Dog owners...

I live 30m from a lake so I take my dogs for walks once every second day. I've got a husky, a golden retriever, a labrador and a jack Russel so they need the exercise. It invariably lands up being a walk and a swim though.

Twice a day seems a bit much and often once a day is not feasible. My yard is rather big and they go berserk from the front to the back of the house all day long in any case...
 
I try daily, but leave 5:30 and get home near 7... so some days its difficult, if I leave it to long she reminds me by ripping out a tree, or newly planted flowers, or digging up irrigation pipe....
 
reactor_sa said:
Personally I think if you have a big yard, then more interactive activities with your dog(s) is more important than walking them, especially if you only have one. I've read a book on training german shephards and one on rottweilers.
Its not really a one-size-fits-all scenario. Things like background, upbringing, home environment, breed, personality, etc etc influence whats best for your dog(s).
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A dog needs to roam and see other dogs. Keeping it cooped up in one garden is not healthy.
 
I only get to see my dogs once a week because they live with family. I have a very small yard so it would be unfair to keep them cooped up in there all day. My family's house has a huge huge yard and the dogs run around in it and play.
Once every few months we take them out somewhere like to Irene or to a Dog Walk event.

Even if they lived with me I doubt I would "walk" them daily. I would probably play with them daily. Walking them in the neighbourhood is asking for trouble so "walks" require loading them up in the car and driving somewhere.

I have 2 Daschunds, for the record.
 
I'm going to view a boxer puppy this evening :D :D

There is loads of info on youtube and if you have DSTV... "The Dog Whisperer" is always a good watch/learning experience.
 
I have a border collie x lab.... He does a lot of running when I get home chasing his ball, or a good ol tug-of-war.He also goes for random swims as I bought a pool fairly late in his life, of which he occasionally feels the need to remind himself :D

He does like water though, so apart from his escapades, he swims whenever I do.
 
Rarely but we have a big enough yard for play, lots of place to run and they are inside dogs. They are 100% unsociable to other people or animals. They only get walked for vet visits as taking them in the car is a nightmare. Even vet visits are planned with military precision, vet has to be empty, doc/room ready with muzzle in hand and i literally sprint there so they dont have time to focus on people and animals along the route..also 2 x leashes on the male.

In all honesty, we like them this way. I have every faith that our dogs would protect our property and the people who live here with their lives. I would love to put a sigh up outside that says *All hope is lost for those that enter here* :D And before flaming me, we adopted them this way.

Oh yar, 2 x boerboels. :)
 
I walk the dogs usually every second day for between 45 minutes and 2 hours. During that walk I throw things for them to fetch. Sticks, stones... whatever I find on the side of the road they will fetch anything. :p


killadoob said:
Could be the reason he gets ears infections but he loves it so much i cannot help myself.
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When I was younger my pet staffie used to get tons of ear infections. Once a year at least if not more. He swam probably 8 hours a day in the middle of summer.

The vet recommended an op they ended up having done on him that cut grooves down the side of his head basically turning his ear holes into ear grooves. I believe the op was referred to as a "Zepps". I thought it was drastic at the time but it worked. After that op he never had another ear infection ever again as all the water just ran out of these slight grooves.

It sounds something Freddie Kruger would do to his victims when I describe it like this but really the grooves are tiny and not noticeable at all. :p
 
I wish I could walk my dogs everyday, but I leave too early and get home late every day :( The two of them run around playing with each other during the week, so they keep themselves active.

I take them twice on weekends though :)
 
Le^stat said:
I'm going to view a boxer puppy this evening :D :D

There is loads of info on youtube and if you have DSTV... "The Dog Whisperer" is always a good watch/learning experience.
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You are going to need to watch a lot of dog whisperer if you get one of those! they are very headstrong and like to jump on people.
They also need TONS of exercise but if you stick to proper training and exercise the dog then they are an awesome breed.
 
porchrat said:
When I was younger my pet staffie used to get tons of ear infections. Once a year at least if not more. He swam probably 8 hours a day in the middle of summer.

