Total disgrace!

[GinaB]

NEARLY a quarter of British dog owners never walk their pet, a shock survey shows.

Ten per cent say they just cannot be bothered — and 15 per cent are put off by bad weather.

Of those that do go walkies, 25 per cent row with family members over whose turn it is.

Six per cent regularly hire a walker and five per cent have used walkies as cover for an AFFAIR, according to a poll for esure Pet Insurance.

Vet Ian Anderson stressed the importance of regular exercise for dogs.

He said: “It’ll benefit both owner and pet.”

 

[Sarah_Jane]

Probably a survey mainly done in London or the cities! I suppose to be fair I know I few people with smallholding whos animals have a lot of freedom over the fields but don't get formally walked. Depends how they worded the survey.

 

[prose]

[ QUOTE ]
Probably a survey mainly done in London or the cities! I suppose to be fair I know I few people with smallholding whos animals have a lot of freedom over the fields but don't get formally walked. Depends how they worded the survey.

[/ QUOTE ]

From my experience, people who live in cities walk their dogs more--certainly more than those who live in suburban situations. Up in CT (hour outside of NY), there are lots of people who, because they have a garden that's two acres in size, never walk their dogs, assuming that the dogs will entertain themselves, which isn't always the case.

I walk mine 3-4 times a day. I can't imagine just letting her sit around!

 

[Tinkerbee]

when in england without own land and sheep etc about doggies get walked 3-4 times a day

at home in ireland they mainly roam about and might get the odd walk in the evenings

 

[KJJ]

I don't walk my dogs everyday!!

*runs*


















*runs away from GinaB and other disgusted fryingpan yielding dog owners*























*STOP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!*

















mwhhhahahhaaa they walk themselves... they come with me to my OH's dad 32 acres where Jaguar is kept and hoon around like loonatics for a good hour + a day!!

TBH Finn gets ssoo tired if he goes out for too long at the moment as he still growing, we took him to a country show on BH weekend.. it took him 2 days of sleeping to get over it... when I took him to the horse in those days he stuck close and didn't want to run around!! BLESS HIM!!

Ideally I should walk the boys of a morning too... but as I say Finn just gets sssoo tired and as he is growing I don't want to push him. However come winter they can come to yard with me in morning too as I will be going home before I go off to work so can drop them back off.

 

[GinaB]

You're lucky you finished that KJFIT or I was coming after you with the frying pan

Beastie gets out everyday, and much longer and more often during the weekends. On a Monday she's always wrecked as she is out so much at the weekend. She hates walking in the wind and rain but I make her go. I'm a bad mummy!

Tina gets out all the time as well and now with the shooting season started up she'll be a lot fitter. Cindy hasn't been walked yet as she is still due one last injection.

 

[danhappy]

On weekdays I take mine out for an hour in the evenings, I wish I could take them out in the morning but hubby leaves at 5.30 and then I have the kids. I have tried walking them with the pushchair, but its the kids that play up more.

At weekends they do get 2 hour walks a day. I love walking them, I wish I could do it more! Its my official break of the day.

They are playing together int he garden a lot if they weather is good, and Amber gets very hot in this weather anyway.

 

[Oneofthepack]

I was really shocked when I moved to somerset from hertfordshire at how many dogs never go outside the front gate. In herts we nearly all walked our dogs everyday but here out of 13 dog owners in my road only 4 go out regularly. One poor old spaniel never went outside his garden but just sat by the back gate crying all day every day and I was relieved when I heard the poor sod had died, then horrified when they got another pup which, now the novelty has worn off, also never goes anywhere. Why bother?

 

[prose]

[ QUOTE ]
I was really shocked when I moved to somerset from hertfordshire at how many dogs never go outside the front gate. In herts we nearly all walked our dogs everyday but here out of 13 dog owners in my road only 4 go out regularly. One poor old spaniel never went outside his garden but just sat by the back gate crying all day every day and I was relieved when I heard the poor sod had died, then horrified when they got another pup which, now the novelty has worn off, also never goes anywhere. Why bother?

[/ QUOTE ]

Terrible. It's one of the great joys of owning a dog. Even if I owned a chihuahua I'd make an effort to walk the little blighter daily.

 

[severnmiles]

Apart from going hunting (so being on a lead) or taking them to the beach or Hafod mine are never walked either

They are outside with 10 acres to roam nearly all day long though...does that make up for the not walking bit?

 

[prose]

[ QUOTE ]
Apart from going hunting (so being on a lead) or taking them to the beach or Hafod mine are never walked either

They are outside with 10 acres to roam nearly all day long though...does that make up for the not walking bit?

[/ QUOTE ]

As long as they're in multiples, and get sufficient exercise, I think that's more than fine. I just find it odd that in NYC I never, ever see an obese dog, yet go up to suburban CT, where people have huge back yards, and all you ever see are fat Labs.

