# How long do you walk your chi for?



## gBOYsc2

Hello. I am wondering how long do you all walk your chi's for? I am also wondering how much is too much? I take my little guy for a 30-45 minute walk almost every day but sometimes I miss a day. I like to go for walks in nature reserves, parks and the river valley trails but I haven't brought my little guy with me. I would really love to get him out into nature with me so he can enjoy it with me. Plus I love to have him with me everywhere.

Is 2 hours too much for a chi? Would he let me know how much is too much? I am scared to over exert him and make him ill.

Also is it possible to help him build up endurance?

Also I was wondering if anyone has any tips for walking in the winter. It get extremely cold here in our northern Canadian winters. Any ideas on how to get him exercise once the winter comes around?


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## Tyson's Mum

Tyson will happily walk for 2 hours through woods and fields no problem, in fact he is happy to keep going it is us that have had enough!! Can't really help with the cold winters when it is wet or snowy here Tyson refuses to move outside the door LOL


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## gBOYsc2

Oh that's great news! I can't wait to take him for a walk in the river valley trails with me.


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## SharaAngel<3

you can get a little doggy stroller if you wanted, just in case you think he might have enough or something, also its nice for the winter so u dont have to leave him behind, and u can carry water and a bowl in it for him!


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## gBOYsc2

Usually where I like to go for my long walks/hikes are unpaved trails so I don't think the puppy stroller would work very well, plus it would hurt my masculinity. LOL


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## jazzman

My dogs will walk 'till they drop.

Yes, you can build their endurance - just that same as you'd build yours.
Just push a little farther every few days, and be sure they have recovery time between walks.

I don't push them on daily walks on the sidewalk, but when we're at the park ( all grass) they are like little energizer bunnies.


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## omguthrie

My girl will go as long as I do. She happily keeps up with 3 border collies with no hesitation. 6 mile, off leash hikes in the woods are no problem for her. 

It doesn't get terribly cold here but it does get into the 20s and 30s. I still take mine out to play in pretty low temps but I keep an eye on them and if I start to feel too cold we all go in. The biggest problem is the salt on the sidewalks and such getting on their pads and burning them. I don't walk mine on salted areas in the winter.


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## guccigrande

Gucci and Prada will walk for 1 hour without any complaints, but after that the majority of the time they start getting cranky and they just sit and don't move LOL
Its quite funny because they try to crawl into my handbag and be carried around instead


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## Brodysmom

It depends on the dog, but Brody could go and go and go and still be ready for more. We go on 3-4 walks a day, 30-45 minutes and he is fine with it. He could definitely go longer. He has gone on 3-4 mile hikes before and never missed a step.


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## catz4m8z

I got abit lost with my lot a couple of weeks ago and our 4 mile walk turned into a 10 mile hike!! Heidi and Hannah were fine with it (and would happily have kept going!!) although Adam had def had enough by the end and only wanted to mooch along behind me.
TBH I was completely shattered! I know I would conk out before the dogs did!!


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## gBOYsc2

THis is all great news lol. I was so afraid that he could suffer severe fatigue from a couple hours walk. Sounds like that is just fine with them though. I can't wait!


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## widogmom

Here in Wisconsin, footing is more of an issue than temperature most of the time. I didn't get my boy until early March, but this year we didn't get good footing until April. If you know any runners, I'd find out if there's a recreation trail they use that has good footing in the winter (most of ours are not maintained, and anything that's not paved or urban is a snowmobile trail in winter). The great thing about little guys is that you can play games inside to exercise them. Even our 40 lb. American Water Spaniel does some retrieving indoors in the winter.


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## Rocky

Rocky will happily walk 2 hours and we even went out for longer on some occasions. The only time he wont go outside is when it is raining. He simply hates it and I will literally have to drag him out of the door. He doesnt seem to mind snow though, as long as we keep moving!


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## Electrocutionist

Fudge could go on forever! We went on a 7 mile walk a few weeks ago, and when we came back home he still had energy to play with my dads golden retriever 

Edit: That being said, I don't do those walks too often. Normally we will go for 2 shorter walks and 2 "longer" (30-45 minutes) per day.


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## musser1972

I haven't been able to out walk Peetee yet. He comes with me mushroom hunting, fishing, or anything I'm doing outdoors and LOVES it! He will roll in poop if he finds it along the way, to cover his scent or for whatever reason he does it. That is always a fun ride home. 

