25th March 2008

Many Dogs Get No Walks

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It's a dog's life - especially when it comes to 'walkies' for man's best friend, according to a study. A report has revealed that millions of Brits are neglecting their beloved dogs by not exercising them enough.

A poll of 2,000 dog owners revealed that one in ten NEVER walk their dog - and almost a third only walk their dog twice a week at the most.

Those who do exercise their pet might not be doing it enough, as a quarter of people admitted they merely walked their dog around the block. More than a third said they made do with throwing them a ball in the park for a few minutes. And around 60 per cent described walking their dog as 'a chore' while one in 20 said they let their dog run around in the garden rather than taking them for a walk.

Veterinary expert Chris Sergeant sai, ''This research shows pet owners have a huge lack of knowledge when it comes to maintaining the right fitness, feeding and exercise levels for their pets.

''By neglecting to walk dogs during the week, they then expect them to go for long walks or runs on a Saturday or Sunday. Owners are treating their pets like bicycles which are only taken out of the shed at weekends.

''People should not keep pets unless they are able to care for them properly - when dogs are unfit, overweight and sluggish, they are often depressed as well.''

The survey was conducted by www.fitfurlife.com, a company which makes exercise and rehabilitation treadmills for dogs.

Fitfurlife boss Sammy French, who won backing for her product on the last series of Dragon's Den, said, ''Considering we're meant to be a nation of animal lovers the results of the survey are pretty alarming.

''All dogs need to be walked daily for their health and vitality. It's worrying so many pets are not getting the level of exercise they need or that so many people are unsure of how much exercise to give.

''They over walk puppies and under walk adults. The dog treadmill was invented to aid in the rehabilitation of dogs post injury and operative.

''It dramatically improves the rate of recovery by offering a finely controlled and safe environment, which is so beneficial to the dog's joints and healing bones.''

The poll also found that 63 per cent of people find it a challenge to walk their dogs on week days, with almost a third saying they 'just don't have time'. Twenty-two per cent say they are too tired once they get home from work to take their dog out for a stroll. Two thirds are so reluctant to walk their pet after work that they admit to skipping it for most of the working days in a week. But 68 per cent then feel guilty that they don't walk their pet enough while 70 per cent don't actually know how far they are supposed to go and how fast.

One in ten owners know they need to exercise their dog as they consider their pet to be overweight and another 13 per cent would describe their pet's fitness as fair or poor. Almost a third even admit their dog is often lazy or sluggish.

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