# Do you walk your dogs in very stormy weather?



## Kicksforkills (Mar 27, 2012)

I was just watching the weather and it said Monday 60+ mph winds and in North Scotland 70-90 mph.

I would walk my dogs still. All of them. Unless it was guaranteed to be hurricane conditions or such strong winds that I feared one of them blowing away 

Stay safe everyone


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## Fleur (Jul 19, 2008)

I take mine out for what I call toileting walks a few times a day as they don't like going in the garden if it's stormy but I don't take them on a proper walk.


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## shirleystarr (Mar 22, 2009)

No they just go in the garden for a quick toilet they hate walking in that sort of weather its no pleasure for them at all so its not fair to take them out in high winds and gales


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## catz4m8z (Aug 27, 2008)

Nope I dont. They hate heavy rain (although I can walk them in fine, drizzly stuff ok). Plus they get badly spooked by strong winds....probably coz of all the rubbish flying around!


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## jonb (Nov 15, 2012)

yea but not so far although yesterday we were out a while in the pouring rain and howling gales
luckily ours don`t seem to care


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## Sarahferret (Apr 25, 2012)

Yes. I would just use the weather as one of the factors in deciding where to walk. eg id rule out the beach where the winds will be strongest, and anywhere where we could get caught out by falling branches/trees.


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## Freddie and frank (Mar 26, 2012)

Torrential rain, yes. But high winds, no. 
High winds scare me. We were at my MIL caravan a few years back with 70mph winds and the whole site had to be evacuated in the early hours of the morning. Whilst me and my son were running down to the reception a huge tree snapped and fell just a couple of meters from us. I've never been so scared. 

There were bins flying everywhere here the other night just as I was about to go out so I waited until it had died down. 

Be careful everyone and stay safe. :thumbsup:


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## SixStar (Dec 8, 2009)

Oz and Harvey will go out in all weathers and I'll just modify our routes in accordance with the bad weather - so if high winds are expected we'll stick to open fields rather than wooded areas etc. They both love bad weather and dart about like absolute nutters.

Alfie, Jake and Blue used to be the same - but they're all ''special needs'' for one reason or another these days, so we play it by ear!


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## ellenlouisepascoe (Jul 12, 2013)

Taz I don't even walk in a light shower, he absolutely hates being wet and will just cry and cry , sit and shiver and refuse to move. 

Blade enjoys the rain, not the wind though it spooks him so if it was gale force winds I wouldn't bother


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## mollydog07 (May 26, 2012)

Today in Glasgow is miserable,teeming rain,dreek!....mine will not go over the door in wet weather,i have to lift them out to the garden(under protest)....I wonder if they have secret catheters fitted!


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## 1290423 (Aug 11, 2011)

Yes, we do, don't mind rain and snow but hate strong winds and will make every excuse in the book to avoid taking them


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## Kicksforkills (Mar 27, 2012)

See, mine love the wind in their faces


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## sailor (Feb 5, 2010)

I guess it depends on what your definition of very stormy weather is?

If there are really strong winds uprooting trees and you struggle to stay on your feet, then no.... I am a Mother and have kids to think about. Toppa isn't going to turn hyper or keel over if he misses one or two walks.

We do walk in bad weather though, Toppa has been blown off his paws (his tiny) and demanded to go home in heavy rain before. He never refuses a walk, just gives up after half hour if he finds it too much.


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## Burrowzig (Feb 18, 2009)

Heavy rain, no. Neither dog would enjoy it, so why put them through it? Exercise time can be made up later.

Strong winds are OK, but wouldn't go through woodland. There's a good paved towpath very close by where hedges give some shelter. We go there.

On the day of the big storm a couple of weeks ago, we went to the coast to watch the mad sea - great fun (from a safe distance).


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## sunshine80 (Jan 25, 2010)

Yes depending what the weather is. I still walk in the rain and snow just choose the route to suit. I usually do in windy weather as well unless it is really strong winds - just realised recently how difficult it is to get a walk here with no trees or risk of slates falling on you. I do not walk for as far though as Sonny does not like the wind especially since a few weeks ago when he got blown across the road a few steps hmy:


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## Guest (Dec 21, 2013)

Proper stormy weather - no. Neither of us would enjoy it and so what if we miss a walk.


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## Alice Childress (Nov 14, 2010)

I have yet to experience very stormy weather since having Maggie, but my instinct is this..



Freddie and frank said:


> Torrential rain, yes. But high winds, no.


!

