I have to admit I’m pretty amazed by the number of people who think that chihuahuas or any other toy dog doesn’t need to be walked.

Sure, they can get enough exercise in a yard or your house — in a pinch. And that is definitely part of what’s great about them. But they can walk, and they should. Running around the yard is not the same thing as going for a walk. Dogs were meant to track and bring down prey, and that means more than a few laps around the yard. They’re not like cats, who are built for short bursts of (incredible) speed.

I was pretty aghast when someone asked on a chihuahua forum how long people walk their chis, and quite a few replied they don’t. Either they thought they didn’t need it, or they were afraid to.

Those that did walk their chis often didn’t do it for more than 20 minutes at a time. I walk Chester for an hour, sometimes more, in the morning. Lately it’s been a bit shorter (some days) because of the heat. He loves his walks. Usually we spend some time training and playing fetch in the yard before we walk.

I’ll admit I was one of those who thought 20 minutes twice a day would be plenty of exercise for him. I keep hearing of couch potato chis, and he can take some pretty good naps sometimes — but only if he’s tired out first.

Don’t even get me started on how much they need mental exercise, too.

Technorati Tags: chihuahuas, toy dog, chis, walk their chis, mental exercise

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