Risks vs Reward Decisions For Our Dogs

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Some people are daredevils. They rock climb, race motorcycles, practice highlining, or parachute from planes (imagine leaving a fully-functioning aircraft mid-flight just for fun!).
And some people are risk averse. They drive the speed limit, always wear a helmet when told they should, and wouldn’t think of climbing onto their roofs to make a small repair themselves.

I suspect most people are somewhere in the middle. We don’t always follow the speed limit. We might try something like rock climbing in the comparative safety of a gym with a qualified person holding onto the other end of the rope that prevents us from falling to the ground. We might like some things that provide thrills without much actual danger - like roller coasters. But we draw the line at things that could result in serious injuries.

There’s nothing inherently “right” or “wrong” about any of those positions. People willing to take more risks will undoubtedly get hurt more often than people who never leave the safety of their couches. But they’ll also experience more things than that couch potato will. There are trade-offs for making these decisions.

So what in the world does this have to do with dogs?

Well, people who have dogs are making similar decisions for their dogs all the time. And I think we should examine our decisions and biases from time to time.

There are people who take their dogs on adventures. These dogs play in the ocean, go on long hikes (even off leash and over a wide variety of terrain from snow and ice to desert sands to rocky climbs). Some do dog sports which require a lot of effort and put force on joints, bones, and muscles. They go to dog parks and wrestle with their friends in what could appear to be a fight to the death to inexperienced observers. These dogs, assuming they are enjoying these activities, are destined (as a group) to end up with more cuts and scrapes and may even require more assistance from veterinarians compared to dogs who don’t get to do these things.

Then there are people who keep their dogs in the house, away from other dogs their entire lives. These dogs don’t go to dog parks, off-leash hikes where they might encounter other dogs, nor beaches where other dogs frolic. They don’t do agility because those jumps could result in an injury. They may not have an opportunity to play with other dogs - getting nothing more than a short sniff during an on-leash meeting on a walk around the block. These dogs are safer. They are undoubtedly (as a group) going to require fewer stitches, have fewer soft-tissue injuries, require less pain medicine over the course of their lives.

But at what cost?

These dogs aren’t going to experience the excitement of running at full speed to chase a lure over short hurdles while racing against other competitors. They will be left home alone while their owners go out on their own adventures. They won’t get to play with others of their own species and their social skills will likely decline from the lack of practice.

Of course, you’ll have to decide what’s right for your own dog. Your pup may have legitimate health issues to consider before striking out. Maybe your dog isn’t the right dog for a dog park (not all dogs are). But I challenge you to think about the last time your dog had an opportunity to do something that pushed their bodies a bit, gave their noses and minds something new to discover, and made them truly truly happy instead of merely content. I would argue that it’s our job as pet owners to provide those enrichment opportunities for healthy dogs.

Yes, your dog might be a bit sore from running too much one day. She might limp for a few minutes after twisting her ankle a little bit. He might need your help getting up a particularly tough part of the hill you’re climbing together.

I don’t want my dogs to get injured. But I’m willing to risk minor issues like those over a life of safety on the couch.