{"id":4356,"date":"2010-06-24T15:02:45","date_gmt":"2010-06-24T22:02:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/shibashake.com\/dog\/?p=4356"},"modified":"2010-06-24T15:02:45","modified_gmt":"2010-06-24T22:02:45","slug":"why-we-dont-walk-our-dogs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/shibashake.com\/dog\/why-we-dont-walk-our-dogs\/","title":{"rendered":"Why We Don&#8217;t Walk Our Dogs"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>There are many reasons that we come up with for not <a href=\"http:\/\/shibashake.com\/dog\/train-your-puppy-to-walk-on-a-leash\">walking our dog<\/a>. <\/p>\n<h2>1. Too Hot or Too Cold<\/h2>\n<p>The weather is probably one of the most frequently used excuses. <\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>It is raining &#8211; I\/my dog will get wet.<\/li>\n<li>It is snowing &#8211; I\/my dog will be too cold.<\/li>\n<li>It is too hot &#8211; <a href=\"http:\/\/shibashake.com\/dog\/cool-dog-keep-your-dog-cool-in-the-summer\">my dog will overheat.<\/a><\/li>\n<li>It is too cold &#8211; my dog will freeze.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div id='3723' class='wp-caption frame3 alignright' style='width:280px' ><div class='shiba-outer shiba-gallery' ><div class='shiba-stage' style='width:280px'><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/shibashake.com\/dog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/04\/IMG_0101-280x210.jpg\" alt=\"It may look like nice weather - but it is too hot and the ticks are out!\" title=\"Nice day for a walk with the dogs.\" width=\"280\" height=\"210\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-3723\" \/><div class='wp-caption-text shiba-caption'>It may look like nice weather - but it is too hot and the ticks are out!<\/div><\/div> <!-- End shiba-stage --><\/div><\/div>\n<p>We can&#8217;t walk the dog during <strong>Winter<\/strong> because it is snowing, raining, or too cold. We can&#8217;t walk the dog during the <strong>Summer<\/strong> because it is too hot. Spring is too wet so that leaves us with Autumn. <\/p>\n<p>But wait &#8211; that is when <a href=\"http:\/\/shibashake.com\/dog\/itchy-dog#ticks\">the ticks are out<\/a> so that is no good either. Besides, Autumn is a great time to sleep-in.<\/p>\n<div id='4292' class='wp-caption frame3 aligncenter' style='width:520px' ><div class='shiba-outer shiba-gallery' ><div class='shiba-stage' style='width:520px'><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/shibashake.com\/dog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/06\/cute-siberian-sleeping-520x390.jpg\" alt=\"Makes me want to curl up and fall asleep too!\" title=\"Cute Siberian sleeping.\" width=\"520\" height=\"390\" class=\"size-large wp-image-4292\" \/><div class='wp-caption-text shiba-caption'>Makes me want to curl up and fall asleep too!<\/div><\/div> <!-- End shiba-stage --><\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"alignspace\"><\/div>\n<h2>2. There are Vicious Dogs in My Neighborhood<\/h2>\n<p>I was talking to <a href=\"http:\/\/shibashake.com\/dog\/are-you-a-good-dog-owner\">a dog owner<\/a> today and she tells me that she doesn&#8217;t walk her dog because there are <em>vicious<\/em> pit-bulls that live a few houses away from her. They are always at the gate and <a href=\"http:\/\/shibashake.com\/dog\/woof-woof-stop-dog-barking\">barking at her<\/a>, so she is <em>protecting<\/em> her dogs by keeping them in the house all day long.<\/p>\n<div id='3739' class='wp-caption frame3 aligncenter' style='width:520px' ><div class='shiba-outer shiba-gallery' ><div class='shiba-stage' style='width:520px'><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/shibashake.com\/dog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/04\/IMG_3236-520x390.jpg\" alt=\"Beware of those nasty wicked teeth.\" title=\"My vicious dogs.\" width=\"520\" height=\"390\" class=\"size-large wp-image-3739\" \/><div class='wp-caption-text shiba-caption'>Beware of those nasty wicked teeth.<\/div><\/div> <!-- End shiba-stage --><\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"alignspace\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"alignright\">\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/product\/B00005V1Y0?ie=UTF8&#038;tag=shisha-20&#038;linkCode=as2&#038;camp=1789&#038;creative=9325&#038;creativeASIN=B00005V1Y0\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http:\/\/shibashake.com\/dog\/files\/2010\/05\/51MEW1X8RXL._SS500_.jpg\" width=300 height=300><\/a><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/www.assoc-amazon.com\/e\/ir?t=shisha-20&#038;l=as2&#038;o=1&#038;a=B00005V1Y0\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\" border=\"0\" alt=\"\" style=\"border:none !important; margin:0px !important;\" \/>\n<\/div>\n<p>I must admit that that is a pretty <strong>impressive<\/strong> excuse. No walking involved, and a protector at the same time.