Energy levels

[JudyN]

I always imagined that when walk time approaches and a dog starts bouncing around the house, it's really just a case of being full of beans and needing to let off steam (possibly not the best mixed metaphor there... ), and if the dog couldn't get his walk, he'd find his own entertainment. But I've noticed that when it rains all morning, Jasper barely bothers to shift off his bed. He even seems to interact with me less, maybe thinking that if he keeps quiet I won't drag him out in the rain.

This suggests to me a surprising level of reasoning. Not 'I want a walk,' 'It's raining,' 'but I want a walk,' 'but it's raining,' etc., but 'I would normally feel like a walk round about now, but looking out the window I can tell that I really won't enjoy it, so I'll just go back to sleep instead.'

Do your dogs do this, and do you also find it quite impressive? Or if they don't fancy a walk in the rain, will they be finding other ways to entertain themselves, or insist that you entertain them? Or are they happy to walk in the rain? What would happen if you just didn't walk them for a day or more..... ? (Not that I'm suggesting you should try this, of course!)

How long I can get away with ignoring Jasper while he ignores me remains to be seen.....

[minkee]

Scout and me are both doing exactly that right this minute! Every extra minute she spends kipping is an extra minute I can finish getting my work for the day done If she stays sleepy until I'm done then we both get to celebrate with an extra long walk, as I don't have to get back to finish up

She is miserable, shaky and cold in the rain. Doesn't stop her chasing her ball as if her life depended on it, of course.

[JudyN]

The 'Mum, I'm bored's are just kicking in now. According to the forecast, it'll rain till 11pm Time to think up some games!

[ClareMarsh]

Being 2 floors up in a flat and too short to even consider looking out the window the outside elements are often a total surprise to Ted when we open the front door. Having said that whilst he will be slightly slower leaving the door step if it's raining once we've set out he's not really any different to when it's dry.

I've never known him show any signs of not wanting to go for his walk (even when he's been snoozing away as I get ready) but then as we have no garden I would imagine his walks are even higher value to him as it's a god chunk of his outside time

[JudyN]

A quick bit of clicker 'fun' (it's too random to call it training) and free shaping, and all of a sudden Jasper is putting toys in a box like a pro He still doesn't know the difference between 'ball' and 'shoe' though. After a while, he showed signs of frustration and tried a more direct route to getting the treats - by chewing my hand and trying to get his nose in my fist He's back on his bed with his nose up his bum now, so I suppose I'd better get back to work....

[bendog]

I've found mine aren't tied to routine. E.g If I have a day off I might not walk them straight away when I get up, but rather have breaskfast, shower etc first, and they are usually content to amuse themselves. The time of their afternoon/evening walk varies too. However they do pester for things to do when it's getting to around walk time, or they get bored.

Sasha would sleep all day if you let her. Ben is happy to snooze these days most of the time, but will still get restless without at least one decent walk a day. When he was younger he would pester for a walk, or bring toys to play with, if he got bored. I really wouldn't like to see what Poppy is like without her two hours of walking a day!

[jilldiane]

Mine all hate going out in the rain, first thing in the morning and they can hear the rain they don`t budge off their beds, I stand jangling leads telling them what yummy treats they will be getting! Nothing, heads tucked under tails desperatly trying to be invisisble.

If I do get them out, one will forget about rain if she goes off hunting, one will be miserable and make it clear she would like to go home but will get on with it, one really really hates it refuses to walk in any puddles and sits down and doesn`t budge has to be lured along with a sausage under his nose.

As for what they are like if they don`t get to go out well the hunter is fine until evening then will start asking if she can go on the hunt now, my misery mare couldn`t care less if she never went out again so long she got her food and bed she is basically happy, my young boy does need entertaining or he would definately be up to mischief.

I have never really thought about it before to be honest I just suppose they can hear the rain, know it means nasty wet stuff falling on heads and would rather not go out in it. Sadly I`m in the UK and a very wet county in the UK! I think if my Spanish boy knew that, he would never have boarded the ferry to come live here

[minkee]

Guys, I've found the solution ....

[Sarah83]

Shadow, my high energy, always on the go, never stopping to rest border collie suddenly became a sedate, low energy dog who slept all day and didn't need walks when it was raining Rupert used to try to convince me he'd melt if I made him go out for a pee in the rain.

I'm not sure Spencer even notices the rain. He pays absolutely zero attention to it if he does, he's too busy splashing in puddles and stomping through mud to worry about a bit of water falling on his head.

[Erica]

Ami and Zeus don't mind - we take extra long walks in the rain, actually.

Opal will just go out far enough to potty and then come right back inside. She doesn't like the rain.

Marble is more patient with it - she loves the accompanying mud too.

The girls expect to be allowed to wrestle and chase and tear the house down when it rains, though...they don't take it easy. it's hard to keep them busy!

Onyx will stay outside in a light drizzle, but once it starts raining-raining he'll come inside to be dried off...then eventually go back out just long enough to get wet, then come in to be dried off again. silly pup.

[JudyN]

Onyx will stay outside in a light drizzle, but once it starts raining-raining he'll come inside to be dried off...then eventually go back out just long enough to get wet, then come in to be dried off again. silly pup.

Maybe not so silly - when we come back from a wet walk, or even just back in from the garden after a wet widdle, Jasper wags his tail if I say 'towel'. The post-wet-walk towel-down can be the best bit of the walk, even if he does try to squeeze between my legs and barge me into the wall as I'm giving him a good rub-down