[titiaamor]

I remember reading this study years ago that dog owners would go out and exercise even in the rain or cold, because they felt a responsibility to walk their dogs.

Well, I'm a little under the weather and DH had to leave early this morning. There is no circumstance that I would have walked for 1.5 hours while feeling cruddy. I only did it for my dogs.

You know what? I feel better having gotten out and walked! :whoo: I think the 1 on 1 emotional connection with them helps, too.

Do you walk your dogs when the weather is bad or when you are not feeling 100%?

 

[hanksimon]

If I am concerned about my health - flu; I won't walk my dog, but for normal, morning aches and pains, or a cold, I do assiduously walk my dog through rain, and sleet, and gloom of night, as well as heat of Texas It has helped me age a bit more graciously, and I hope that it has helped my 11 yo dog to retain some puppy enthusiasm and playfulness... can't quite tell in the current heat.

 

[HollowHeaven]

"dog owners get more exercise"

I'll say.
But might wanna change that to 'most dog owners' because I know people with dogs who sit on their hiney all day, whose dogs have never even seen a leash.

But I know a lot of people who claim to exercise daily, but ya know, 30 - 60 minutes a day of just working out or jogging, in my book, doesn't really compare to spending 2 hours a day minimum of just walking/jogging dogs, of running after them, of wrestling with them, training them, just basic dog stuff. Not mention sports and what not should people do them.
I'm a hefty person, but I know plenty of fit people who are far less active than I am.

I walk my dogs whether I feel bad or not, but it really does depend on the type of illness. A cold, headache, little things like that I'll suck it up, but if it's something that's really gonna have me out of sorts, I probably will not walk them.
We don't go walking in heavy rain or other such elements (snow excluded) but mainly because my dogs don't like it. And Diesel will not walk in heat. He doesn't do well in it, so I leave him alone until the day cools off. Aleu will go out in anything, -20 or 105, she doesn't care.

 

[Laurelin]

Depends. Doesn't always work out especially when it was 110 for a week straight. They don't want to walk and neither do I. So we did other things and they survived.

The other day (actually twice) they got walked during storms. It was absolutely awesome! I think a light rain is the best time to walk. Second thunderstorm we ended up coming home 30 mins into the walk because it started lightning pretty bad but the first day we spent 2 hours hiking in the rain. It was one of the best experiences I've had with them recently.

 

[sassafras]

Depends mostly on the weather, but there is no doubt in my mind that I get more exercise because of the dogs. I shudder to think what kind of physical shape I'd be in without them and their needs for exercise to motivate me.

 

[MusherChic]

Do you walk your dogs when the weather is bad or when you are not feeling 100%?

Absolutely, especially the sled dog team. I'll run the team in rain, blowing snow (obviously lol that's what they do for a living! ), even if I have a cold, the flu, a headache, whatever. They need to get out and run.
If I'm so sick that I can't stand up and at least hold on to the sled/bike/rig then I won't go but as long as I can do those things, we're running.

The pet dogs might take a day off or two while I'm sick but usually not. I hate sitting around not doing anything when I'm sick so I stay pretty active.
If it's raining or super cold (like under -20), then the pet dogs stay home.

 

[Twin City Dog]

My dogs always want to go. I am blessed to work out of the home, and I can thank my dogs for my not working from sun up until midnight...they MAKE me go! I do pay attention to their safety first and foremost, obviously lightening storms are out, but very warm days are also hard on Whendy, our Collie. She never seems to shed her winter coat, and lives in front of an air conditioning vent most of the summer.

I would never walk the 3-4 miles per day that I do now without my dogs. I went for a period of time without dogs, and my body weight swelled to 40 lbs. higher than it is now. I credit them (along with turning vegetarian) with saving this old mans life. I couldn't agree with the OP's statement more! Dog people look and feel better...but we do waste a lot of time on dog forums. :redface:

 

[Abbylynn]

Yes. I have severe copd .... I am disabled. On days where the weather causes my condition to be worse ... my responsibility for my dogs causes me to push myself ... which is good exercise for my lungs. My dogs are extending my life.

IMHO ........ The emotional connection between our dogs and ourselves is one of the best ... and our canines offer us one of the purest relationships on earth.

 

[PrincessLPN]

I actually broke my foot recently and had the orthopedist remove my cast after a week because Odin needed walked and nobody in my
household wanted to walk him as long as I felt they should. I know it seems like the dumbest thing in the world to some people but Odin doesn't accept excuses or logic.

 

[kafkabeetle]

Dog people look and feel better...but we do waste a lot of time on dog forums. :redface:

Hehe. ;p

A lot of what I do with my dog doesn't require that much on my part. For instance, where I'm living now we like to walk around the perimeter of our 8 acre property 3-4 times a day. Sure I'm walking that distance, but Sydney spends that time tearing across the yard, checking in and sniffing a bit, then tearing off again in another direction. She probably goes 10 times as far as me in reality, lol. I've jogged with her a few times but she tends to act up a little more because she's all energized so lately I've been leaving her behind (I feel bad, but I'm really the one in need of extra exercise at this point, not her, lol). I've actually been thinking for the future about looking for a dog specifically that I can easily run with. I've been working on getting in shape and losing some weight for a while now, but Sydney hasn't been able to be involved as much as I would like.

