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You have never seen a more miserible sight than my DH huddled down wearing a slicker..... out in the pouring rain..... watching one dog sniffing on the right and another one sniffing on the left. All the while...Gator and I are stolling contently along under the oversized umbrella!
There are benefits to being the one that walks the "old" dog. I have a free hand for an umbrella!
Location: Montreal -> CT -> MA -> Montreal -> Ottawa
17,330 posts, read 33,099,511 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bulldogdad
You could also end up with broken legs. LMAO!!!!!!!!!
SNORT!!!! True.
I was assuming that the OP didn't have a fenced yard. Ironically, I did have a fenced yard when I broke my leg, I was just stubborn and wanted to walk Artie like I was a mailman "in snow and sleet and rain and hail." I'm not quite that fearless (read: stupid) now, especially with a house on a hill.
My dog hates to go out in bad weather. She runs back inside and will hold it way past when it seems she should hold it. This is kind of good but sometimes I really need her to go! Eventually she had to go out because she won't go inside (good dog!). But she doesn't want to linger.
I used to have her in a flyball class, so one thing I do in really bad weather that lasts is have her jump over a hurdle inside, lol. I take a broomstick, lay it across some books, and throw treats over the broomstick. She gets tired out very quickly running back and forth! Plus she loves the game. Now with her joint problems I'm hesitant to do it, so we have to find another way. Fortunately I live in the south and it's not usual that the bad weather will last all day.
Location: Montreal -> CT -> MA -> Montreal -> Ottawa
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It's actually pretty funny because, of course, Artie and I used to walk in any kind of weather. Nothing bothered him. He didn't love when the rain was very heavy -- he'd get his eyes all squinty to ward it off -- but he didn't really mind it because we'd walk with his friends.
But yesterday was funny. We don't walk often but we're out in the yard all the time. Last night, there was a freak downpour. Artie had no idea, but of course I'd heard it beating against the windows. I wanted to let him out, though, so I opened the door and, as usual, he sprinted out. He got to the middle of the yard, realized that it was POURING, did an about-face, raced back to me and through the door. Then he ventured back out, peed under the deck (so he wouldn't get rained on -- smart boy), came back in, and lay down.
I think he's getting grumpy in his old age. (That's OK, so am I.)
as others have said...if YOU are unwillign to go out in inclament weather, dont get a high energy breed that will need it.
youve got a few choices, go for an older adult dog whos quite content with a 5 min potty break and spendinding the rest of the day getting lots of luvings on the couch when the weathers bad.
get a low energy toy breed...a 4lb chihuahua can eaisly be litterbox trained and can get plenty of excersize on a SHORT TERM basis playing fetch along a long hallway or running around the house!
keep in mind though that not all toy breeds are LOW energy, a yorkie, papillion, minpin, manchester, silky or rat terrier is NOT going to be happy stuck in the house for more than a few hours, despite their small size, they are high energy.
get a LOW energy breed in general...dont just assume smaller is better, some of the most energetic dogs ive ever met are small (think jack russels) a retired greyhound for example can be a perfect choice, being sprinters their daily excersize needs are relitivly low compared to dogs of similar size and they often tend to be "weather freeks" (dont like to get their paws wet or get cold ect) so are more likely to be content laying by the fire in the winter or holding the couch down on rainy days rather than get out there and walk...
i have 3 dogs.
all 3 are hgh energy
i have a fenced yard and a covered car port.
when it rains, my female small dog is a "hell no" kinda gal, rain makes her melt, so shes content to stay home...i probbaly couldnt even drag her on a walk in the rain. shes generally "quiet" in the house so even if she misses her run around time...shes very mellow
my male small dog...hes not as anti rain as my female, but hes more than content to run out, pee run back but on those days i have to spend an extra 1/2 an hour here and there playing tug or fetch in the house...small breed (6lbs) = he can easily excersize indoors...though not ideal
my BIG boy is a 6 month old 55lb puppy..hes high enegy and NOT phased by the weather at all, and if i didnt have a fenced yard it would be my job as his human to don the rain slicker and botos and take him out in a torrential downpour if thats what he needs...by taking on a high energy dog who NEEDS that excersize thats what YOU have to accept, that even in cinlament weather its your job to make sure the dog is properly excersized. this could be as simple as training your dog to walk on a treadmill...but for most this means pulling up the big girl panties and getting your tush out there.
Depends on you and the dog. My dog doesn't like rain but he'll go out just fine. He loves snow however. Just watch for signs of discomfort if you see any.
The dog is walked daily every morning and every day after work for a good hour regardless of weather in most cases. The only time I have skipped the walk is during an ice storm when he could have pulled me over on the ice, gotten away, and I wouldn't have been able to get him back.
We don't do the "crap in the yard" thing. Walk time is poop time. He's a hound, he's high energy, exercise is mandatory for his health and happiness. He's not the sort of dog who runs out to poop and then wants back in to curl up and chill. He longs to run.
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