You Walk Your Dog In The Rain?

[Henrietta]

I must be such a recluse. I hardly ever meet anyone when out walking (lovely, peaceful) perhaps because I start out at 4.00 - 4.30am and in the afternoons/evenings I just avoid others like the plague. I have a dog with issues, so this is understandable I think.

The people at club don't seem to ask stupid questions. Sometimes I get asked questions at work as the resident 'dog person', but none of them are particularly strange.

I think the title of this thread could be a title for a book.

[SpotTheDog]

Conversely, based on this thread I'm apparently some sort of poor quality pet owner because my dog DOES dig the garden (with great gusto and enthusiasm), and it doesn't bother me because my garden is currently set up for my pets to enjoy so there are feral sections of long grass and herbs for the cats and the dog has dug himself a wallow pit in the middle of it and takes all his treasures in there.

/sulks

[Red Fox]

Conversely, based on this thread I'm apparently some sort of poor quality pet owner because my dog DOES dig the garden (with great gusto and enthusiasm), and it doesn't bother me because my garden is currently set up for my pets to enjoy so there are feral sections of long grass and herbs for the cats and the dog has dug himself a wallow pit in the middle of it and takes all his treasures in there.

/sulks

:D I've no problem with dogs who dig. Digging is natural. Feral lawn, wallow pits and sand are all great fun :D

Just the owners who get a dog, put in their pristine backyard, leave it to it's own devices and then wonder why Fido decides to do some landscaping . These are usually the ones who find it hard to grasp why someone would get up early to train, or walk their dog in the rain, or let their big dog in the house.

I read an intersting section in a book recently where the author suggested (re frustration barking and behaviours);

"Remove the dog from the situation, take him inside, let him be together with you, be a part of the family

Give him something to do - it doesn't have to be much. Take him with you in the car when you go places. Go for a walk now and then, with opportunities for the dog to sniff and explore. Maybe have him search for some treats you throw around your garden.

This is usually all it takes. The most important thing is for the dog to be part of the family. This means being together with the family and going places with them..."

"...it should be possible for anyone to do this, and thereby let your dog have a good life. If you cannot do as much as this, you probably should not have a dog at all..."

(*Turid Rugaas - Barking, the sound of a language)

Food for thought?

There are many people out there that "probably shouldn't have a dog at all".

[aspenleaf]

Funny you posted this Secretkei as whilst I was out running with my dog earlier this afternoon... in the rain , I was thinking to myself (as I always do if it rains and I'm out running) how absolutely stupid the idea was to go out in the rain. But after a run in the rain, I feel good and my dog always seems to look happy and content....so it's not that stupid after all.

But then again, I'm a jogging junkie who's also a dog person, so that makes 2 sicknesses

:eek: :D

[Cleo's Corgwyn]

You're so *lucky* to have such a well behaved Dog! - nevermind the 3 or 4 days a week I'm at a training class, an the extra sessions we do at home, and the hours I put into researching the right breed and the right dog for me!

I'm also the crazy dog lady at work, but thankfully I've been pretty lucky so far and most questions have been sensible, and good advice generally taken.