We've already been out when it's chucking it down, and it didn't really occur to me to not go out. However, really high winds are another thing. It would depend on how strong the wind was of course, but if really high, I think I'd give it a miss. It scares me, and in turn it would be a very stressful walk. I'm of the opinion that the odd day with no walks, isn't a bad thing (as long as it is just that, odd, and certainly not the norm).


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## catpud (Nov 9, 2013)

Yes me and Shadow still go out in all sorts of weather. Shadow isn't bothered by it in the slightest and he turns so that his face is in the wind, silly boy 

We do stay safe though, we don't walk through the village in high winds (to many old slates falling off roofs) or the woodland, we stick to the open fields opposite my house. 

If anything our bad weather walks are the best because other dogs and owners seem to disappear. It's great when it is just really heavy rain without the wind - that means we can use the woodland paths without the lots of other dog owners who use it at other times.


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## Dogless (Feb 26, 2010)

We go out in anything although avoid the forest if the winds are very high.


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## 2Cats2Dogs (Oct 30, 2012)

High winds I have done before. I took then outside today and it bucketed down and my white doggies turned brown! Might need to rethink that one


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## labradrk (Dec 10, 2012)

I don't think I've ever not walked my two big dogs for a full day because of the weather. Even it's dire all day, usually it slows or stops down at some point, even if it's late evening. For example the rain is rarely torrential all day - heavy perhaps, but not torrential. If it's very windy, we just walk somewhere where their aren't tons of trees.

Tilly on the other hand is less than keen if the weather is terrible. If it is heavy rain I don't take her out as she doesn't enjoy it and looks plain miserable.


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## Freyja (Jun 28, 2008)

We just go out for short walks in high winds. It makes the whippets and italians go scatty and far to silly to risk and serious injuries becuase they are crazy. The chihuahua's don't go far becasue they are likely to get blown away.

Because we life on a main road it is lined by trees so it is very hard for us to avoid trees in the high winds. In the summer a branch fell from one tree narrowly missing 2 women and a man and the next day an even bigger branch came out of a tree just across the road from our house. (most of this is on my garden drying out for the fire next year) The tree was felled a 150 year old ash tree as the council decided it was dangerous even though the tree surgoens said it was healthy it was the long spell of hot weather and a sudden storm that caused the branch to fall.


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## Wilmer (Aug 31, 2012)

Wilma I could take out in any weather - she was pretty bombproof and would never turn down a walk. Strong winds used to give her the massive zoomies and she liked rain (a lot more than me!). Obviously, would never go out in weather that's dangerously bad, but that's pretty rare in the South East.

Betty's a different matter, she's timid and skittish and it's taking a lot of work to get her comfortable with pavement walking. Poor light and windy weather seem to put her on high alert so she's much more likely to overreact to stimuli. So in her case I weigh up the benefits - a wind-blown wheelie bin would set us back massively!


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## MollySmith (May 7, 2012)

A quick run around our regular walk mostly in the field and that's it because there are trees around. The wind does get up very quickly in Cambridge as it's so flat and it blasts across the Fens. Then I'll keep her in our garden or inside with extra training but it would have to be really strong gales to not walk her at all. At the moment we're okay.

I think for Molly it's the journey in the car and then back again that means she's walked as opposed to the length of time she's been out!


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## Vicki (Jul 28, 2009)

Yes, I walk my dog in all kinds of weather. In fact, I love to walk when the weather is bad, because I like that I'm pretty much alone then  Chansa has no objections to any kind of weather. The only time that weather prevents me from taking long walks is when it's really cold, below -30, because then she gets cold cramps in her paws. We take several shorter walks instead. I also don't like to walk when it is like it is now, i.e no snow, just ice , but we do walk anyway, although not as long walks as usual and I don't let her off lead, because I'm afraid she'll hurt herself.


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## bearcub (Jul 19, 2011)

I would not go out in a thunderstorm obviously, or extremely high winds but just rain wouldn't prevent me walking them although I do prefer it if OH goes out with them instead


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## catz4m8z (Aug 27, 2008)

Def staying in today! Its blimmin' horrible, windy and pouring down.
So far hannah is the only one who has braved the garden...the others looked out the back door and then pottered back to their heated bed!

still, its not like my lot are high energy so missing a walk wont matter!


