The Art of Raising a Puppy by the Monks of New Skete

https://www.amazon.com/Art-Raising-Puppy-Revised/dp/0316083275

Dogs are for people who live in rural areas where there's plenty of land for them to run around. It's not ideal for suburban living. Also not hygienic. I eff'n hate dogs going in other people's yards. Serves them right that the owners suffer the weather.

OP, you also have to pick up your dog's feces in bad weather (and good weather, in case you needed that spelled out). In the rain. In the snow. When it's hot, cold, sleeting, whatever. Always.

We adopted first one large breed dog, and eight years later, a tiny delicate dog. We were novice dog owners when we adopted the first dog. I purchased a book on raising puppies written by the monks of New Skete in upstate New York. This is an order of monks that breed GSDs and then carefully place them in loving homes. I read that book until it was dog eared (no pun intended, lol). I took notes. I carefully followed their advice on raising a puppy. We have the best, the most wonderful, the most loving GSD possible. I am devoted to my doggie and he is devoted to me. He is a GOOD DOG. Highly recommend that book.

15:26 here. I get that skipping a day is fine. But it seems like some people are suggesting never walking is okay. That's all. I'm sure I'll be flamed.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I say this in a gentle, helping, fashion.
I don't really think you are ready or should get a dog. You seem like you don't get basic dog stuff and when the unexpected happens (the Dog got too big!) then he will end up at a shelter. I used to volunteer at a shelter and from your posts, you strike me as someone who would give up at the first sign of Dogness.

OP is trying to get the information needed to make a decision about getting a dog. That sounds like a responsible way to try to understand what pet ownership requires. How would you suggest a person who has no experience with dogs try to get prepared? If I were you, I'd be far more worried about the people who don't think through the decision or ask questions (even to be belittled) about what's expected.

+1 Every single person here who fancies herself a dog expert was a novice at one point. Even if you grew up with dogs, it's not the same when you get one as an adult.

Not only is it okay to ask questions, it's also okay to make mistakes. People like to pile on to people here. But there is a learning curve. And even for really experienced dog owners, there are always new challenges/experiences or even different dog personalities.

I think OP's question was legitimate. What I find a little more frightening than OP's question is all of the posters who seem to think it's okay not to walk their dogs because their dogs are happy without them. Even if your dog seems content without regular walks, it's actually important not just for weight control but also for overall wellness (joint mobility, muscle tone) that a dog get regular exercise. It may seem okay not to have regular walks, but unless you are actually throwing a ball and ensuring the dog is being active, simply having a yard is not a replacement for walks.

Anonymous wrote:OP, I say this in a gentle, helping, fashion.
I don't really think you are ready or should get a dog. You seem like you don't get basic dog stuff and when the unexpected happens (the Dog got too big!) then he will end up at a shelter. I used to volunteer at a shelter and from your posts, you strike me as someone who would give up at the first sign of Dogness.

OP is trying to get the information needed to make a decision about getting a dog. That sounds like a responsible way to try to understand what pet ownership requires. How would you suggest a person who has no experience with dogs try to get prepared? If I were you, I'd be far more worried about the people who don't think through the decision or ask questions (even to be belittled) about what's expected.

Anonymous wrote:Some dogs truly do not care about walks. We have been breeding, raising, and training German Shepherds for years. Most GDSs enjoy a daily walk, but are perfectly fine when it doesn't happen. On bad weather days my Shepherds run outside, go potty, and run back in. They hate rain. On days when I don't feel well, they don't care about going for a walk. If it's cold outside, I often have to force them to go for a walk.

And like the PP, my dogs never poop when we go for a walk. They are trained to use the bathroom before we leave. It's a really good habit to encourage. People don't like it when your dog pees on their grass. They also don't like it when your dog poops on their lawn, even if you pick it up.

I'm assuming you exercise them in some other way, though, right? You don't mention that, but that is the information that OP is looking for. She wants to know alternatives to walking a dog in bad weather.

What if it rains a few days in a row? Most dogs can't go a few days in a row with no exercise. Again, I'm assuming you do something else for exercise. But you don't mention that.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some dogs truly do not care about walks. We have been breeding, raising, and training German Shepherds for years. Most GDSs enjoy a daily walk, but are perfectly fine when it doesn't happen. On bad weather days my Shepherds run outside, go potty, and run back in. They hate rain. On days when I don't feel well, they don't care about going for a walk. If it's cold outside, I often have to force them to go for a walk.

And like the PP, my dogs never poop when we go for a walk. They are trained to use the bathroom before we leave. It's a really good habit to encourage. People don't like it when your dog pees on their grass. They also don't like it when your dog poops on their lawn, even if you pick it up.

I totally agree with this. I posted earlier about how I almost never walk my dogs in the rain. My lab's eyes light up when I so much as touch a tennis ball and head towards the back door, however he will sometimes try to hide underneath the dining room table when I try to put his harness on after it's dark since he knows it's "just a walk" and doesn't include a trip to the dog park. He could take it or leave it.

Same here. We have two dogs - one that would spend his every waking moment outdoors on a walk if we'd let him, one that would never ever go outside if we'd let him. Not walking the first dog tons and tons would be pretty cruel to him, skipping walks and just doing short potty breaks for the second one would honestly make him happy as a clam.

Anonymous wrote:Some dogs truly do not care about walks. We have been breeding, raising, and training German Shepherds for years. Most GDSs enjoy a daily walk, but are perfectly fine when it doesn't happen. On bad weather days my Shepherds run outside, go potty, and run back in. They hate rain. On days when I don't feel well, they don't care about going for a walk. If it's cold outside, I often have to force them to go for a walk.

And like the PP, my dogs never poop when we go for a walk. They are trained to use the bathroom before we leave. It's a really good habit to encourage. People don't like it when your dog pees on their grass. They also don't like it when your dog poops on their lawn, even if you pick it up.

I totally agree with this. I posted earlier about how I almost never walk my dogs in the rain. My lab's eyes light up when I so much as touch a tennis ball and head towards the back door, however he will sometimes try to hide underneath the dining room table when I try to put his harness on after it's dark since he knows it's "just a walk" and doesn't include a trip to the dog park. He could take it or leave it.