Why own a dog if you aren't going to walk it?

pawsies

vicx wrote: »

Sorry I disagree that shih tzu's are a barking breed. Any breed of dog can be yappy but there is always a way to stop the barking. First step is finding out why the dog is barking. Dogs don't bark just because they like the sound of their own voice. Their are many reasons why a dog barks, my neighbours dog is barking excessively at nothing which is problem barking. If she got walked more she would have less energy to bark at nothing. The dog still doesn't understand the word no which is because she has never been trained.

I disagree, some dogs do bark because they like the sound of their own voice.

gettingready

pawsies wrote: »

I disagree, some dogs do bark because they like the sound of their own voice.

I got one of those.

Zara goes out at least 4 times per day, 2 of those being long min 1 hour walks and 2 shorter ones.

But she still barks - she must love her own bark.. sigh....

catkins

pawsies wrote: »

I disagree, some dogs do bark because they like the sound of their own voice.

That may be true but they should be taught not to keep barking. I am lucky that my dog only really barks if there is a reason to i.e. someone around. On the odd occasion that he is in the garden and can see someone and barks if he does it more than say 5 times I go out and tell him to stop or else get him indoors

stir_crazy

my neighbours have a lab. A westie is there quite often too, but I don't think it's theirs. The lab never gets a proper walk, the most I've seen the dog out is a two minute strioll across the grass in front of our houses, the result being a fat 2 year old dog Both the lab and the westie are continual barkers, especially in the evening where the neighbour leaves the back door open for the dogs to go out.

shirlgirl2004

catkins wrote: »

That may be true but they should be taught not to keep barking. I am lucky that my dog only really barks if there is a reason to i.e. someone around. On the odd occasion that he is in the garden and can see someone and barks if he does it more than say 5 times I go out and tell him to stop or else get him indoors

That isn't actually teaching him to stop barking though is it? I have one that goes out and barks and so I bring her in. She's 13 now and 9 years of doing that has taught her nothing about not barking. I'm well trained at jumping up and letting her in and she's learnt how to train a human.

vicx

My neighbour yells at her dog (dog takes no notice, doesnt even answer to her name) and locks her away in another room when she's barking in the house. That's not going to teach her not to bark. If the dog is barking excessively in the garden she just leaves her which isn't nice for other neighbours especially those working night shift and those who don't have dogs.

Dogs bark in different ways to communicate so you can recognise from the bark what they are saying. My dogs bark at strangers passing but only for a few seconds. Her dogs barks even when the neighbours go in and out the house and the barking goes on for a good 15 - 30 minutes. I know the dog is bored, depressed and lonely. Daily walks will tire her out so she will have less energy to bark but she also needs training which owner hasn't bothered to do. The dog is going to get worse, she's already sick of the dog barking and humping her teddies but isn't doing anything about it. The poor dog is bored and got no way to burn off the energy other than bark and hump her teddies.

gettingready

Are you feeling sorry for the dog (in which case personally I would offer to walk it to be honest) or just ranting about the owner?

How is this going to help the dog?

GoldenShadow

It does my head in how many overweight dogs I see. So many people seem incapable of realising their dog is fat not cuddly, and that retrievers should not be barrels on legs!

Its very rare I ever meet dogs that I recognise when I walk mine. I see different dogs every day on different days, and sometimes I see dogs on sunny bank holidays coming out of houses who I never knew had a dog. I prefer to think that we must just walk at very different times and their dogs must just be very quiet...

Fat dogs make me very cross though, there is no way all the fatties I see round here have health problems making them fat. People even dare tell me mine look thin and I stand there and educate them about how being a barrel is ridiculously bad for their joints. Retrievers are known for him and elbow problems as it is, don't want to add anything else onto that.

In 5 minutes at a country park last night I saw five dogs, all overweight. Two cavs, very fat. A rather large choco lab. A fat pug and a fat JR.

DKLS

Shop her at once, she doesnt deserve the company of a dog, reminds my my old numpty neighbour who bought a Springer pup, great choice that was choosing a working breed when the owners are bone idle and stupid, the lack of stimulus and exercise led to that dog becoming very aggressive and a danger to children and other dogs.

mummyroysof3

The reason I won't get a dog is cos I don't want to walk it in bad weather. Would love one though