Question
Relatives of mine have had dogs for most of their lives. They have been without a canine companion for a few years now and would like another, but they are in their upper 70s with the beginnings of mobility issues.
They have always taken their dogs for walks at least twice daily, but are concerned that this might become increasingly difficult over the next several years. They also have a large, fenced yard with plenty of room for a dog to run. Of course, a fenced yard does not provide the dog with the chance to "get the news of the neighborhood", so to speak. (At least I've been told that this is basically what they're doing when they sniff at things when out on walks.)
They prefer medium-to-large dogs -- golden retrievers, collies, and similarly-sized dogs. (Their dogs are rescues, not purebreds, so treat this as an approximation.) Their dogs live inside the house and get plenty of "people time"; they aren't kept in a yard or barn full-time. If they got a dog they would get one, not two, and would adopt an adult, not a puppy.
How important are walks to a dog's physical and mental well-being? Can a large yard meet a dog's needs?
Answer
Optimally every dog would get a couple of hours of walk time every day. Also optimally there would not be any dogs in the shelter.
As long as the yard is large enough for the dog to get up to speed and run in circles it should have the opportunity to get all the exercise it wants. For a dog with a big yard, walks are more about social time than exercise.
In the situation you describe, the dog is going to get lots of social time, as your family is going to be spending all their time with the dog.
Many shelters have seniors for seniors programs, where older pets are specifically looking for the calmer setting of a retired persons life. Ultimately it comes down to finding the pet that is looking for the home you have. A Dalmatian puppy would probably not be a good fit, for your relatives home, but an older, big, lazy dog would fit perfectly.
Answered By - James Jenkins