and care than the vast majority of pets.
Oh, I dunno. I would eagerly trade places with my dogs. We have three dogs (cite). We live “in the country”. Daily we hike around; there is a lake the dogs swim in two or three times each week. The dogs come with us when we take the horses out trail riding.
I am self employed. The dogs come to work with me each day, where my employees and I enjoy spending time with them outside during clement weather. They also have beds, etc at work where they snooze part of each day.
My gf is into fitness, and takes the dogs running on a trail once or twice a week. We spend more $$ on their nutrition than many people spend on themselves, and feel some guilt over that issue. I’m overdue to have a colonoscopy (I’m 51) but the dogs never miss a vet visit. Each of the dogs has gone through basic obedience training, and the middle sized one has done agility work.
Do I think leashed walking is good for dogs? Yes - in much the same way that’s it’s good for humans to leave their home and walk briskly for as long as possible each day. But leashed walks aren’t necessary for a healthy, happy, well-exercised dog. If I had a car and a yard, my dogs would very rarely get walked on leash - they’d shit in my yard rather than in the properties surrounding my apartment, and we’d jump in the car to get to the park quicker, where they have a hell of a lot more fun running and swimming than they do walking at my pace around my neighborhood.
Wait, what? Working dogs? I thought we were talking about pets that have behaviour issues, and if adding additional exercise for those pets could help with those behaviour issues.
Clearly, since you got involved in a discussion that curlcoat & Meyer were having about her dogs specifically.
It doesn’t matter, though. Walking is but one way to see to the exercise needs of a dog, working breed or otherwise. If those needs are met elsewhere, then it is not necessary to walk a dog on a leash.
Hey, I have no problem saying that some dogs are an exception to the rule. **Curly **is saying she hasn’t walked a single dog in over 40 years of owning them.
Anyways, leaving aside the question of walking (and I still think getting out of the yard is good for the vast majority of dogs), curlcoat is also tacitly approving of beating animals and screaming and yelling at them. I’m interested to hear if the other trainer types would think *that *is okay too.
FTR, I have never yelled at my dog, and it’s not because I’m a perfect person or he has perfect manners. I’ve had him 3 years and had several dogs before, so it’s not that either. I pretty much only ever get to the point of yelling during a heated argument, and since he’s not capable of forming any kind of argument, I don’t see why on earth I would yell at him. It would just scare him.
Yeah, we were never talking about working dogs until he brought it up. It doesn’t sound to me like either **Papsett **or **curlcoat **have what I would call ‘working dogs’. Curlcoat and Labrador Deceiver are also conveniently ignoring the behavioural issues brought up earlier.
Kambuckta I think CrazyCatLady might have said it best, walks do depend on breed, age and temperment. Your small dog might not have liked walks. Having five dogs that don’t need walks, three of which are big dogs, one under two, would be a surprise. I am fairly certain that everyone would agree that if you’re having behavior problems with dogs, and they are getting limited exercise via any method, walks or more exercise is warranted.
The major reason this thread exists is that there was admitted beatings and “smacks” as well as frustration in dealing with four dogs. And at the thought of adding a horse to the mixture just, I am agog.
No, my animals are not furbabies. I have two dogs, two cats, and two horses. I also have two children under ten. The horses live on a co-owned ranch, and are used on a daily basis to check fences, move cattle etc., but not by me. If I didn’t have a SO, a loving ex who is the father of the kiddos, and a nanny, I’d be apeshit. If I had to choose between saving a pet or my children, the children would win. The SO might win, but is on shaky ground if he doesn’t start putting his dishes in the dishwasher.
And curlcoat as to having a life, you’re right, too many billable hours have gone into this. I am actually concerned, especially given the suicide blackmail; however, Papsett isn’t listening so it’s recreational outrage at this point.
I’m not ignoring jack shit. I’m talking about one specific point. Specifically, I’m talking about the assertion that all dogs, even those whose exercise needs are being met elsewhere, need to be walked. That is false.
If Papsett’s dogs aren’t getting enough exercise, then she should walk them. If they are, then she doesn’t need to. End of fucking story.
Ok - I really did miss some of the later parts of that convo. I will point out that saying well exercised dogs don’t need to be walked maybe not be quite as universal as you’re stating. My parents own a 6 acre property, heavily treed, fenced, etc. They have a boarder collie who roams the entire thing, keeps wildlife inline (chases bunnies, but never seems to catch them) etc. Mom and dad still take him for daily walks as well because that type of dog tends to herd (which is why they’re such good farm/ranch dogs) but that’s not appropriate if there are young children around. The daily walks help to establish the pack hierarchy so that when my mom tells Dusty to sit on his mat and leave the baby alone, he sits on the mat and leaves the baby alone.
I have certainly been led to believe that the daily walk can help establish pack dynamics based on dog training books, etc.
Now, my parent’s situation is unique, as is CurlCoat’s as is PapSett’s and what their dogs need is what their dogs need; however, I don’t think it’s fair to say there’s no utility in daily walks even for dogs that get a lot of exercise, assuming they are being kept as pets and not as working animals.