<\/p>\n<p>There are also many dogs that charge the gate or bark in my neighborhood. Sometimes, they can be pretty <em>intimidating<\/em>. <\/p>\n<p>Occasionally, there are also <a href=\"http:\/\/shibashake.com\/dog\/dog-escape-why-dogs-run-away\">dogs that escape<\/a> and run loose. These escapees usually avoid contact with people, but there are some who are friendly, and also others who are territorial or aggressive. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Dogs do these things because they are bored and frustrated out of their mind from being <em>protected<\/em> in the house all day.<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>A life lived in fear&#8230; is a life half lived ~~[Strictly Ballroom]<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>If we are afraid of neighborhood dogs, we can always drive to a nearby park, or to a more quiet neighborhood and walk our dogs there.<\/p>\n<div class=\"alignspace\"><\/div>\n<h2>3. My Dog is Reactive or Aggressive with Other Dogs<\/h2>\n<div id='3720' class='wp-caption frame3 alignright' style='width:280px' ><div class='shiba-outer shiba-gallery' ><div class='shiba-stage' style='width:280px'><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/shibashake.com\/dog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/04\/IMG_0091-280x210.jpg\" alt=\"Enjoying a hike in the hills.\" title=\"Nice day with the dogs.\" width=\"280\" height=\"210\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-3720\" \/><div class='wp-caption-text shiba-caption'>Enjoying a hike in the hills.<\/div><\/div> <!-- End shiba-stage --><\/div><\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/shibashake.com\/dog\/dog-to-dog-aggression\">Some dogs are more reactive to other dogs<\/a> than others. Guard dogs, for example, are bred to be more territorial by nature, and may not like other dogs encroaching upon their space. <\/p>\n<p>My Shiba Inu does not like dominant dogs, or dogs that come in to <a href=\"http:\/\/shibashake.com\/dog\/the-butt-sniff\">smell his butt<\/a> without his permission.<\/p>\n<p>Some dogs are <em>protected<\/em> in the house all day, every day, so they naturally have a lot of excited and frustrated energy when they finally get to go out.<\/p>\n<p>I have found that the more I walk my dogs, the more confident we all become, and the walks get easier and more enjoyable. I can now anticipate their walk triggers (usually cats and squirrels), so we mostly have a nice and relaxed routine punctured by moments of <a href=\"http:\/\/shibashake.com\/dog\/the-squirrel-instinct-can-it-be-retrained\"><em>Cat or Squirrel Pow<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n<div id='2646' class='wp-caption frame3 aligncenter' style='width:520px' ><div class='shiba-outer shiba-gallery' ><div class='shiba-stage' style='width:520px'><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/shibashake.com\/dog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/02\/IMG_08911-520x390.jpg\" alt=\"I have found that the more that I walk my dogs, the more confident we all become, and the walks get easier and more enjoyable. \" title=\"Walking my Shiba Inu.\" width=\"520\" height=\"390\" class=\"size-large wp-image-2646\" \/><div class='wp-caption-text shiba-caption'>I have found that the more that I walk my dogs, the more confident we all become, and the walks get and easier more enjoyable. <\/div><\/div> <!-- End shiba-stage --><\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"alignspace\"><\/div>\n<p>My Sibe used to be afraid of the garbage truck, but she is better with them now because we see them once every week, and we are still here to tell the tale.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The way to deal with reactivity issues is not to totally avoid contact with others, but rather to train our dog and ourselves to better handle external interactions including <a href=\"http:\/\/shibashake.com\/dog\/dog-to-dog-aggression\">dog-to-dog interactions<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"alignspace\"><\/div>\n<h2>4. My Dog Pulls<\/h2>\n<p>Most dogs, especially young dogs will pull because they are so excited to be outside where there are many interesting smells and sights. My Siberian is <a href=\"http:\/\/shibashake.com\/dog\/three-legged-dog-care-tripod-dog-care\">a 3-legged dog<\/a>, but when she really wants to pull, she has <em>mad skillz<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>I use a combination of the <a href=\"http:\/\/shibashake.com\/dog\/leash-training-your-dog\">red-light\/green-light technique and the 180-turn-around technique<\/a> while we are out on walks to control the pulling. Both are helpful, but there will be situations where she loses control and starts to go. Usually a cat or squirrel is involved! \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n<p>However, we are both improving in small steps, and enjoying ourselves along the way.