# when do you know that your dog is tired of walking?



## sexyyoungman (Mar 10, 2009)

do they just stop walking or what? 

i have this chihuahua mix, it seems that she can go on forever.


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## upendi'smommy (Nov 12, 2008)

How long is forever?


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## melgrj7 (Sep 21, 2007)

Many dogs will keep going and going, whether they are tired or not. Some things to watch for are excessive panting, heavy breathing, wobbliness, moving slower. Unless you are doing hours of walking though you probably are not going to tire your dog out on a walk. 

If you are walking on pavement/sidewalks though you will want to watch out for sore pads and make sure not to walk during the middle of the day when the pavement can be hot. We often won't notice it, but dogs are walking barefoot and are closer. I usually will put my hand on the pavement to see if it is hot or not. If the dogs pads are getting raw/sore you can put something on them like mushers secret to help and keep walks short until the pads harden up.


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## BUFFY (May 31, 2006)

Dog's most certainly don't walk forever!! Some do have a maximum amount of stamina, though. Just because your dog doesn't splatter on the sidewalk in fatigue, doesn't mean it isn't exhusted! 
The signs of a tired dog are well-stated by "melgrj7". To add on to what they said about sore pads--if the concrete is hot, but you need to continue walking, have your dog walk along the grass or dirt until you get home.


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## nikkilugi (Mar 11, 2009)

Once this last summer I walked my son to a play date about 3 blocks from our house. I took all the kids and dogs and we stopped by the park on the way home. At the end of our street there is a low spot where water always gathers and there was a nice sized puddle there where the curb and street meets. Alex decided she had had enough and just plopped down in the puddle and refused to move for at least 5 minutes. It took everything I had to finally convince her to get up and walk the block back to our house.


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## Keechak (Aug 10, 2008)

Jack is the only one of my dogs that will let me know when he's had too much but he's almost 14 so he has an excuse. it's usually bout half a mile before he starts lagging behind and then I know he's pooped. I ave yet to learn what kind of walk is long enough for Kechara and Hawk


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## PitBully (Mar 12, 2009)

Few years ago I decided to visit my grandmother by riding my bike. She lived about 11 miles on the other side of the city. Having one 2 year old male at the time, I realized he only went out to the bathroom that day. I knew his energy was rolling over its self so I convinced myself to bring him with me. He'd get some great exercise from running along side of me. 

This dog's endurance is unreal. He didn't let the end of the leash relax going up or down a hill. Good thing where I live there is a lot of grass/dirt roads because his pads would of been sore on pavement. 

PB


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## Love's_Sophie (Sep 23, 2007)

Depending on the age of the dog, you want to limit how long a walk is, especially if you have only sidewalks to walk on. Sidewalks are very stressing to the joints, and can cause splaying in the knee joints if they are walked, or run too much on that hard unforgiving surface. 

Certainly let her romp as much as she wants in a park, or other grassy field type areas, but until her joints close, cement should be carefully monitered. 

If she as an adult, still moniter how much she is on cement, or pavement, especially when it is really hot, or really cold, but you can walk her longer on those surfaces without too much concern. I let my dogs walk on any grassey areas we encounter on a walk. 

For a small dog, a couple of miles a day, spread out, is a good amount to keep her fit and happy. Interactive play, and training time, can further wear her out every day.


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## SpiritSong (May 24, 2008)

My dog was so tired from daycare last week that the dog walker said Georgia turned around about half way up the block and headed home. That signal was pretty clear. 

When it is hot out, Georgia has plopped herself down on a lawn and that's my signal to head home.


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## Chris / Oakley (Feb 16, 2009)

sexyyoungman said:


> do they just stop walking or what?
> 
> i have this chihuahua mix, it seems that she can go on forever.


Being a terrier mix, expect 40-60min of walking a day... 

I also would like to say that I'm glad you decided to keep your dog.


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## Bellasmommy (Feb 28, 2009)

My small 4 pound dog will just quit walking. We'll be walking along fine, then all of a sudden the leash gets heavy, and I look down and I'm basically dragging her along because she has just laid down in the middle of the road! Thank goodness she only weighs 4 pounds so I can just pick her up and cary her the rest of the way!!


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## deege39 (Dec 29, 2008)

My Donatello is 18lbs, and I have the same dilemma... I'm _trying_ to wear him out... I'm trying to get him pooped; We live in an apartment and being he's a Manchester/Jack Russel Terrier mix he has some energy he needs to burn!

We can play for a couple hours at the Dog Park, then walk another mile, and he still won't show any signs of being tired... _Until_ we get in the truck, then he literately plops down and goes to sleep on the way home. While we're walking he won't even break a sweat or stop for a rest... Like others have said, many dogs will keep on walking despite being tired.

My suggestion is: Walk your dog in small increments... Maybe a mile the first day, add on an extra half mile or an extra mile the next time. If your dog starts getting sluggish, or starts slowing down, then maybe you're pushing it and should stop...


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## PuppiesAreProzac (Mar 16, 2009)

When he/she's dragging either butt or tongue on the ground...


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## Elana55 (Jan 7, 2008)

when you stop and they immediately lie down. Some dogs are hyper and will literally go until they drop. You have a high energy dog in a Chi Mix! You get to walk a long ways. 

I have a high energy dog in a German Shepherd. There are days when I could walk her 10 miles and I would drag and I believe she would be saying, 'is that ALL????' 

Look at it this way.. the dog gets you outside and hiking along. Very healthy and WAY better than a Gym. I prefer to walk with a dog over a human because the dog never talks.


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## hulkamaniac (Feb 11, 2009)

Like a lot of people have said, most dogs will keep going long after they're tired. With my dogs I can just tell. I have a basset that suddenly will no longer be pulling on the leash. When I stop, he'll stop and he'll start moving again a beat after I do. You can tell he's tired.


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## Kyllobernese (Feb 5, 2008)

When spring finally comes, I will start riding my horse every day. We start out slowly but it is not long before we are going out for a couple of hours at a time. Susie travels twice as far as the horse, running ahead and coming back, chasing squirrels, etc. I would really like to know how far she travels. I can use the GPS and tell how far I have ridden but I am sure I would have to at least double the distance for Susie. I have taken her on some Rides where we leave at 8 am, have a lunch break, and get home at four or five in the evening and she is going the whole time, plus swimming in every water hole we come to.


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