Dog Walking

Hugely important, it's the foundation of everything we do. They get around three hours a day in 2-3 'big' walks plus toilet walks in between. Obviously a bit less if they're going out on the bike or have had a particularly intense training class.
 
Once or twice a day, forest or beach or both with short sections of roadwork and free running/offlead.
The elder dog is jogged sometimes and the younger one is in bike training (nothing high impact as he is too young).
90 mins for big dog and two sessions of half hour for wee dog.

I think it is very important in terms of socialisation, manners, exposing/getting dogs used to new experiences, traffic, the outside world etc as well as the obvious exercise/muscle tone/to give the dog something to think about, see, experience, sniff.
They'd be bored otherwise.

Plus I would have a wrecked house/yard if they didn't get out :p

Bursts of training on walks and off.
 
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most dogs would be bouncing off the walls without their walks (me too). Mine goes out for a walk after the horses have their breakfast, mostly with 2 or 3 other dogs for an hour or so. She is then around the yard for another few hours so is on the move, over the fields poo picking etc. Then home for lunch and sleep and then out again for another hour or hour and a half after dinner.
I always wonder what people do when it is bad weather as I can walk for an hour and not see another dog but see lots in the good weather. Do they just stick them in the garden to go to the loo?
 
mine get about and hour in the mornings, mostly off lead and about half hour in the evening, again mainly off lead, the only time they get less is if it is really hot, rain wind snow makes no difference.
 
Mine tend to get an hour of terrorising people at boyfs work off lead, spend the morning/afteroon with him mainly on lead/ in landrover/ workshop. Or if im at home they come up the yard and we go out around the fields and straight onto the downs link bridleway. Then they get anything between 30minutes to a 1hr+ proper offlead walk in the evenings. If im not working me and Teal go out for most of the morning or the afternoon 3+hours off lead(as long as its not scorching black dogs and sun do not mix well). I take Teal jogging.

But at the same time like today in the rubbish weather I didnt take them out until 2 and they werent that fussed until the leads appeared and then got excited. I think I am lucky though as mine are just as happy conked out on the sofa. Me and OH were ill a while ago and they didnt go for a walk for two days, we have a garden so had that. They were fine. Dylan comes out on biggish walks now but I dont always let him tear around the place he does a lot of on lead stuff with me as I dont like him tearing around all the time, OH is a bit more lapse.
 
Crucially important - it's more than just the physical exercise though, it is essential for mental wellbeing. I see too many people who consider that a trot round the local park on a lead for a a few minutes constitutes exercise!

My Lab is walked twice a day, for roughly an hour each time, all off lead - we are lucky to have a fantatic variety of walking around us - lots of arable land, woodland etc. so we make the most of it.
 
Most days, 3 walks of about an hour each, at least 1 off lead. Some days though, our 2nd walk can be up to 3 hrs so my ageing feet won't take another one :rolleyes:

Her favourite walks are when we meet up with friends (human and doggie!), she just loves playing with other dogs :)
 
betty gets a 40 min walk in the morning before i go to work, then is out in her kennel until im finished work.

she gets a longer walk in the evenings. at least an hour... beach on wet horrible days (when no other normal people with dogs go...!) or off up mountains to go fishing. if im pushed for time she gets shorter sessions of faster work- fetch, tug of war etc.

xx
 
Wow! Some of you are walking dogs for three hours a day? I'm impressed and feeling slightly exhausted on your behalf
 
I used to think it was the most important thing for Yellow Dog but these days he disagrees and prefers his sleep :p He likes going out and seeing people but hes quite happy pottering round the yard for a couple of hours then having a short walk at weekends. During the week he goes to my mums during the day while Im at work and he wombles around their garden then my sister takes him for a couple of miles in the afternoon :)
 
I have just about weaned myself off an awful habit of ending an energetic walk/training/track session by stopping off at the chipper for a jumbo portion of sweet chili and sour cream wedges :o :o :o
 
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