 

[cookieface]

I absolutely get more exercise because of my dog. One of the reasons I wanted a dog was because I knew it would force me to become more active. I know that's usually a red flag statement, but I'm the type of person who, if someone is relying on me, will do whatever it takes to meet their needs. The only time Katie doesn't get walked or play time in the yard is if the weather isn't safe (e.g., too hot / humid or heavy rain and wind) or if I am too sick to get out of bed.

What I find amusing are rescue applications that ask if you are willing to take your dog out three times a day for potty breaks. Some days, Katie goes out three times before 8am. I couldn't imagine taking her out only three times a day.

 

[titiaamor]

I am especially touched by these quotes:

My dogs are extending my life.

I can thank my dogs for my not working from sun up until midnight

It has helped me age a bit more graciously

And I think these are a wonderful testament to being an interactive dog owner. Being a dog owner whose dog has never seen a leash sounds like it is probably an opportunity missed.

there is no doubt in my mind that I get more exercise because of the dogs

they got walked during storms

(Would someone w/o a dog be out there??

I would never walk the 3-4 miles per day that I do now without my dogs. I went for a period of time without dogs, and my body weight swelled to 40 lbs.

(wow!)


It is really wonderful to hear your experiences!

 

[lisahi]

I get more exercise than I did before I got a dog. I'm not an "exercise" person, so basically, I didn't exercise at all. Now I walk the dogs in the morning (15-45 minutes depending on the day, the weather, and the mood of my dogs), stand around (rather than sitting) and sometimes run around the lawn for 15 minutes at a time, a few times a night. My dogs aren't into fetch, but they are into stealing soft wood mulch, chewing it up into small pieces and eating it. So the amount of exercise I get chasing them around and getting the wood mulch out of their mouth is a lot more than I ever used to do.* **

You know what I am now that I definitely wasn't before? A morning person. Coco has decided 6am is the time to get up...every day. She has also decided that 10pm is the time we ALL must go to bed. ALL OF US. She'll whimper until we go upstairs to get ready for bed.

I should note that it's extremely hot where I live. The morning is the only time of day that it is comfortable to walk the dogs, both of whom are tiny things. When I'm in the backyard with them, 15 minutes at a time is all I can take in 110 degree weather, especially with a history of skin cancer in my family.



*My dogs don't yet know the command "drop it." Coco knows "leave it" sometimes; Lucky doesn't know either, but I've only had him for about a month.

** So far, the wood mulch that they have managed to eat has not harmed either. It's quite soft and, when chewed up is in very tiny pieces. I still try to prevent them from eating it, and will request from my landscaper that when my flower bed gets completed we do not use that type of wood mulch.

 

[mcdavis]

We definitely walked more after we inherited Hamish, and we also got to know our UK neighbours better too! Some because they had dogs, and one because he used to visit her every day for treats (she was older and it was a good way to check up on her). When we moved they held a party to say Goodbye to him.

I was just thinking how much fitter I am in Spring, Fall & Winter because we walk further - around 2-3 miles each day as oppose to the 1/4 mile we suffer in the horrid humid heat of Summer. I'm counting the days to cooler weather!!

 

[ThatOneDog]

I'm with mcdavis. I can't wait for Summer to slow down! The dogs love running around in the yard and heading around the neighborhood, but the heat just beats down on them. My older boy always comes in and runs straight to the water bowl! I can't imagine not having my walking buddies. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be moving unless I had to without them.

 

[workerant]

Yup. I'm the East Tennessee captain of the Foul Weather Dog Walking Team. Kenda and I go for a 3-mile walk (in the mountains - ain't nothin flat around here!) nearly every day and play running-around games on our non-walk days. She also inspires me to hike and swim more than I did when I was dogless.

I live in the country on a road that has no sidewalks, curbs or even stripes painted on it. In summer we walk very early in the morning when it's cooler. Sometimes the sun isn't up yet, so I wear a reflective vest and carry an awful goddamn bright flashlight. In winter I bundle up; in the rain I love my Gore-Tex jacket. As the Swedes say, "There's no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing!"

 

[Crantastic]

I've always exercised. When I was in university and didn't have a dog, I wandered around the city quite a bit. However, I definitely walk a lot more when I have a dog or dogs. I feel like I have more of a purpose when I walk with them. I feel guilty if I don't walk them because they seem bored and restless. And I feel better when I get fresh air -- if I'm feeling down, I tend to cheer up; if I'm feeling tired, I tend to wake up; and if I'm feeling a bit headachey, I tend to feel better. We don't go every day -- if I'm exhausted or if the weather's really bad, we skip it -- but we walk most days, for at least 45 minutes to an hour.

 

[momtolabs]

I would be a lot bigger than I am(I aint no skinny petite person ) The times I don't walk

-If I am so sick I throw up when I move
-it is raining so hard it is too dangerous to go out in the rain


I try to walk them as much as possible. Now that school is started it is even longer than usual.

 

[zhaor]

Dog owners get more exercise than they otherwise would........perhaps. However I'm in worse shape now than before I got a dog. Walking can only be so much exercise. Spending more time with the dog has meant possibly spending less time at the gym. Not that I'm complaining.

 

[Spirit_of_Cotons]

How right you are with your title! Unless I'm really sick or I feel if I can't make the walk, then no I don't go out. I'll ask my parents, but it's rare. So yes, I will go out in rain (which is annoying here because we'll be finished our walk and it'll stop, go figure), snow, heat, whatever just so Luke can have his walk and do his necessary business.