I freely admit that I have a guilt complex about keeping a dog in the city, and go a bit mad where exercise is concerned

 

[severnmiles]

Haha...Inuits play like mad, rough, rabble!! Definitely enough exercise!

Yes, you're right...funny that! Must be the lovely NYC parks!

 

[keeperscottage]

I get so much pleasure from walking my dogs (direct access from my garden to endless acres of countryside) I cannot understand why people own dogs and don't walk them! Despite our rural location, I'm always surprised at the number of local people I see walking their dogs on leads along the roads (there are no pavements - a grass verge if you're lucky!). Watching our three run around and play, I can't imagine them being restricted in any way (except when it's for their safety, of course!). Our garden's not a bad size either, but no substitute for a good walk and/or swim in the lake or numerous (usually muddy and smelly!) ponds!

 

[Ravenwood]

My two dogs just come riding with me everyday - they probably do about five miles a day (although the spaniel probably does about 15 as he is always dashing about all over the place) and they are so fit that if I am out for the day and they are shut in they are nearly climbing the walls.

Shooting season just about to start so they will be earning their keep for the next few months!

 

[Onyxia]

Would be interisting to know how the dogs that are not walked live, doubt Tia's lot would miss a walk with her set up but one that lives in a normal house with average garden would!

The only dog I have not walked every day was the yorkie, but the garden was huge and he wore himself out chasing my little brother around there.They would play for at least 3 hours a day in all weather except very heavy rain so was no need.

 

[Oneofthepack]

[ QUOTE ]
Apart from going hunting (so being on a lead) or taking them to the beach or Hafod mine are never walked either

They are outside with 10 acres to roam nearly all day long though...does that make up for the not walking bit?

[/ QUOTE ]

That's very different to being restricted to a small back garden all day with no company and no stimulation. If I had 10 acres I would probably never get off my arse to walk mine either! Actually, not true as I really enjoy the fresh air, sunshine and just unwinding with a good old yomp. In fact, off for one right now

 

[clipclop]

It doesn't surprise me one bit.

Poor woofies.

Ours spend their entire day doing as they please. My Boxer cross will come in in the evening and crash out, then Jake my Mum's dog will call for her and off she goes again. Hahahahaa.

My old collie tends to sleep half the day and run around like a lunatic the rest of the day.

The great thing here is there are enough mad young dogs to keep the youngest happy and amused and there are enough old timers to look after each other. If I were a dog, I would want to live here.

 

[suzyseymour]

My dogs get walked 3 times a day and they come down the field when I'm poo picking. But the people 3 doors up never walk theirs. They have a lab and have jsut bought a puppy. Bear in mind that these are little 2 bed terrace houses and they have no garden, just a small yard front and back!!

 

[Janah]

My lab, who is now pregnant doesn't get walked every day but she goes for an hours walk 3 times a week for about an hour including swimming in local river, with her mum and aunt. The rest of the week she has an acre to play in and helps poo picking in 2 acre field.

 

[Fahrenheit]

Does it count if you don't walk your doggies because they hare around the yard all day whilst doing the neddies! They must notch up a good few (or more) miles, they never stop running round like a pair of goons! They wear me out just watching them

 

[Tia]

You're right Anima; my 3 dogs have over a hundred acres to roam around on....mind you they never take themselves off far from the house unless they come out riding with me. I never walk my dogs and they hardly ever go off the farm. They have unlimited 24 hour access to outside and are not fenced in. They are happy and slim

.

I'm actually surprised with the findings of the poll though; where I lived in England, rural Hampshire, everyone I knew walked their dogs and were very good dog owners.

 

[Onyxia]

[ QUOTE ]
You're right Anima; my 3 dogs have over a hundred acres to roam around on....mind you they never take themselves off far from the house unless they come out riding with me. I never walk my dogs and they hardly ever go off the farm. They have unlimited 24 hour access to outside and are not fenced in. They are happy and slim

.

[/ QUOTE ]
Cant see you with a fat dog somehow

Hows the Akbash(hope thats the right spelling

) doing?
Such a sweet looking pup

[ QUOTE ]
I'm actually surprised with the findings of the poll though; where I lived in England, rural Hampshire, everyone I knew walked their dogs and were very good dog owners.

[/ QUOTE ]
Another thing with the north/south divide.
At risk of getting my head bitten off........when I lived in the south very few owners diddnt do everything to make their dogs happy and healthy.Hardly ever saw a fat,bad mannered dog.
In the north,well owners seem to be split.
Half are fab and the sort any dog would kill to live with.The other half are step away from being RSPCA cases.

 

[Tia]

I am planning to take my camera outside later today to take some updated photos of the "little" Akbash.....particularly as her brother is supposed to be coming to visit today!