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## JessIncaFCR (Oct 1, 2012)

Mine will go out in all weathers, but if it's potentially dangerous (thunderstorms or very high winds) then I will often decide to just give them mental stimulation inside the house. My 2 don't mind if they miss out on a walk, but I feel guilty if I don't  Therefore, I basically weigh up the risks if the weather is bad outside - a bit of rain doesn't stop us..just more 'dangerous' weather


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## Leanne77 (Oct 18, 2011)

Depends how stormy it is. If it's just really cack weather with strong winds and rain then yes, I do still take them out. However, if it's quite dangerous weather like gale force winds and driving rain then they dont get a proper walk. They dont like the really nasty weather any more than I do so why put us all through it?!

Oh, we dont do thunderstorms or lightning as the collies are scared and i'm not too keen myself.


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## BessieDog (May 16, 2012)

Bess enjoys her walks whatever the weather so we'll go out in anything. If the winds bad we avoid the woods. 

Luckily I'm not feeling 100% today - so OH is taking her out.


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## Tacey (Mar 4, 2012)

For me it depends on whether I'm going to work or not. If I am then April gets her walk in the morning no matter what. If I'm going to be home with her all day then no, I'd rather just stay in and teach her tricks or something.


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## Hanwombat (Sep 5, 2013)

If its very high winds then no as it can be dangerous, although Io doesn't really care about the wind, its more me


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## DollyGirl08 (Dec 1, 2012)

I walk my dogs whatever the weather, except thunder as I'm scared I'll be electrocuted lol. The little dogs don't get walked in bad rain or cold as Skye hates it and the cold sets off Sidney's reverse sneezing.


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## Flamingoes (Dec 8, 2012)

Wind, yes, even if he does get blown about :lol:

He loves the wind and he sort of 'plays' with it, jumping in to it and such.

Because we always walk on the beach I'd be scared to death if he was a swimmer with how rough the sea has been though :yikes:

Rain - no chance. He doesn't do rain :lol:


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## metaldog (Nov 11, 2009)

Never in gale force winds because there are a lot of trees wherever I walk and I've seen a tree come down and crush the car in front of us. So I'm a bit scared of getting crushed by a falling tree.


I also avoid walking in thunder storms in case a tree is struck by lightening.

I'm not bothered by normal wind and rain although Shannow and Pippi aren't keen on walking in it


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## bullet (Jan 25, 2009)

Bobbie wouldn't forgive me if i didn't take him out in all weathers


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## Flamingoes (Dec 8, 2012)

bullet said:


> Bobbie wouldn't forgive me if i didn't take him out in all weathers


Oi, more of you, please :yesnod:

I've been meaning to shout at you a while about this


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## Lurcherlad (Jan 5, 2013)

Tend to walk Jack, whatever the weather unless it is mega extreme.

If the weather is particularly awful, as in really bad wind and rain I will keep it short and local as we have a large playing field at the back of our house which leads to a very sheltered area.

I stick his coat on and wrap myself up against the elements and away we go!

Went to Hylands this morning and it was wet and windy, but because of that it also meant it was pretty empty which was great!


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## Apollo2012 (Jun 10, 2013)

Yes we walk in any weather, Apollo loves it.

 this was last night down the beach, the wind was strong enough that wheelie bins were blowing over, I had to stop filming because Apollo went to jump the boards to go back on the beach lol (most of the entry points to the beach are boarded in the winter)

Oh and the reason he kept looking back is because I had his ball, else he would've been running round like a loon


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## cravensmum (Jun 28, 2010)

No I don't take them out in stormy weather.

Far too dangerous where I walk with falling trees/branches.

They don't miss the odd walk and it's not often a storm lasts all day,in saying that it seems to have been stormy here for the last week on and off.


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## springerpete (Jun 24, 2010)

Yes, my lads go out for their normal walks regardless of weather, Oh how I wish that I had dogs that didn't like to go out during inclement weather, never had one yet.


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## dogkrazy (Aug 5, 2013)

They don't get a long walk if the weather is very windy as we normally walk up the forest and we don't want to have any trees falling down on us or anything. 

Instead they get a run around the field beside our house, and play fetch.

But yes, they do get exercised whatever the weather but not always for as long.


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## VickynHolly (Jun 23, 2013)

Yes. I love rain for some reason, not such a fan of strong wind though. Holly doesn't care one bit.

Best time to walk as well. Holly is off lead for most of these walks as we don't see another dog normally.


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## Blitz (Feb 12, 2009)

When I lived in England I never ever missed 4 walks a day whatever the weather but it can be much more extreme in the far north of scotland. They are out and about with me anyway but if we have not managed much exercise I would not go out in the pouring rain but I probably do more walks in the wind than anything else as that is the times I cant take ponies out so the dogs miss out on their exercise.

