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Dog Questions
Dear Dr. Berg,
I have 2 questions for the animal doctor,
1. Does a dog get enough exercise if he has legal place to run and is always in the house or on a leash?
2. Does dog urine harm grass and shrubs? Is there a difference between male and female dog urine?
JS, Internet
Dear J.S.,
Exercise is an important part of keeping a dog healthy, just as food and sleep are. The amount of exercise that
a given dog requires really depends on the particular temperament and size of a dog.
As suprising as it seems, there are some very large dogs that do NOT require a lot of exercise. St. Bernards
(or "Saint Barnyards", as we sometimes affectionately call them) would rather sleep most of the day rather
than run and play. Dalmatians, on the other hand, are usually in perpetual motion.
The most active dog that I have seen recently is one owned by a client and is a 7 month-old puppy called a Malanois.
They look something like a compact German Shepherd, weigh about 50-60 pounds, and have been used extensively abroad
in police work because of their athletic ability. They can scale a 6-foot fence between them and an intruder with
ease. And they have an extremely high energy level and are always "on the alert".
When this dog particular dog brings his owner to the hospital, the dog's head is constantly moving, ears always
up and listening, and he pays attention to the least little sound or motion around him. As you can imagine, it
is very hard to look in this dog's ears or to check its throat.
Your question brings up a very important point about selecting a puppy. Do your homework! Find out what the
puppies you are interested in will be like WHEN THEY GROW UP. Your new pet will be an adorable cute puppy for about
6 months and a grown dog for about 12 years. Find out what type of care and special needs are likely once he grows
up, including HOW MUCH EXERCISE he will probably require. Because it is the PUPPY that suffers if things turn out
differently than expected, possibly growing up and losing a good home. So PLEASE DO YOUR HOMEWORK!
One of the very common things that happens when an active dog fails to get sufficient exercise is that he become
frustrated and bored, and looks for things to do in the house, like chewing the couch or rummaging through the
trash. A well-exercised dog eats and is a healthier animal, and is much more likely to sleep calmly when bedtime
arrives.
Can a dog get sufficient exercise running around inside or being walked on a leash? Usually my answer would
be "yes", though it definitely depends on the nature of the breed that you have. Which again points out
how important it is to research the puppy you intend to bring into your family. Poodles and Pomeranians can get
plenty of exercise jumping off and on the couch as they bark at the "intruder" depositing mail at your
front door or the men in the big truck sneaking away with your trash.
As you may know, we have an Akita named Nikki, and Nikki gets walked twice daily every day for about 10-20 minutes.
Some days we have the pleasure of more time to spend outside with her, and she seems very content with the schedule
that we have worked out.
Remember that walking the dog is good for both you and your dog, especially if you do your walk at a brisk pace.
Some mornings when I'm not feeling very alive or awake, my walk with Nikki brings us both back to the house with
new energy and a fresh attitude. Nikki knew that I needed to go for a walk, so she took me out.
A fenced in yard is a wonderful luxury to have if you own a dog, and can be essential if your dog is a high-energy
breed. Please pay close attention to the bottom of your fence and to the areas around gates. Leaving a dog unattended
means that it must be escape-proof and intruder-proof for your pet's safety. Digging under a new fence can be great
fun for a dog, but not so fun for you when you get home to find the back yard empty. You can bury flat paving blocks
right at the bottom of the fence, or extend the fence 6" or so below the dirt to help prevent escape.
Invisible fencing can also be a wonderful invention, and most dogs will quickly learn where the boundaries are.
I would caution you, again about leaving the dog totally unattended for hours with just an invisible fence to contain
him. Remember that other dogs/cats/ or whatever can come INTO the electronically fenced off area and still cause
problems.
Cats, by the way, LOVE invisible fencing FOR DOGS. I have a friend who tells of the neighborhood tomcat walking
within 10 feet of the dog's invisible boundary and just sitting quietly on the ground staring at the dog. What
a feeling of power for the cat! (If only people would wear these things as well, cats would be in heaven!)
With one of the dogs I owned in the past, we used a 200-foot runner. I made this by stretching a long line of
wire between the corner of the house and a nearby tree, and put a sturdy pulley to run along the wire, and a chain
to hang from the pulley. Our dog could get plenty of exercise running back and forth along the wire, and the 'deposits"
in the yard were kept to a narrow very green corridor for us to pick up.
Please note that I put a spring between the pulley and the chain to dampen any jolts. If the dog ran at top
speed to the end of the chain, he could lift himself right off the ground, but the spring cushioned the effect.
A fenced in kennel can be a great place to spend a few hours outside in the fresh air, but is probably not the
best place for a dog to spend all of its life (would you like it?). And I'm not a great fan of tying a dog to a
stake outside because it really doesn't allow them much chance for exercise or human interaction.
However you decide to restrain your dog for their safety, it is extremely important not to forget that even
though you choose to leave your dog safely outside on their own, human contact and love are essential needs for
every dog, and you should provide them.
Yes, dogs can spend their entire life outside in a kennel if they are given proper food, water (don't let it
freeze in the winter), and shelter (bedding kept clean and dry). But the dog that stays outside needs love and
attention just as much as the puppy that may sleep in your bed next to you. Please take the time to enjoy what
a wonderful creature God has given for us to enjoy. Your dog will ALWAYS love you for the time spent together,
and it will heal special parts deep within your heart.
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