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Location: B'ham (nr the airport)
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 2,963
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I think it's true to a certain extent. I think if a family in general has a sedentary lifestyle then owning a dog won't make much difference. The dog will most likely be ignored and won't go for walks regularly. Of course I'm generalising and it wouldn't be the same for everyone.
For those who are active, obviously the dogs are more active and so are the kids. Oscar walks our dogs with me (he has his own lead attached so he thinks "he's" walking them).
Oscar helps with their training and plays with them a lot; in the house, garden and when we go to the fields. I think it's fantastic to see children and dogs play together. There's no better relationship IMO.
Oscar is the same as other kids though. He has his games, his Nintendo DS, his PS2 etc. He does play with them but usually for about 20 minutes at the most. Then he gets bored and wants to "do" something.
He'll watch TV, particularly Tom & Jerry. But 10 minutes into it he's bored and looking for somethign to do or somewhere to go. The ONLY times he's still and inactive (physically) is when he's asleep in bed (and even then his toes are always moving
- no idea what that's about!) or when we go to the cinema to see something he's specifically asked to see.
He's always been active - running, playing, bike rides, scooter rides, playing in the park etc. So I think to a large extent also it's down to the individual. Because of my stumpy left knee I can't do certain things with Oscar or I have to change the way in which I do them. So if people say they're unable to do something active with their kids or don't have the time, I tend not to believe them. If I can manage with what's wrong with me and Oscar is still a very active, physically & mentally fit 6 year old, then so can everyone else.