[Spirit_of_Cotons]

I was just wondering how early everyone here wakes up to walk their best friends. I'm normally up between 6:20-6:40am and he exits the house at around 6:37-6:47am and we walk pretty far, but it depends on the weather.

So how early do you get up to walk your dog?

 

[ArlosMom]

I have to be up at 5:45am to get ready for work, and I take him out back at around 6:30. My husband gets home from his 3rd shift job at around 8:30am, feeds him breakfast, and then takes him out around 10am.

 

[Amaryllis]

5:45. Every morning.

 

[Avie]

Around 6:30 AM, before my father leaves to work.

 

[Abbylynn]

Between 6 am and 7:30 am. On days I specifically plan for a longer venture I begin at 4:30 am as I love walks in the dark!

 

[serenityatsea]

I know I am really lucky but my dog waits for me to wake up in the morning. As soon as I start to stir, she cuddles up to me and spoons. I rub her belly and that gives me a few minutes to wake up. It is a really nice way to wake up every morning! It is usually between 8-8:30.

 

[Spirit_of_Cotons]

Walking in the dark is fun and no one is out there too, to stop and pet your dog. You're lucky serenityatsea, 8-8:30am is nice. I only do that if I take him out past 1am, if I'm ever up that late.

And 5:45am for two of you! How far away is your work where you have to wake up that early!? I bet you go to bed around 9pm.

 

[Red Fraggle]

I'm up at 5:30-6ish to get the kids up for school. I put the coffee on, take Wembley out for a potty break, then back in until it's time to take the kids to school. He comes with me to drop the kids off and sometimes we go for a longer walk near the school, sometimes we go home and have a break before we go for our long walk. He's with me all day, so I can afford to vary the schedule a bit.

 

[StacyW]

We are up at 6:30 every morning, but that is just a quick romp in the yard. They get a proper walk around 8am every day. I am a believer that a good 30 minute walk at least twice a day makes for a balanced pet!

 

[Shell]

We don't walk in the morning, neither dog seems to mind. Unfortunately, it just isn't safe to walk in the dark with both of them and just me and for about 8 months of the year, it is dark until I leave for work.

When I get home from work though, we generally do 3.5-4+ miles at the large local park; so somewhere about 1-1.5 hours of hiking and then dog training classes once or twice a week so they get plenty of mental and physical exercise. I do have a yard also, so after the evening walk, they can play fetch or have zoomies before bed if they want.

 

[Spirit_of_Cotons]

Red Fraggle--I always forget how early school starts now-a-days because I've been out of it for so long. You, too, have to wake up super early. I think it depends where you are if you want to walk in the dark. I live in a complex, so I feel pretty safe walking and Luke is always the good guard dog.

StacyW--welcome! Yes, I agree with you. I always make sure I walk Luke for at least 20-40min if not longer. We only take short walks in the summer cause he can't stand the heat.

Shell--that is a nice afternoon/evening walk with your dogs. What, btw, are zoomies?

 

[lisahi]

About 5:00 to 5:30 am for a short walk. I don't generally like it -- it's dark -- but most of the time she won't poop if I just let her out in the backyard. When I get home from work, at around 5:30 pm, we go on a longer walk around the park near my house if the weather permits.

 

[AussieOwner]

What, btw, are zoomies?

Zoomies: It's that point of the night where your dog(s) decide to engage their Ludicrous speed setting (Spaceballs reference for the win). With mine it typically lasts 15-30 minutes but it's wide open play/run time. In my house we call it the Eightsies cause it happens between 7-8pm.

 

[Niraya]

All you people are up so early! I'm super lucky Bella stopped that non-sense. Now we're up and out anywhere between 11am and 3pm and her first walk all depends on the weather =/.

 

[Shell]

Zoom, zoom, zoom like a maniac. Crazy eyes and wild running to burn off that evening spurt of energy. In the house, Chester would be bouncing up on furniture and skidding on the hardwood floors.

My neighborhood is plenty safe in terms of crime, I always walked Chester before work in the dark. My problem is the foster Luna a)doesn't know "leave it" and so can and will eat up dangerous trash items before I can see them in the dark and yank her away from them and b)the occasional loose dog, without a free hand and with two strong dogs fighting against their leashes to "defend" me and them against an "attacking" dog, it can lead to bad things. For those loose dogs that are actually aggressive and attacking, its even worse.

Thankfully the 700+ acre park provides trails and paved walks for miles and has minimal problems with loose dogs, trash etc.

 

[JulieK1967]

Molly usually gets me up around 5:30 for potty & breakfast. Then she goes back to sleep with hubs & I get some free time. I usually get her out the door for a long morning walk by 8:30 or 9:00 and then she gets another one around 4:30 or 5:00.

 

[Spirit_of_Cotons]

Niraya--you are so lucky to be able to get up late at 8am to walk your dog!

Shell--I hope Luna learns how to "leave it". I remember as a puppy, Luke always grabbed people's newspapers, now he's fine. Maybe with age and loads of training (as with Luke) Luna will do well.

Oh okay, thanks! What you guys call "zoomies" and "eightsies", I call it "psycho puppy". I thought only Luke did it cause I never saw another dog, not even my grandmother's dog do this. Glad to know it's not only Luke that does this.