The vet recommended an op they ended up having done on him that cut grooves down the side of his head basically turning his ear holes into ear grooves. I believe the op was referred to as a "Zepps". I thought it was drastic at the time but it worked. After that op he never had another ear infection ever again as all the water just ran out of these slight grooves.

It sounds something Freddie Kruger would do to his victims when I describe it like this but really the grooves are tiny and not noticeable at all. :p
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Staffies win!
I just cant get my little tank to swim, she is more of a "run on water" than swim dog. I always though it was because they are just too heavy for their size but it looks like I need to get her to try swimming again.
 
not at all its to old.

We have a big yard and it does run around. Out on walkies it goes crazy within a block and we have to turn back.

Not all dogs are made for walking companions.
 
Lots of people on here need to learn to be the boss with their dogs.
There is no such thing as a dog that cant be walked because it pulls too much or is aggressive to other dogs etc.
If you cant keep control normally then look at things like halter collars or fur savers. Pronged collars and choke chains are terrible and should not be used.

If you cant get control of your dog then watch a few epps of the dog whisperer or read one of his books, he has tons of practical advice.
 
I have a labby that gets a run in the park probably 4 to 5 times a week, much better than just a walk as he gets to play with other dogs and can run free off the leash. Also we have a big garden and we have an agreement with the next door neighbours that allows him to run freely between our garden and their's so he can interact with their dogs, also keeps him active
 
gdiza said:
How often do you take your dogs for walks?
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The best environment for a dog is a game reserve. I have a doggy story (edited from another post).

I have an ex-special forces game ranger friend (this is relevant) and was visiting him in a reserve far from civilization. He had a Labrador. We were farting around by the river one day and the dog couldn’t stay out of the water (stupid mutt). He got into a tussle with a crocodile. We beat-off the croc but the dog came off second-best. We took him home but we were too far from anywhere for aid (the dog was dying). The Parks Board supplied their staff with a nice house and servants (a perk – they were paid crap anyway). So, although my friend had a nice house, he had no furniture. Hessian served as curtains, garden furniture served as chairs and he had a bullet-scarred (my fault – an embarrassing story), melamine-covered, big and cheap kitchen table (this is relevant). He used to work at the kitchen table with a table lamp, sitting on a garden chair, completing any PB required admin. work. Since the dog was dying anyway, we thought we would try a patch-up job. My game ranger friend was medium knowledgeable about medical matters (besides the dog’s injuries were grievous but non-complex). As part of his special forces training he was required to serve 6 months in a major general hospital. He was usually a gofer in casualty but was required to attend theatre operations as an observer. First rate special force operatives are not simply muscle bound killers. They are also highly intelligent (well above average). The dog was in good hands. I make a passably good assistant as well. Infection and blood loss were the dangers. A dogs immune system (for that type of injury) is far better than a humans. Infection we tried to combat. Blood loss was minimal – I don’t know why. Other than that, the dog was on his own.

We ransacked the house for the medical supplies we would need and came up with a bottle of household bleach (Jik), Listerene mouthwash and whisky as antiseptics and a bottle of Mercurochrome. We split the whisky between the dog and ourselves. We boiled needle and thread (green, if you must know). The cheepo, melamine-covered kitchen table was our operating table and was wiped-down thoroughly with Jik (bleach). The table lamp served as our operating light for close-up work., I held the dog down, we cut the hair with nail scissors and shaved the slashes with his razor. Painted the gashs with antiseptic (Listerine and a paintbrush) and with his sewing kit (a seamstress he is not) we repaired what damage we could. We painted the wound with a paintbrush and Mercurochrome and cut the end off a pillow case (to make a tube) and stuck the dog through it. It covered the wound (stopped him licking) and kept it clean. He went on to make a full recovery. He was skittish around water after that but was very friendly (especially with children) and was finally stolen (at another reserve) by a dastardly Transvaal family in a camper. I hope they looked after him well – he was a good dog.
 
Le^stat said:
I'm going to view a boxer puppy this evening :D :D

There is loads of info on youtube and if you have DSTV... "The Dog Whisperer" is always a good watch/learning experience.
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welcome to the club for the owners with the dumbest dogs.
:D
I will never have one again. :o
 
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