no walk = cruel?
Pooka is the trimmest corgi I've ever seen, and a lot of people have told me the same thing. She is obsessed with playing fetch and running around, and is only now, beginning to finish her meals (still off and on). We also have a huge backyard, which she goes out in often.
Therefore, I only take her on a walk for fun, not for exercise. Also for training, to behave and TRY to meet people, and not run out in the street. And if she was crated throughout the day, more than normal, I like to take her out to apologize. Really, only ends up 1-2 times a week.
We now have a husky living with us, and her owner takes her out twice a day.
Recently, Pooka has gotten very anxious when they leave, crying and whining and pouting and staring out the window, and just making me very sad. I don't know if this is because she really likes walks, or if she just has separation anxiety, not wanting them to leave.
Another thing is that she's learning how to "talk" more as she gets older, so it might also be that.
Do I need to be taking her on more walks? How should I deal with this? Currently I just try to distract her with a happy voice, and asking her to do tricks, and telling her No when she whines.
Silly puppy...
Therefore, I only take her on a walk for fun, not for exercise. Also for training, to behave and TRY to meet people, and not run out in the street. And if she was crated throughout the day, more than normal, I like to take her out to apologize. Really, only ends up 1-2 times a week.
We now have a husky living with us, and her owner takes her out twice a day.
Recently, Pooka has gotten very anxious when they leave, crying and whining and pouting and staring out the window, and just making me very sad. I don't know if this is because she really likes walks, or if she just has separation anxiety, not wanting them to leave.
Another thing is that she's learning how to "talk" more as she gets older, so it might also be that.
Do I need to be taking her on more walks? How should I deal with this? Currently I just try to distract her with a happy voice, and asking her to do tricks, and telling her No when she whines.
Silly puppy...
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by GoGoRainbow on
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OK, I think I'll try the once-a-day for a week. My husband is just the sort... he never had pets and doesn't like the idea of being ruled by the dog, so it will really be all up to me (not to mention he hates walking/running as a form of exercise).
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Permalink Reply by Kyle, Megan and Loki on
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Would definitely get your dog at least a daily walk. They love them. A walk shouldn't be a treat to apologize, or something special. It should be part of every dogs life, even out in the country, as they love new territory (mostly for the smells)
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Permalink Reply by Heather and Ella on
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Ella loves walks, but we have no yard so this is her outside time. Even if you just take a short walk each day, I think your doggy would love it. It's that mental seeing new stuff, and just being next to their owner going for it. If we are "in the zone" and just slowly jogging down the block, Ella will pick her head up and trot like a show horse. She looks like she owns the world, and we don't even have to go that far or that fast.
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well, I tried the experiment, and Pooka's behavior has only gotten more clingy and needy. *shrug*
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oh well, walking is good for osteoporosis. We didn't go today (cold front/rain) but I guess I can try some more. (I hope she doesn't get MORE needy!)
Pooka is pretty great on a leash, though getting a little more tuggy as she gets older. The problem is, we don't walk for exercise, we walk for novelty, so I just let her sniff everywhere she wants, so we don't practice the walking-along side me as much as I did when she was young. I try to stop every time she tugs, though, or just tell her no, and she eases up ok.
She barks at every dog we meet (one-on-one), and it often scares them away, even though she really wants to meet them and play with them. (She barks at the husky at home all the time to try to incite her to play.) Once they can sniff, she likes to play by staying between the humans legs, so I think she's a scaredy.
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Permalink Reply by John Wolff on
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Do not, do NOT, let Al & Gwynn see that photo of your yard! or they'll be demanding to move to San Antonio.
Our yard is tiny, and horrible privacy fences have sprouted all around us, I hate them.
Pooka may be feeling left-out when the husky gets to leave for a walk. She ought to get used to it.
I suggest trying the Corgi Mind-Control Trick on your husband, who might just possibly end up like me, knowing that resistance is futile. Al & Gwynn really have it made -- they've got a man who has never really liked anything better than walking.
I second the observations that this is largely about novel smells and explorations for the dogs. Other dogs, other people. Gwynn especially will pull a bit on the leash to show that she wants to go in this or that direction -- usually a new one. She definitely likes to explore.
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Thanks John =) sorry about those darn fences =(
I'd suggest painting a mural of mountains on them, but corgis don't fall for that sort of thing -.-
It's funny, Pooka seems to enjoy more going the same way. If we go a new way, she doesn't care to sniff around as much. I think she likes to monitor how things are changing each day on her "path"
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eeeeeh, I don't really get into Cesar Millan's stuff, and with most of his policies, you can't just pick and choose, its really a lifestyle. Pooka is a very very good dog and doesn't have any behavioral issues that I need to change our lifestyle to fix. I'm not too interested in being the pack leader. I want to be the mommy. Oh, but she definitely knows mom can be mean ;). I make sure to go out the door first, but that's pretty much the end of the "lead"ing besides corrections not to pull.
