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Location: West of Scotland
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 8,034
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20-10-2008, 08:35 PM
Originally Posted by random 
Well if Dusty goes out in the rain for too long all her undercarriage gets soaked, literally like a sponge and she sit by the fire shivering when she gets in, most coats for her are a pain in the ass and slip over her short forelegs if she tired so much as to move faster than normal walking pace, she has clothes but ever single item i have had to tailor to fit her myself, take it in (as if it fits her deep chest its too short for her long body, if it fits her long body it's far to baggy) so quite frankly i'm not fussed about teaching her to like it.
As for the others, they will go out in it and trot along beside me, but they don't play or chase or have fun when I let them off, they just walk beside me, i'd rather wait 'til it stops so they have a good play about, maybe just me but that's what I do.
Bear is different, you have to body barge him out in the rain but once he's been out for about 10 minutes he forgets it is raining and will have a play about, but seeing as he's the only one - it's a play about he has on his own.
Sadie is old and unwell and her maximum walks now are about 20 mins, and I don't particularly want her going out in the rain and getting soaked through if i'm honest.
Every dog is an individual, if they don't like it they don't bloody like it, end of.
As an afterthought and a bit of a brag, my 3 and Bear were at the vet last week for their annual check up (all 4 together, never again, what a palava) and the vet commented on how fit they all were and how nice it was to see dogs which were not overweight, especially spayed/neutered dogs as this is when it tends to creep on.
On another note she also commented on how nice it was to see such a variety of breeds and all getting on so well, I said it's easy for you to say that now they know I have a pocket full of hotdogs and you don't live with the monsters! Have you ever seen an adolescent male Rottweiler trying to hump a weim, a mini dach and a border/springer cross all at once?
But if I can make the walk as interesting and fun as possible for them with regards to some tricks and training, as well as running riot when Molly eventually realises she may as well make the most of it and give me the run around! 
I say that on behalf of my dogs and my situation. If I could always wait till it dried up, I would, but sadly, it can and does rain constantly for several days in a row here, so we have no choice but to walk in the rain, though the walks aren't excessive but I do try and make sure they get the exercise and stimulation they need.However, it would be different if my dogs were sick and walking in the rain would have quite a detrimental effect on their health, then going out in the rain would only happen very occasionally and when they had no choice but to go out for the toilet.
Like you say, all dogs are indiviuduals, just like people, but if we didn't do thing we didnt like, that wouldn't be real life. I have to go to work. I hate it, but I have to go, unfortunately.
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Location: West of Scotland
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 8,034
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20-10-2008, 08:43 PM
Originally Posted by mandydog
Nilcola - you make me smile - you sound fun!!
Are you sure I'm not just cruel for taking my dogs out in the nasty, wet, soggy water that is the rain?
Just kidding.
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Location: West of Scotland
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 8,034
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20-10-2008, 08:55 PM
Instead I'll do a bit of training and playing indoors. 
But it has to be really cold, wet and windy.
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Location: Somewhere
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 3,087
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21-10-2008, 10:58 AM
Originally Posted by mandydog
I should imagine that dogs who hate the rain find even less pleasure in it when they are dragged along until their paws are raw, which some previous posters have indicated.
I would be very shocked if anyone on Dogsey dragged their dogs so their paws were red raw. Maybe you can provide me with some quotes?I agree with Westie about the whole dogs deciding when they are going to go out. If I say they are going out then they are going out. I don't see it as cruel to make my dogs go out in the rain (unless they were ill). They're all right once they're out.
Now the fireworks have started we're not taking A out in the evening because she's terrified. But she gets an hour in the morning (at least) and an hour in the afternoon.
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Location: england
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 3,440
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21-10-2008, 11:07 AM
At the end of the day we all know our dogs better than anyone else does and we all choose to treat them in the way that makes them and us happy.
All I have read here seems to say only one way is right luckily the dogs those of us own who need alternative life styles have been found by people willing to go that extra step to make them happy.
I have been told several times by our vet one of ours should be PTS but I will not put a happy healthy (while we control her diet and surroundings) dog down.
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Location: Wiltshire, England
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 129
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21-10-2008, 12:22 PM
Originally Posted by Luke
You have to DRAG her on the lead
Originally Posted by Sarah27
Who suggested such a thing?
I would be very shocked if anyone on Dogsey dragged their dogs so their paws were red raw. Maybe you can provide me with some quotes?If there is, let me know!
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Location: n/a
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 2,459
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21-10-2008, 12:54 PM
Suppose what I'm saying is, every dog is different and every owner's circumstances are different so who are any of us to judge. I don't buy the whole "You''ll do what I say when I say it" dominant attitude. Each to their own but I have six very lovely Chihuahuas so my way works for them. Then again, if they were boisterous GSD's, etc., I probably would have to assert a little more dominant behaviour
or they'd be walking all over me!
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