Fairweather Dog Walkers

MallyGirl

lostinrates wrote: »

Inversely when we were showing, on when my dogs are expected put or 'working' in the heat on any occasion I feel its important to keep them acclimatised to weather. So many dogs (and horses) suffer because they aren't worked in the heat ever at home yet are expected to perform at their best on hot days.

We stick to the same routines year round, the morning one gets earlier ...sand the longer walk/time outside is in morning (though all are always willing to come in summer) then a shorter one at the heat of the day in summer still. The differences mainly are timings of the evening one ( morning and evening ties in with locking up or letting out poultry ) and I also change the time I feed summer and winter.

All our 'working' is done in the winter and if the temp at an event goes above 15 degrees it is cancelled. I agree you have to acclimatise to the conditions you expect your dogs to cope with.

lostinrates

MallyGirl wrote: »

All our 'working' is done in the winter and if the temp at an event goes above 15 degrees it is cancelled. I agree you have to acclimatise to the conditions you expect your dogs to cope with.

I agree entirely. Acclimatisation is important, and knowing YOUR dog as a type and most importantly as an individual.

lostinrates

neveranymoney wrote: »

I'm the same joansgirl, if the dog doesn't want to go out, that's fair enough but when we were down on the beach, dressed like fishermen due to the 'inclement' weather - we saw not a sinner. Now the drier weather had arrived, I've never seen so many people with dogs in my puff. Where were they all hiding?

Already the unpicked up doggy doo is mounting up, people let their dogs off for a good run whilst they play/chat on their phones and you can't seem to have a nice peaceful amble. God but I'm turning into a right grump!

I'm an odd bod anyway and love seeing the dark nights drawing in and coming in from a wet and mucky walk to a roaring fire and hot chocolate. Light evenings mean youths meandering outside the house, lots of dogs who's owners let them belt about and the worst bit in my opinion, facing up to the fact I can't hide under voluminous jumpers and card is for much longer and I will have to diet to get into summer clothes. AGAIN!

For me its sunrise. I try and get the yard stuff done in winter so that I can be out checking troughs/ fences in first light and see the sunrise most days. So that by the time we're back the birds can come out. In a normal winter it also means the ground is firm enough under foot for some running for dogs too. This winter has been pretty grim in some ways.

Lioness_Twinkletoes

joansgirl wrote: »

Is it just me? Every year, as soon as there's a bit of nice weather, everybody is out with their dogs. You don't see these dogs for the rest of the year, just a couple of times in the summer. What happens to them in the winter then? I know a lot of people with dogs and there aren't that many that walk their dogs whatever the weather is doing. I feel sorry for these poor beasties, shut away indoors unless the sun shines. The owners should be ashamed of themselves.

Eh? How can you possibly judge these owners based on what you see when you are out? Unless you are out 24 hours a day, you cannot possibly know that these dogs aren't getting walked in the winter.

I walk my dog every single day, at the same time. However, during winter and summer the routes change, depending on weather (is it very muddy/slippery?), time of year (is it dark, is it light), the car I own (will they go out to a location in the car or will we walk to a different location).

Your post has to win the award of sweeping statement of the month!

joansgirl

Lioness_Twinkletoes wrote: »

Eh? How can you possibly judge these owners based on what you see when you are out? Unless you are out 24 hours a day, you cannot possibly know that these dogs aren't getting walked in the winter.

I walk my dog every single day, at the same time. However, during winter and summer the routes change, depending on weather (is it very muddy/slippery?), time of year (is it dark, is it light), the car I own (will they go out to a location in the car or will we walk to a different location).

Your post has to win the award of sweeping statement of the month!

Try reading the thread properly before you start going off half cocked. You will see that I have stated that these dogs belong to people I know.

codemonkey

I hate, hate, hate, getting up early and going out in cold and wet weather, and may occasionally be found complaining that CD is not one of those dogs who hate bad weather and as I have a medical condition that's exacerbated by cold weather and the wind, I have a better excuse than most not to. But he still goes out at least 3 times a day and it's all worth it to see his eyes light up when he realises it's time to go out.

As soon as I start getting dressed he's dancing round my feet whining. When I say "walkies" he looks at me for a second like "Did she just say....is it true?" then jumps around, usually he'll grab a dog toy and shake it. Then when we're out, he's off happily sniffing, playing with other dogs, bouncing like a deer through long grass, pelting headlong into the river, splashing in puddles or disgracing me by licking water off the paving stones (I swear the neighbours must think he never gets any water) or trotting alongside my heels wagging his tail with a big doggy grin. That is, when he's not finding something to roll in.

In the winter his morning and evening walks are shorter as the route we take him in the summer - down by the burn, through the fields and woods and along by the river, or to the park by the river where he can run about daft, aren't well lit. We try to make up for that by keeping him moving - so we'll run and make him catch up, hide round corners and make him find us, make him run between us. Now the days are longer, we're able to take him on much longer walks which is good for both of us.

Our nearest beach is pretty far away and somewhere we only venture when the weather is ok. Otherwise he gets walked closer to home. Mostly we see the same dogs, but in summer we do see a lot more.

singlehouseholder

joansgirl wrote: »

Is it just me? Every year, as soon as there's a bit of nice weather, everybody is out with their dogs. You don't see these dogs for the rest of the year, just a couple of times in the summer. What happens to them in the winter then? I know a lot of people with dogs and there aren't that many that walk their dogs whatever the weather is doing. I feel sorry for these poor beasties, shut away indoors unless the sun shines. The owners should be ashamed of themselves.

Agree completely, you'll find these same walkers are the ones that let their dogs off willy nilly, said dog comes bounding over to my two , who do not take kindly to strange dogs hoolying about, then they have the brass neck to call my dogs vicious. Sorry , but if my dos, on leads, set about your dog, it's your luck out, irresponsible idiots!!:mad:

Person_one

singlehouseholder wrote: »

Agree completely, you'll find these same walkers are the ones that let their dogs off willy nilly, said dog comes bounding over to my two , who do not take kindly to strange dogs hoolying about, then they have the brass neck to call my dogs vicious. Sorry , but if my dos, on leads, set about your dog, it's your luck out, irresponsible idiots!!:mad:

If your dogs are likely to 'set about' other dogs, then they need to be muzzled, not just on leads.

No dog deserves to be injured whatever you think of their owners.

singlehouseholder

Person_one wrote: »

If your dogs are likely to 'set about' other dogs, then they need to be muzzled, not just on leads.

No dog deserves to be injured whatever you think of their owners.

They do not need to be muzzled at all, they are rescue terriers and incredibly nervous of strange dogs, especially ones that come bounding towards them at speed. They can be introduced to dogs and happily play thank you very much. My dogs do not deserve to be injured!! They enjoy playtime with all of my families dogs that have been introduced to them in a controlled manner. If you cannot safely recall your dog then it should not be let off the lead!!!:mad:

Person_one

singlehouseholder wrote: »

They do not need to be muzzled at all, they are rescue terriers and incredibly nervous of strange dogs, especially ones that come bounding towards them at speed. They can be introduced to dogs and happily play thank you very much. My dogs do not deserve to be injured!! They enjoy playtime with all of my families dogs that have been introduced to them in a controlled manner. If you cannot safely recall your dog then it should not be let off the lead!!!:mad:

So they don't 'set about' other dogs? Or do they? Its not clear.

If they do, muzzles. Its the only responsible thing to do if you have a dog that you know will attack if approached. Yes, in a perfect world they wouldn't be approached but it isn't a perfect world and there are no perfect dogs or owners!