Found out my dog walks 3x more miles than me every week

I track our walks with a cheap pedometer app on my phone. Last Sunday I actually checked the stats for the month. Turns out my 70 pound lab runs back and forth sniffing everything and adds like 15 extra miles to what I walk in a straight line. I found this article from some vet site that said dogs cover 3 to 5 times the distance their owners do on leash walks. Made me feel less lazy knowing she's getting way more exercise than I am. Anyone else notice this with their dog?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_viola9d ago

Is that why my dog sleeps for 12 hours after a 20 minute walk?

wesley_adams12d ago

Totally feel you on this. My beagle mix does the same thing, he's constantly zigzagging and doubling back to sniff every single bush and fire hydrant. I checked my step count one day and felt pretty good about myself until I realized he was probably running at least double my distance while I was just plodding along. It's funny how they turn a simple walk into a full on adventure for themselves. Makes me feel less guilty about not hitting my own step goal when I know the dog is getting a serious workout.

elizabeths5112d ago

@wesley_adams you're basically just a leash holder for your dog's own personal boot camp. My labradoodle does the same thing and I'm pretty sure she's training for a triathlon while I'm just hoping to not trip over a curb. Guess who's really the one getting the workout here?