October 1-7 is National Walk Your Dog Week so today I would like to share two dog walking tips.
Just Do It
My first tip is to just get out and start walking. Sometimes I get caught up in life. I don’t always have time to go on a long walk or to travel to a special place. Guess what? Brown dawgs don’t care if we just go around the block.
I am trying to get organized for vacation. I really have been having trouble getting out this week. I could have not bothered. Instead I have been keeping our walks short, just around the block.
You can see a lot to keep a dog entertained just walking around the block. Yesterday’s walk was a perfect example.
We saw birds, squirrels and bunnies. But those were not nearly as fascinating as the guys who were putting a new roof on a neighbor’s house. They were working high up on the roof and using a loud compressor for their nail gun. This had Freighter interested and concerned. We stopped and watched for a bit. It is not everyday you see people walking on roofs.
Then we rounded a corner and there were different workers painting a house. I guess it was home repair day in my neighborhood, or they were trying to beat the rain and colder weather predicted for the weekend.
The point is, even if you only have 15 minutes, or less, just get out and walk with your dog. Do what you can.
Walk Fast And Carry A Big Stick
While out walking, we have to be on the lookout for loose dogs charging us. I don’t know why brown dawgs are magnets for this, but they are. None of our dogs go looking for fights, but when an aggressive dog charges, all bets are off. They are not going to stand passively by and be attacked and they are not going to let a dog get to us either. I am not talking about an excited dog wanting to play. The dogs that concern me are those that are obviously assuming an aggressive posture. Brown dawgs like to play, but they do not like dogs that posture at them or charge them.
It isn’t as big an issue in our neighborhood, or in the local parks, but up at the cabin, it can be an issue. I don’t know what happens to people when they go up there. It is like they lose their common sense. They seem to think if they turn Fido loose without a leash, he will somehow know his lot lines and not be tempted to charge at passing dogs. Wrong.
It has happened enough that I have started carrying a stick with me on our walks. I figure I can use it to make myself look larger to discourage a dog from approaching. Maybe I can slow down a charging dog long enough to get out of there. Last resort, I could throw it. Obviously this is the unpleasant part of dog walking, but I think it helps to have a plan before you start out because usually these things happen without warning and a dog fight is bad news.
So those are my two short tips.
The important thing is that walking with your dog is a good way to bond, see the sights and get moving.
Have a wonderful week! Come back next week to read about Storm’s annual vet visit on Tuesday, an action shot of Thunder Wednesday, and some more action pictures of Thunder and Storm on Thursday Barks and Bytes.
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Thanks to My GBGV Life and Cascadian Nomads for the Walk Your Dog Week hop!
Many thanks too SlimDoggy, MyGBGV Life, and To Dog with Love for the FitDog Friday Blog Hop! 
There’s almost nothing scarier than encountering an aggressive dog on a walk. I carry pepper spray, but I have to hope the wind is blowing in the right direction. Still, I don’t know if I could keep my wits about me when trying to protect a small dog.
You can do it Daisy! Pepper spray works great against aggressive dogs, just make sure you have stream spray rather than fog or foam and you won’t get hit. 🙂
Carrying a stick is a good tip. I used to do it, but stopped for some reason – I think when we got Maggie – I may start again. Funny about the roof comment. Our Sally used to freak out whenever I got on the roof. She’d stand at the bottom of the ladder and bark and bark and even try to climb up it.
People do seem to loose their common sense in cabin locations when it comes to keeping an eye on their dogs – what’s up with that!
Have a great weekend 🙂
Thanks for joining in both blog hops today! We agree, sometimes a walk around the block is just fine and it is better than no walk. We don’t have many dogs running loose, so no need for a stick, but we do have blockhead neighbors with an invisible fence that doesn’t work. Their mean dogs have come off their yard and tried to go after Katie. Luckily, in her old age, she isn’t up for a fight and her ignoring them completely usually is enough to make them figure there is no fun there.
Good tips. I need an extra hand to carry a stick. I suppose I could use my flashlight to beat a dog off. You are right I think, brown dogs attract other dogs. I wish I knew why.
So cute you carry a stick while walking. Kilo could carry a twig. LOL
Maybe brown dogs attract other dogs because they’re the same color as dirt? Just thinkin’….
Thanks to where we live, our walks are usually limited to the perimeter of our back yard. But hey, a walk is a walk and other than the neighbors’ chihuahua and bulldog charging the fence between us, I don’t have to deal with anything other than squirrels and birds.
I’m taking to carrying pepper spray. I used to carry it all the time when I jogged – in fact I had to use it on a couple of dogs that snuck up on me!
Walking though we have the same problem, people with off-leash dogs that are out of control. Dante and Ziva love to play but do not like being charged agressively, and they will protect me from a rotten dog.
So rather than risk a dog fight I think i’m going to start carrying my spray again.
Thanks guys!!
~DZ Dog Mom
http://www.dzdogadventures.blogspot.com
Woohoo for walk your dog week! 🙂
Lots of Woofs from Earl, Ethel and I at Earl’s World!
Mr. N objects to short walks. He’ll plant himself on the sidewalk and insist that the walk wasn’t long enough!
You are so right,…just do it. Sometimes I feel bad if it’s only a short walk, but that is better than nothing. Luke is still not a great walker so I keep his walks short so we can work on training and so I don’t get too frustrated with his pokey-ness! He is just like a hound dog with his nose constantly to the ground. But at least he gets out and gets to smell some stuff so he enjoys that. Today he was fascinated with the sound of the crunching leaves under my feet!
I recently read some tips about carrying an umbrella that you could open if a dog came charging, and also citronella spray to spray at them.
There can be interesting things going on just around the block. Aspen is now ready to leave the yard for a walk so we run or walk around a few times a day. Mica prefers the woods, but a walk around the neighborhood has some interesting things. Most dogs leave Mica alone just from her size and stance!
Yikes charging dogs would worry us too. Luckily we have only had a few incidents in the park and mostly people are good with their dogs. Have a super Saturday.
Best wishes Molly
“2 Brown Dawgs Blog” has been included in our A Sunday Drive for this week. Be assured that we hope this helps to point even more new visitors in your direction.
http://asthecrackerheadcrumbles.blogspot.com/2014/10/a-sunday-drive.html
I agree with you, the main thing is I can read&write my pee-mails, no matter if it is on the next door or far away. And we are together while walking , that’s important too :o)
Long walks, medium walks, short walks … any walks are good, right? 🙂
What a great walk. Great pictures. Vac, whatcha doing?
Hi Y’all!
Y’all have a block and sidewalks to walk? Hmmmm….if you live rural there is no such thing.
We do figure 8’s and stuff at heel in our yard when we can’t go hiking. Mountain roads are narrow and dangerous for cars and trucks, forget tryin’ to walk alongside them. One side usually drops off into oblivion and the other is a ditch against a bank. Either way, no shoulders and rarely any guardrails unless someone has gone over the edge. In the low country, the same scenario…only on our street there is almost no traffic and there is a grass edge to step off onto.
In the mountains we have a park in town but my Humans prefer a hike if they have time.
Y’all come by now,
Hawk aka BrownDog
We agree that even getting out for a short walk is better than no walk at all
I will be stunned if a dog charges us… so I try to keep a lookout at the distance all the time.. and if I;m too tired to stay vigilant, I keep the walk short… at least I try…