7 ms·

Because you literally have to take dogs out for a walk every day... Is this supposed to be a surprise?

slacka 7y ago
Dog owner here. Can confirm. Everyday at his walking time, my dog starts poking me, then barking, then the destructive behavior kicks in if I don't do my job. After his exercise, he's a good boy for the rest of the day.
- hombre_fatal 7y ago
  Counterpoint: All the people around me that have dogs that bark from their patio / roof / balcony all day and never get to leave the house shows how easy it is to neglect the beast. It's not the dog making you walk it, it's because you have to be a decent human in the first place which sometimes feels like a scarce resource.
  - whenchamenia 7y ago
    The ugly percentge of pet owners must be minority, but the number of feckless dog owners is huge. I will absolutely put your dogs turd in your open window when you leave it on the street for me to step in. I do this nearly weekly. Some dog owners give you all a terrible imge to the rest of us.
- petre 7y ago
  What breed ia the dog? Terrier?
  - cgriswald 7y ago
    I was wondering as well. Unless it's a super active breed (e.g. border collie), the dog ought to be able to handle missing an evening walk (and even then, if they are well trained, they can handle it now and then). Dogs have a strict hierarchy, and the demanding, destructive behavior mentioned by the GP suggests the dog thinks he's pack leader and his owner is his subordinate. If so, destructive behavior when missing a walk won't be the only problem in the long run. We train and board semi-professionally. We've got two huskies we try to walk twice a day in addition to training and play time. The dogs learn to yield to humans and to deal with their own emotions (e.g. boredom). We have two huskies we try to walk twice a day in addition to training and play time, but if we miss a walk, they wouldn't dream of acting out. They can 'ask' us for things, but if we say no, that's it.
    - slacka 7y ago
      He's a German Shepherd. Yes, I can get away with missing a single session, but he will be a pest about it, doing stuff like stealing my shoes or intentionally spilling his water bowl. If I make him sit or down to behave, he'll do it, but I'll get big, deep sighs and grumbles. He is better than a personal trainer about keeping me on his routine. And he is a better dog after he's got his run in. Dogs love routines and are better pets when feel like they have a job to do.
adamnemecek 7y ago
I think that there are also endocrinal responses you get from interacting with dogs that might make you more relaxed.
- JoeSamoa 7y ago
  100% My dog cuddles me for 15 min before bed every night and I can feel the relaxation swell over me almost instantaneously. Must be kind of like oxytocin.
paulcole 7y ago
Spoken like someone from the city or the suburbs. In the sticks where I grew up, dogs run loose in fenced in yards or do whatever they want when there’s not a fence. Everybody had a dog and nobody “walked” them.
- im3w1l 7y ago
  I literally never heard about this and I am pretty curious. How does a dog behave if you don't have a fence and let them roam?
  - LeifCarrotson 7y ago
    Like...a dog? Curious what other behaviors you think they might exhibit. They hang around the house, or you if you're outside, and nap on the porch. If you're worried they'll run off, they may chase after an animal that mistakenly ventures in, but otherwise they stay in their territory with their people, and walk around the property doing dog things. Also note that in these contexts there are "inside dogs" and "outside dogs" depending on if they get let into the house or not.
    - jaclaz 7y ago
      >Also note that in these contexts there are "inside dogs" and "outside dogs" depending on if they get let into the house or not. Yes, I had for years an "outside" dog and an "inside" one, the funny thing is how they divided their competence for "alarm", the outside one would bark if anyone arrived within earing distance, then would stop barking when the car or truck actually arrived, and immediately the inside one will take where the former left. Still there was a small area on the side of the house that was "free", the outside dog somehow believed it was not (anymore) his business, and the inside one thought it wasn't (yet) his.
    - deleted 7y ago
      [deleted]
    - deleted 7y ago
      [deleted]
jammygit 7y ago
My step count today is 16,400, and my dog's is either the same or else double that, depending on how you count it
taneq 7y ago
Likewise, cardiovascular health is probably strongly correlated with how recently you checked your bicycle tyre pressure.