Actually, I didn't start this discussion, as I've said before, because I'm worried about the backyard. I was asking about what people thought her reasoning was for whining when the other dog in the house gets to go out for walks twice a day. At this point, I think she was whining from seperation, not because she desperately needed a walk.
I don't know if I agree so much with the feral wolf thing. Some dogs are like that (my housemates Huskey is pretty much part wolf. She had about 5 different owners before they've refused to let her go cuz she constantly needed to roam. She also doesn't have very good doggy social skills at all) Dogs are domesticated, some to differing degrees. Some dogs think they are human. These dogs are probably more anxious, but I think based on how a dog is raised would set the basis for what they expect out of their life. Cesar Millan's tips say it, every dogs needs are different and talk to your vet about behaviours and if their (personal) needs are being met.
[more of my thoughts in a seperate comment...]
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OK, in the end, here is how I feel. This wasn't supposed to be about walking (it was supposed to be about anxiety), but its ok if that's what people wanted to discuss. I guess I didn't state it as clearly as I should.
My thoughts on the walking.... We've had dogs all my life and we've never walked them. We've always lived on 1-2 acres off a busy road, not in a neighborhood. So there wasn't really a place to walk them/it would be dangerous next to the busy road (for both the dog, and us young girls). We usually had small/medium dogs, usually 1 at a time. So I was raised like it wasn't a big deal, and my dogs were happy, if a bit anxious (I didn't know much back then), probably thinking they were people.
When I got Pooka, first dog that was MY OWN, I did loooots of research. I can't believe I never thought to train my dogs to do tricks! The internet probably helped with this whole ease of access.
As I've been taking her on walks daily, I see no improvement, I only see negative behaviors coming up, the kinds you all discribe, how she's so anxious and crazy and excited to go on a walk, if I pull out a leash, or anything. I don't see this as a good thing. I had a problem that she's not a good citizen and gets excited when people come over, and I thought this might help that because she would be getting novelty every day. But no, my family came over and she went CRAZY. She goes even MORE crazy now when Aurora goes on walks. And when we go on walks, she's real pushy about it, wanting to go fast and real tuggy.
So really, I think that the desire for walks is somewhat a learned behavior. If they get to go on walks, they expect them. If they don't get to go on walks, hey, whatever. They are content to entertain themselves otherwise. Dogs like schedules and habit, so whatever schedule you choose for your dog, that's good. I am a very unscheduled type of person, and I can't imagine how I would change it, so I keep our schedule lax; two walks a day won't happen consistantly (I can barely feed her on time, or even within an hour of her theoretical dinnertime!). So I will just have to suffer with Pooka being a bit anxious at times. But I don't think I'll put up with the new craziness she exudes around the topic of walks.
I can't imagine I'm the only one who doesn't walk their dog daily who thinks their dog's behavior is pretty much great. and I also don't think I'm an irresponsible pet owner. Pooka and I have chosen our life as mommy and baby with a little bit of moodiness mixed in and I think she's well-adjusted enough to have a happy life. She's very smart and really forgiving (unlike a lot of corgis) and very very good at adjusting. I'm so proud of her and I think she's the best.
I still love walks 2-3 times a week =) for fun!
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Permalink Reply by Judi, Dawn, Soffie & Griffyn on
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What's that old expression "careful what you ask for"?!!
Anyway, I'm just going to address what I think was your original issue (sorry I hadn't read this post earlier). I think your conclusion is correct! I think it was/is probably a jealousy thing. That Pooka was feeling left out and left behind.
We always took Soffie and Griffyn for a walk together. Since Soffie had her CrCL injury her activity had to be totally restricted, which meant no walks for her. She displayed the same kind of actions that you decribe of Pooka. She barked, she whined and grumbled but she eventually got over it and came to understand that Griffyn goes for a walk and she has to stay home. In that case.... it was definitely all about the fact that he got to go and she couldn't!!
So.... I think (and I'm no expert or dog trainer or anything of the sort) if you just ignore that behavior she'll eventually get over it too!
And btw........ Can Soffie & Griffyn come play in Pooka's yard??? What a fantastic setup!!!
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I (Megan) grew up with dogs on farms with lots of land for them to run around and play, but I've still found that they love to go on walks, and it's great bonding time for us :) Loki loves to walk and see new things, and loves having both Kyle and I with him. It usually doesn't take that long to go on a walk with him, and it's very little effort on our part really, but it has a huge payoff for him, even though he's very fit already. Basically I'm all for the walks, it's an extra something for them, some great bonding time, and it doesn't take a lot to do it.
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Permalink Reply by Beth on
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We do love our daily walks. In the winter in this area, after work walks means walking in the dark. There are nights when I come home from work thinking the last thing I want to do is walk the dog, but I bundle up and get the flashlight and we all go out, and once we've gone a block I'm always glad we did. Of course I have my husband with me; I'd be afraid to walk by myself after dark, even though we are in a safe neighborhood.
The dogs love their walk and you can just see them perk up when they get out.
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