He loves to stalk and run through the woods. Rabbits and squirrels Beware!!! He has never tired out on me. As long as you have a water source of some kind for them to drink when they need to, I think you are good to go. You will wear out before they do in my experience.


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## Lisajazzi

We like hiking too and have recently gone up a mountain twice with Pixel - she was on the lead but was still trying to pull forward on the way down and played with her toys all night at home too.

Usual walk is about an hour but we have been 3 - 4 hours before and she's absolutely fine with it.


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## bean

I know about the winters because I just live south of you. I just have little tennis balls that I throw down the hall for them to chase because I would not take mine out when it was minus 30 with a windchill of minus 45 and 4 feet of snow nor would they go out LOL.

We also have a over the shoulder bag if they by chance get tired on a walk since I have 2 larger dogs but its never been used.


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## Shamelle

I have two Kyjen outwardhound backpack carriers that we use for our girls. They just love them and my hubby loves them to because they are very 'manly' .
Our local pet store ordered one of them in for us and the other I ordered directly from the Kyjen website.


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## coccomummy

cocco is only 10-11 weeks and he will walk for about a hour around the park running around


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## mooberry

My god! These puppies are amazing. When Lincoln was a puppy (he's a golden retriever) he were told short small walks ten min per month of age daily max until 1 year old...I'm assuming this does not apply to chi's?


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## Ren

I make sure Ren gets out for at least a 45mins power walk every day. She gets into her zone and just trucks along.
As for the winters, I know what you mean by cold as i'm in Saskatchewan (BRRRR). When it is 'nicer' out (like only down to minus 10 or so), we will put on her boots and sweater and take her for short walks. But any colder then that and we keep her in the house, as we don't want her to freeze. But she runs back inside when it is too cold for her anyways


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## RosieC

I tend to do varying lengths of walks with Alfie. On weekdays, with work/school etc. meaning our time is shorter, he tends to get a brisk 20 minute walk plus some energetic games of 'fetch' with his ball in the house/garden. At the weekends he gets a longer walk with time off the lead to run around. We have a lovely walk that we take him on along bridleways to a near-bye village - it's about a 3 mile walk to get there, we stop at the dog-friendly village pub for a drink (and Alfie flirts with the barmaids) and then we walk back again. He manages this with no issues at all.


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## Gilly

Reading these replies as to how much exercise your chis can take is fantastic  Quite a few people (usually with bigger dogs!) will tell me that a chihuahua can't walk more than a mile or two before needing to be carried  I have always argued that surely if your dog is fit and healthy and it's not an absolute scorcher of a day (which I wouldn't be out in anyway as I cannot handle hot weather!!!) then a walk of a few miles won't hurt them. Neil and I have friends who live in the Lake District and I've often thought how much better a walk would be with a dog as a companion - especially when Neil is helping our friend do building work on his house. I don't hike for miles and miles (not fit enough!!!) but a walk of between 3-5 miles and taking my time so I can stop and admire the scenery, take photos, do some birdwatching etc is my idea of a good walk.  

I plan to get a chi or two once we move house later this year/early 2012 and now that I KNOW they are not bothered by walks I cannot wait :hello1:


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## tulula's mum

tulula will go for miles with no probs, teddy is the same, his first walk was well over an hour, they still had the energy to chase each other round the garden when they got back. harry run for miles.


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## Tyson

Tyson will walk for miles at a time. Last year he climbed a 4200' mountain in a few hours. He's jacked.


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## Babi.Greenwood

gBOYsc2 said:


> Usually where I like to go for my long walks/hikes are unpaved trails so I don't think the puppy stroller would work very well, plus it would hurt my masculinity. LOL


I think this is the same reason my husband bought a blue leash and collar for our girl puppy instead of using the pink set I bought for her hehe.


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## Hopie'sMummy

Hopie's got a bum leg and the vet told me she'd never be able to do more than a half hour. I did a vitamin-rich diet for her and now she does about 40 minutes everyday with a longer walk (up to over an hour!) on the weekend. She hobbles a bit when she gets tired and sleeps a lot that afternoon but her tail keeps wagging and she loves being outside! I think little guys let you know when they're "done" for the day.


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