My Dilema - Advice Please..

[DianeW]

I Have Been Reading The Threads On Strollers And Am Really Undecided On My Opinions On Them.

Part Of Me Thinks A Dog Should Walk - Wherever It Needs To Go.
And Then Another Part Of Me Thinks The Strollers Are A Great Idea, As Long As The Dog Gets Its Exercise As Well.

I Think A Lot Of It Is Because I Live In England - And I Can Honestly Say I Have Never Seen Anyone With A Stroller (in Fact I Had Never Even Heard Of Them Until I Saw Them On Yt).

I Think I Would Feel A Bit Embarassed Using One - (because It Is So Unusual Over Here). I Dont Think I Would Have The Guts To Stand Up To The Comments/remarks. That I Am Sure We Would Get.

I Think They Do Have Their Uses, And To The People Who Use Them I Respect Your Decisions.

I Would Love To Hear Other Peoples Views On This Subject.

[Hokule'a]

I bought a stroller for 3 reasons: 1 - When I go for a powerwalk I go a lot further than my 2 can go (one has a serious heart murmur and the other is too small - so I let them walk till they're tired and then throw them in the stroller so I can keep exercising) 2 - When we are at a fair or other crowded area I would rather they have somewhere safe to be in rather than getting stepped on and 3 - When we go to pet stores and/or the vet I don't want them on the dirty floors.

Those are my reasons

[Yorkieluv]

We only use the stroller to take our furbabies to places where they're not allowed to walk around, like the mall, stores, and places like that They get their regular walks...I don't think strollers are intended to replace their daily excercise...Only to take them places that don't normally allow dogs to be walking around. We use a stoller when we take them out because it's hard to carry both of them in a carrier when we're trying to shop. Does that make sense? Good luck in making your decision...I don't know how pet friendly England is. I know many European countries are very pet friendly and people are allowed to take their dogs on leash just about anywhere. Maybe you wouldn't need a stroller if that's the case.

Hokule'a, great post!

[YorkieRose]

I think medium and large breeds should be walked and exercised as much as possible...toy dogs get a good workout running aound the dining room table and through the house...It is like the Kentucky Derby at my house sometimes..they chase each other around and around.
I like a stroller when they go out because of other dogs that come up to us and people who feel they can pick up my dogs as they please...I have gone many places and people had no clue dogs were even in the stroller...

I realize UK people think people in the US can go overboard in the pet department..but I do not care what people think about me...and I guess it has rubbed off on my kids. My daughter took her Yorkie to Disney World and rented a stroller..that was about 6 yrs ago before dog strollers were even popular..she got away with it for several hours then she was asked to take Katherine out of the baby stroller...I can see their point, not everyone wants their child in a stroller after a dog has sat in it...!

[Peters]

smaller dogs get tired and hot easier i would rather have people point and look at me than risk my dog getting heat stroke or exhaustion also i like things that are different nobody else having one would be a huge bonus to me personally! who cares what others think!!!!!

[DianeW]

Thanks For The Advice - I Can Understand All Of Your Very Good Reasons For Having A Stroller. I Really Like The Idea Of Having One, But After Listening To Your Reasons, None Of Which Apply To Me That Much. I Dont Think I Would Use One Much If I Did Get One.

I Wish I Wasnt So Bothered By What People Think - But I Am, And It Would Hurt Me If People Laughed At Us - Especially My Baby.

I Understand Now Though, About Why They Are Used More Widely In Other Countries.

Who Knows One Day I May Be Brave And Just Go And Get One.......

[MsCheryle478]

We were all meant to walk which I think is good for us. I have a disabled daughter and could even get a handicap plac for the car. Do I? Absolutely not. She is able to walk, yes she tires more easily than someone else her age, but exercise is good. Today, you would hardly know she is disabled. I used a stroller when the kids were little, after that it was time to walk. Of course we couldn't walk as far because they were little, but we still walked. LOL. Walking is good for everyone including furbabies!!!

[tpaxton23]

I Wish I Wasnt So Bothered By What People Think - But I Am, And It Would Hurt Me If People Laughed At Us - Especially My Baby.

I kind of want one too, but I am already called the dog lady in my neighborhood because I walk my 4 dogs 3 times a day. I think I could be called worse things so that doesn't really bother me but I think people (including my grown kids and husband) would think I was having a mid-life crisis if I got a dog stroller. I've never seen anyone in person using one here. I think it would be great at the mall.