How Far to Walk

[Lowriders in Ohio]

The smallest of our 4 boys is Oscar, a 14-pound smooth coated tweenie.  Cale and I like to walk everyone together as a pack, but Oscar has to walk at a more brisk pace to keep up.  He loves to go for walks, and it breaks his little heart to get left behind.  I worry about him straining himself by walking too far, but I also know how important exercise is to keep him slim, trim, and free of back problems.  Does anyone have any thoughts on how far is a safe walk for a little guy like Oscar?   :scratch: We will typically walk 2-3 miles in the evening, and we put Oscar in a backpack for the rest of the walk when he seems tired.  How far do you walk your dachshunds?

[peterparker]

Parker who is a mini gets a half hour walk every night, weather permitting, and lots of toss the ball in the back yard or the house depending on the weather. I have never seem him tired, not sure what it looks like.
I would love to see a picture of that backpack. I have been thinking of getting one for Parker for when we go to festivals. I don't like him on a leash in crowds, somebody might step on him.

[klsb]

We take Fin for about an hour, we stroll though.. its not brisk at all. And he is usually still pretty hyper when we get home.

We actually went on a three hour hike and he did awesome, he didnt' get tired till like the last half hour.. i kept trying to carry him and he would struggle cuz he wanted to run.

[Lowriders in Ohio]

Here are a couple pictures of Oscar in the backpack with his Dad.  It is a Northface backpack.  Although it is not made especially for dogs, it is the perfect size.  There are straps on the sides (you can see the clips in the picture), so we can pull them tight to make him extra secure.  We also put a blanket on the bottom to make it a softer ride.  He will actually growl at other dogs from inside the backpack.  Very ferocious and surely intimidating to those dogs who are walking!

[JetEd73]

I gotta say, Oscar is the cutest little weenie dog I've ever seen.

Sammy loosing any weight yet? Still big as a horse?  I thought about throwing a saddle on him and riding him to work many times.

[Spanish Teckels]

Oscar is absolutely gorgeous!  I´d love to see pics of all your brood.

We walk Red (miniature wirehair) and Islay (kaninchen miniature longhair, the smallest size of all) 30 minutes ambling in the morning along the seafront in front of us, about 10km (between 6 and 7 miles) hard, fast uphill/downhill at lunchtime and 15 minutes briskly in the evening along the seafront again.  In the Summer - it´s hot and humid here on the Mediterranean coast of Spain - we change the 10km mountain/coast walk to early morning and do only 15 minutes seafront at lunchtime and 20 minutes in the evening. 

Both Red and Islay still run/fetch in our flat for about 20 minutes after returning from each walk so are not exhausted.   Both still need nails clipped about once a month too! 

When we holiday in Scotland with my Mum in August they happily hike 3-4hrs at a time - it´s cooler than here, of course - interspersed with water and an occasional fish biscuit....they´re still not tuckered out, even though we sometimes are!

[Roberta]

We walk Oliver most days for about 4-5 kilometres plus he runs around at home outsideand inside their pen  (1/2 acre). As long as they are fit and what we say is also weather we will not walk them above 26-28 C in full sun and not on really humid days, or we make sure they are near water beach or river for a cool off. We don't have that problem at present as its winter. Amy we have been building up and she I think is upto a kilometre I'll post a picture later on our latest solution to give her a rest on long walks with the rest.
The back pack I hope does not mean his spine is not supported and sitting and not standing.
These guys are just big dogs with short legs, Oliver keeps pace quite well with a border collie most days.
Roberta

[papbouv]

I walk my Doberman with a medical scooter since I cannot walk long distances of course Patches goes too.Patches will ride when we are in the street and going across busy streets then she will trot beside the scooter also.She has done about 2 miles this way if she gets tired she sticks her nose over by my foot.I stop and she jumps on the scooter and off we go.Buddy has to walk the whole way no rides for him.We have not been out since its in the 80's even early in the mornings and now that hubby is home all the time we do not get up early.Too Hot now anyway so hope to start back when it get cooler Buddy sure misses it .

[TerriL]

This is Oscy Sanders here.  I have a backpack just like yours for when I get all tired out on the walkies.  You and I gots the same NAME!  Yep...my name is really Oscar Madison Sanders but mama has always called me Oscy.  AND.... we kind of look alike!

[scootersmom]

Oscar, you surely do look intimidating and quite fierce in your backpack!  Not to mention cute.  VERY cute. 

Who else besides Dachshunds could be simultaneously adorable and mighty?   

As for walks, I try and take Scooter every day, but we've been having heatwaves with heat indeces well above 100° F (38°C) so we've stayed indoors on those days because it's just too dangerous to be out and about.  I usually let Scooter dictate the length of the walk, I just follow his lead and when he decides it's time to turn around and head for home, we do.  He used to go running with me, 2-3 miles, on this handy leash which hooked around my waist, and he kept up quite nicely!  Though he'd go right to sleep in his car seat on the way home from the park where we ran.

Of course, this was back in the days when I was a little younger and healthier myself.  I think I would keel over if I tried to run even one mile nowadays.  *sheepish grin*