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Is It Worth It-A Walk In The Wet

Brian M

Well-known member
Hi

If the weather is freezing and wet would the benefit of a little exercise outweigh the negative points of them all getting cold and wet even though they all have their coats on :confused:. I know exercise is critical for the girls well being and mine but sometimes when we are stuck for time and I know its only going to be a short 20 minute walk or so I sometimes think am I doing more harm than good taking them all out of a dry and warm house and into the horrible cold wet weather ,as living on the Wirral we very rarely get snow on the ground its mostly just wet and windy in the winter ,I am not bothered about myself its just the girls overall health that is more important.:)
 
Unless they have health issues such as Arthritis, then I think it is important for them to still have a walk - it is not just exercise, it stimulates the mind too.

Even with Arthritis, as long as they have warm, dry coats and come back home and are dried then the exercise is good for getting the joints moving - obviously not excessive exercise though.

I think you have to base it on their medical conditions - but fit, healthy dogs benefit from a walk whatever the weather :dgwlk::dgwlk:
 
Dogs also really don't care too much about damp weather for a walk -- some can be a bit picky but most dogs given the option of a happy country or park walk on a rainy or snowy day will opt for the walk! Coats are really more for us than them as well (unless you are talking about an oldie or ill or shaved dog) -- if they are out and active, mildly inclement weather isn't going to bother them much if at all. I only put mine in coats because it is a pain to deal with soggy dogs in the house right after a walk! For young puppies or adults in really cold snowy conditions I'd put them in coats though for any long period outside. Also some dogs (like two of mine) have very light coats and would feel the cold more than heavy coated cavaliers.
 
I don't seem to suffer with this problem, they would both prefer to sit on the sofa! They have both played in the snow and loved it, their favourite game is to want the same piece of ice and who ever wins eats it! :D

We have an acre of ground so they can choose when they want to come back in. When they get their new Ancol coats :p I will feel happier about taking them out. I think the coats are stuck in our local sorting office, the postman is snowed in!
 
my 4 girls like being outside for a nice romp through the fileds.
i think it does them good, regardless of the weather.

but in the cold and damp season my un-castrated dogs (not having a mass of fur..) really are the better for good coats.
i take the coats off them when they have been running for ca. 10 minutes, and are warmed up. then on they come again when the walk is over, for the trip home in a cold car.

right now we have minus 10-12 degrees in the morning, and i would not think of taking them outside without coats.
 
We go out in all weathers. Their Equafleeces turned up today and I dont know how Ive coped for so long with out them!!! LOVE THEM!! Well worth the money. Ruby is a sponge in a dogs clothing and its shocking how much water she picks up and Charlie is still skinny so it keeps him snug and dry.
Even though Ruby has struggled in the icey conditions due to her co ordination not being as it should I can still tell that she would rather be out and about plodding around than stuck in doors. I think its best for their sanity if nothing else and Charlie for one would tear my house apart if he didnt get out a couple of times a day.

I have a heat pad in the crate and after Ive got the majority of the water away for their coats I put them in the crate on the pad to dry off and warm up. Charlie falls asleep strait away on it!! Bless him!
 
Yeah walks are just as important for the mind as they are for physical health. Dogs don't have jobs to do, books to read, tv's to watch (well some do enjoy tv :p) pc's/laptops to enjoy.
 
The only weather I avoid is cold biting winds, nobody really enjoys that :eek:

Oh and Gavin terrier doesn't do heat :rolleyes:
 
If I am not able to walk my dogs every day I really miss it, both for the exercise for myself as well as the dogs and also meeting up with friends, human and doggy. Today has been the first day for ages that we did not make it but snow on our road was just too bad to risk it. Have even been taking Armani, in a jumper and a coat except for yesterday when thought it was just too cold for her to go. Chaos has really been loving the snow and actually walked all round the lake without using her buggy at all. Just as well because Impie hurt a paw somehow and had to use it instead. Normally, he hates it and will jump straight out but did ride half way round yesterday, but thern seemed to be better and walked the rest. Impie has a coat but Chaos can't wear any of hers now but does not seem to mind the wet or feel the cold, when we come back she sits on a seat which is right by the radiator to dry off.
 
My younger two are much better behaved and happier in the house if they have their morning walks. I have coats for them but only put them on the boys if it is really cold and we are going for a longish walk. Mindy is more bothered by the cold this year (she has lost a fair bit of weight in the last year - some necessary and a bit I wish she'd put back on) so she gets her coat if it's below 0 C. I'm sure they are using something different on the roads this winter as it's the first time her feet have bothered her. I've bought some paw protectant and that seems to have done the trick. They have boots but by the time I put on twelve boots in the morning I"M exhausted and the first dog has generally been able to undo his:jump: so I'm keeping them for longer, snowier walks.
 
I often wonder about this too...I know Ben hates the cold he runs and hides when I open the door but he is old and not as chubby as he once was he also doesn't need alot of exercise. This week I have had to work ALOT with the Christmas rush so Stitch hasn't got out as often as I would like and I can see the difference in him - he is much more hyper around the house - I do think its much better for their sanity...I usually take stitch on a 15 min walk in the morning, another 10 in afternoon and about 20 at night - thats all the exercise he is recommended due to health complications he has had but I do know that he would love to go on much longer walks if he could :(
 
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