 Several years ago my brother-in-law Thomas embarked on a 3-month hiking adventure in Europe that almost permanently injured his black Labrador companion named Anko.
Thegoal of his trans-European trek was to reach the mission church of Santiago de Compostela in Spain from his home in the medieval southern German town of Freiburg, a distance of about 1,000 miles.
And, he thought, what a fantastic opportunity for hours and hours of daily, fresh outdoor exercise for Anko.
Anko was only 6 years old at the time, weighed about 60 pounds, and was in good physical condition.
It didn’t take long for Thomas to realize, however, that such an ambitious goal would never be realized in the time-frame he had envisioned. In fact, after about 4 hours of brisk walking with Anko that first day, he was afraid that he might not be able to even continue his journey at all.
The problem was not with Thomas’ stamina but with Anko’s.
Instead of hoping to cover 20 miles that first day, the two had to stop for the day after only about 10 miles - Anko simply could not walk any further and was completely exhausted.
On the second and third day of similar experiences with Anko, Thomas sensibly scaled back his plans to be back in Freiburg in August or September instead of mid-June.Thus, the pace of this journey would be determined by Anko, not by himself.
It seems surprising to many, myself included, that dogs do not have an infinite source of energy and stamina. After all, 4 legs would seem to be twice as efficient as 2.
But that is not the case as Dr. Michael Fox pointed out in his article dated September 15, 2006, in the Fairfax County (Virginia) Extra:
“. . . I . . .have seen joggers with their leashed dogs trying to keep up with them, but clearly the dogs are not enjoying the exercise. ;; The misguided belief that all dogs like to run nonstop for miles needs to be dispelled.Some do, but his is not normal dog behavior, and most dogs do it out of obedience and devotion. . . . “
So, please, joggers and walkers, continue to enjoy your favorite outdoor activities with your favorite companion by your side. ;; But also keep in mind that too much of good thing might, in fact, end up seriously hurting your trusted friend just as Thomas discovered.
This article was part of the news letter published by http://www.petwatchclub.com where pet owners meet!
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