What sort of wind speeds are you talking about though. I would not choose to go out in over 60mph but would not consider it particularly windy in the 40s


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## Mumtomaddog (Sep 17, 2013)

We're out whatever the weather. We've had shocking weather here the last few days... i'm hoping its on its way out for a while pretty soon as Max hates all the noise!


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## rona (Aug 18, 2011)

I've never missed a walk because of the weather, have had to shorten a bit because of heat or snow.

I think walks will sometimes be missed in bad weather now that the old one is 12, he simply doesn't want to sometimes, and at his age I'm not going to force him


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## mollymo (Oct 31, 2009)

We walk in what ever the weather...on with their coats and off we go.

I walked on the moors this morning and it was chucking it down blowing a gale and I was soaked but it had to be done.
Even the wild ponies were looking at us from under the tree


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## ballybee (Aug 25, 2010)

I do but Tummel is on a longline, Dan doesn't wander too far so he can stay offlead but Tummel will potter off into the distance so I don't take the risk that he might not hear me 

If I didn't walk my dogs every time it got stormy here they'd not get walked very often


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## ClaireandDaisy (Jul 4, 2010)

yes. It`s England. We have weather....


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## Tigerneko (Jan 2, 2009)

I play it by them - if they don't want to go out then I don't force them! Neither of them like rain (and i'm not saying that as an excuse, they genuinely don't, especially Amber) and I don't like high winds. Neither of them bother about missing the odd walk!

Tomorrow morning we should be going to Formby beach, there will be at least 10 dogs


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## toffee44 (Oct 21, 2011)

So many trees down here already and flooding, dreading the a285 tomorrow as the road ditches are full. Mine have been doing just toilet mooches so to speak as not keen on going through the woods (which if I walk from home I can't avoid) the drive is full of bits of tree.

If it carries on I'm tempted to go to petworth park with them as quite sheltered and open, mine just have to stay on a lead as deer +++++


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## Owned By A Yellow Lab (May 16, 2012)

No, I don't.

Light rain is fine, but if it's raining heavily, we stay in. Wet weather is not great for Dex's HD and he is very nervous of gales and any type of heavy winds.

Snow is fine, we both love that.


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## speug (Nov 1, 2011)

heavy rain, yes, Angus doesn't mind.

Normal strong winds, yes but I'm careful where we go and fairly short walks as Angus gets silly when it's windy. 

Winds we've had recently - no - toilet in the garden only till it dies down. We had a roof blown off 3 doors down from us the other day and scary amount of debris blowing around so I don't risk it.


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## Mumtomaddog (Sep 17, 2013)

Owned By A Yellow Lab said:


> No, I don't.
> 
> Light rain is fine, but if it's raining heavily, we stay in. Wet weather is not great for Dex's HD and he is very nervous of gales and any type of heavy winds.
> 
> Snow is fine, we both love that.


Max doesnt like the noise and does get nervous but on the other hand, he wont go to the loo in the back, think thats a throw~back to him living outside.  I obviously dont go as far, just as long as he gets a bit of exercise and toilets... we cn them come home. He's a nightmare if he has to stay in  He's a real contradiction at times.


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## Jem121 (May 6, 2012)

If its windy then we'll still go out, butbif its pouring with rain we stay in, although my 3 dont actually care about getting wet I cannot stand it so we stay in. If it's a light spit of rain then that's fine. Snow is absolutely fine, the dogs love it and go absolutely bonkers in it!


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## paddyjulie (May 9, 2009)

Depends on how windy, I was supposed to be going out with my brother on Tuesday up some hills! looks like that's going to have to be put on hold , last thing I want is to have to be rescued :lol: 

The weather yesterday was crazy , we did attempt a walk but ended up coming back home as it was a little dangerous  some local roads were under 2ft of water .


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## JoeyTheCat (Jun 26, 2012)

I walk my dog in stormy weather, I just avoid trees and keep an eye out for any flying objects.


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## [email protected] (Nov 22, 2010)

Yep, we walk for miles and miles in all weathers. Mine dont seem to mind horrible weather but we do tend to keep out of the woods when its really, really windy.


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## donnas1977 (Feb 7, 2010)

No, toilet break in garden. My youngest is petrified of winds so she refuses to go out if really high


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## Jackie99 (Mar 5, 2010)

Yes as long as he is willing we go out as normal


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## Pawscrossed (Jul 2, 2013)

Well usually yes but we've got a very large tree - several smaller ones - blown down which means I can't drive out until someone comes to remove them. I hope he hurries up, Wilf is going nuts.


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