Dog owner here. Can confirm. Everyday at his walking time, my dog starts poking me, then barking, then the destructive behavior kicks in if I don't do my job. After his exercise, he's a good boy for the rest of the day.

hombre_fatal 7y ago
Counterpoint: All the people around me that have dogs that bark from their patio / roof / balcony all day and never get to leave the house shows how easy it is to neglect the beast. It's not the dog making you walk it, it's because you have to be a decent human in the first place which sometimes feels like a scarce resource.
- whenchamenia 7y ago
  The ugly percentge of pet owners must be minority, but the number of feckless dog owners is huge. I will absolutely put your dogs turd in your open window when you leave it on the street for me to step in. I do this nearly weekly. Some dog owners give you all a terrible imge to the rest of us.
petre 7y ago
What breed ia the dog? Terrier?
- cgriswald 7y ago
  I was wondering as well. Unless it's a super active breed (e.g. border collie), the dog ought to be able to handle missing an evening walk (and even then, if they are well trained, they can handle it now and then). Dogs have a strict hierarchy, and the demanding, destructive behavior mentioned by the GP suggests the dog thinks he's pack leader and his owner is his subordinate. If so, destructive behavior when missing a walk won't be the only problem in the long run. We train and board semi-professionally. We've got two huskies we try to walk twice a day in addition to training and play time. The dogs learn to yield to humans and to deal with their own emotions (e.g. boredom). We have two huskies we try to walk twice a day in addition to training and play time, but if we miss a walk, they wouldn't dream of acting out. They can 'ask' us for things, but if we say no, that's it.
  - slacka 7y ago
    He's a German Shepherd. Yes, I can get away with missing a single session, but he will be a pest about it, doing stuff like stealing my shoes or intentionally spilling his water bowl. If I make him sit or down to behave, he'll do it, but I'll get big, deep sighs and grumbles. He is better than a personal trainer about keeping me on his routine. And he is a better dog after he's got his run in. Dogs love routines and are better pets when feel like they have a job to do.

adamnemecek 7y ago

I think that there are also endocrinal responses you get from interacting with dogs that might make you more relaxed.

JoeSamoa 7y ago
100% My dog cuddles me for 15 min before bed every night and I can feel the relaxation swell over me almost instantaneously. Must be kind of like oxytocin.

paulcole 7y ago

Spoken like someone from the city or the suburbs. In the sticks where I grew up, dogs run loose in fenced in yards or do whatever they want when there’s not a fence. Everybody had a dog and nobody “walked” them.

im3w1l 7y ago
I literally never heard about this and I am pretty curious. How does a dog behave if you don't have a fence and let them roam?
- LeifCarrotson 7y ago
  Like...a dog? Curious what other behaviors you think they might exhibit. They hang around the house, or you if you're outside, and nap on the porch. If you're worried they'll run off, they may chase after an animal that mistakenly ventures in, but otherwise they stay in their territory with their people, and walk around the property doing dog things. Also note that in these contexts there are "inside dogs" and "outside dogs" depending on if they get let into the house or not.
  - jaclaz 7y ago
    >Also note that in these contexts there are "inside dogs" and "outside dogs" depending on if they get let into the house or not. Yes, I had for years an "outside" dog and an "inside" one, the funny thing is how they divided their competence for "alarm", the outside one would bark if anyone arrived within earing distance, then would stop barking when the car or truck actually arrived, and immediately the inside one will take where the former left. Still there was a small area on the side of the house that was "free", the outside dog somehow believed it was not (anymore) his business, and the inside one thought it wasn't (yet) his.
  - deleted 7y ago
    [deleted]
  - deleted 7y ago
    [deleted]

jammygit 7y ago

My step count today is 16,400, and my dog's is either the same or else double that, depending on how you count it

taneq 7y ago

Likewise, cardiovascular health is probably strongly correlated with how recently you checked your bicycle tyre pressure.