<\/p>\n<div id='4308' class='wp-caption frame3 aligncenter' style='width:520px' ><div class='shiba-outer shiba-gallery' ><div class='shiba-stage' style='width:520px'><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/shibashake.com\/dog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/06\/siberian-close-up-520x390.jpg\" alt=\"Siberian Husky Shania has mad skillz!\" title=\"Siberian close-up\" width=\"520\" height=\"390\" class=\"size-large wp-image-4308\" \/><div class='wp-caption-text shiba-caption'>Siberian Husky Shania has mad skillz!<\/div><\/div> <!-- End shiba-stage --><\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"alignspace\"><\/div>\n<h2>5. I am Too Tired<\/h2>\n<div id='4299' class='wp-caption frame3 alignright' style='width:280px' ><div class='shiba-outer shiba-gallery' ><div class='shiba-stage' style='width:280px'><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/shibashake.com\/dog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/06\/IMG_3355-280x210.jpg\" alt=\"Shiba Sephy is too tired to walk.\" title=\"Shiba yoga\" width=\"280\" height=\"210\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-4299\" \/><div class='wp-caption-text shiba-caption'>Shiba Sephy is too tired to walk.<\/div><\/div> <!-- End shiba-stage --><\/div><\/div>\n<p>Sometimes, we get busy. Issues may arise at home or at work, and we get swallowed up by them. <\/p>\n<p>Life happens. Skipping a few daily walks in a year will not have any adverse effects on our dogs.<\/p>\n<p>However, I find that walking with my dogs actually helps to clear my head, and gives me a much needed break from my problems. When we get home, I am more energized, and end up making more progress on my projects than I would have otherwise.<\/p>\n<div class=\"alignspace\"><\/div>\n<p>So &#8230;<\/p>\n<p><em>What are you waiting for?<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Time to strap on that iPod, and treat yourself to a nice walk with your dog.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>It is a good day to be with dog.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div id='2626' class='wp-caption frame3 aligncenter' style='width:520px' ><div class='shiba-outer shiba-gallery' ><div class='shiba-stage' style='width:520px'><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/shibashake.com\/dog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/02\/IMG_0091-520x390.jpg\" alt=\"It is a good day to be with dog.\" title=\"Girl and her dog.\" width=\"520\" height=\"390\" class=\"size-large wp-image-2626\" \/><div class='wp-caption-text shiba-caption'>It is a good day to be with dog.<\/div><\/div> <!-- End shiba-stage --><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>5 common reasons that we come up with for not walking our dogs including the weather, vicious neighborhood dogs, and the ever popular &#8220;my dog pulls my arm out during walks&#8221;. Walking a dog can be a chore sometimes, however, it is a good way to keep our dogs happy and prevent them from getting into 10 kinds of trouble. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2626,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[775,776,777,778,779,780,781,782,783,784,785],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shibashake.com\/dog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4356"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shibashake.com\/dog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shibashake.com\/dog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shibashake.com\/dog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shibashake.com\/dog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4356"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.shibashake.com\/dog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4356\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shibashake.com\/dog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2626"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shibashake.com\/dog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4356"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shibashake.com\/dog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4356"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shibashake.com\/dog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4356"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}