Dog alternative

January 2, 2025 3:46 AM

What kind of dog walk replacement should I recommend to my Dad?

Dad used to walk our (now deceased) family dog at least once, often twice every day. Dad is 70 and Mum not far behind, and they've decided they don't want another dog.

But Dad would really benefit from the exercise. What kind of hacks and apps would you recommend? Pokemon go I think would be a non-starter but some kind of gamification would be good. Is there a digital pet app that doesn't have intrusive in game purchases?

Pretty sure he's got an iPhone, but definitely not current gen.

posted by freethefeet to Health & Fitness (19 answers total)

Does Borrow my Doggy have an equivalent in your location? I know people who have had success with this approach.
posted by Erinaceus europaeus at 3:50 AM on January 2 [3 favorites]

His local animal shelter would likely appreciate having more volunteers to walk/exercise and play with the animals in their care.
posted by NotMyselfRightNow at 4:35 AM on January 2 [15 favorites]

He may wind up "foster failing," but your father could volunteer at a no-kill shelter or a dog adoption kennel. Somebody has to walk the high-energy hounds.
posted by TrishaU at 4:36 AM on January 2 [2 favorites]

Not to abuse the edit window, but I was thinking of a coworker who volunteered with retired greyhounds.
posted by TrishaU at 4:38 AM on January 2

During lockdown, I would encourage myself to get up early and take a 30-40 minute walk to listen to podcasts, if that’s something he enjoys. The exercise mode on an Apple Watch or the like might help, if he’s motivated by statistics or mechanical prodding.
posted by GenjiandProust at 4:42 AM on January 2 [2 favorites]

Maybe geocaching but I imagine that’s not so good for small, regular walks - I think once you’d got all the ones closest to you, you’d need to keep going further and further afield to find new ones, but maybe there’s a way of doing it that works with frequency, where you get the same ones every week? Not sure.

Is there some kind of community group that would benefit from something regular being done eg. filling bird feeders in a nearby park, opening and closing park gates at the start and end of the day, monitoring the upkeep of footpaths etc?
posted by penguin pie at 5:04 AM on January 2 [1 favorite]

I wouldn't recommend a replacement dog of any type, as the problem may be that he is no longer safe to walk a dog that might pull, or trip him.

Bird watching.
Tending the little free library.
Weather watching
Daily check in on shut-ins (Yes, you can call, but people need to SEE other people, and agoraphobes benefit from opening the front door, if they are not already so far gone they dread doing that.)
Feeding the ducks (NOT bread)
Seasonal nature treasure hunts, suitable to his area, and keeping a nature journal.
Caring for feral cats (Won't let him near enough to trip him.)
Toddler watching - I know several seniors who delighted in seeing the daily parade of toddlers taking their daily walk from the day care. My Dad was one.
Getting his steps in outside, with whatev step counting app he cares to use.
Neighbourhood busybody
Walking with a neighbour while they walk their own dog
Walking with any other walking buddy or buddies
Going down to the coffee shop to people watch or read his newspaper or meet his buds, or read his library book.
Tai Chi in the park
posted by Jane the Brown at 5:34 AM on January 2 [11 favorites]

Walk with him on weekends, so as to learn what his neighbourhood offers.
posted by Jane the Brown at 5:34 AM on January 2 [2 favorites]

Best answer: The question seems to be about exercise motivation after the loss of a dog, not merely keeping busy for seniors. In the absence of other health information, 70 year olds should not be automatically assumed to be unsafe to walk dogs.
That said, the best way to motivate a walk without a dog making you do it is to have a destination treat like a latte. If that isn't possible where your parents live, the second best way is to get audiobooks you only listen to on walks. When you want to hear the next chapter you have to go out for a walk.
posted by ponie at 6:24 AM on January 2 [15 favorites]

In my neighborhood there’s a group of men who call themselves the heart attack club (guess how you get in?) who walk every day twice a day. Maybe your dad could start a walking group.
posted by warriorqueen at 6:29 AM on January 2 [4 favorites]

the health app on his iphone should count steps, if he is someone who might find this motivating? my dad similarly struggles with motivation to walk when not dog-sitting for me (i call and encourage him to get out, but ultimately dad is going to do what dad wants to do). however, his apple health app seems to help motivate him.
posted by tamarack at 6:46 AM on January 2 [2 favorites]

I enjoy step counters. It’s motivating to have a goal of x steps per day, so much so that I’d find myself going out of my way to stick to my number: a few quick blocks after dinner, parking at the opposite end of the shopping center, loops around the big box hardware store in winter.

Also, does he like golf?
posted by mochapickle at 7:04 AM on January 2 [1 favorite]

Maybe your dad could start a walking group.

My parents (70s and 80s) do this with some folks from their church who live in their neighborhood. Gets them out and walking several times a week, and the socialization is good for them too.

What about birding? Maybe getting some binoculars and a bird app would be something to keep it interesting?
posted by misskaz at 7:40 AM on January 2 [1 favorite]

There are walking challenges that give physical medals, like "walk the length of the Chinese wall" or "walk the long way to Tipperary" and so forth. The medals are kinda cute and fun to show off.
posted by Iteki at 10:33 AM on January 2

If he signs up with Rover, he could make a bit of extra money walking other people’s dogs.
posted by wheatlets at 12:20 PM on January 2

I'm 78, and I walk 1/2 hour every day, weather permitting. No dog. Mostly, I walk roads near my house, but sometimes I walk in one or another park. A human companion may be easiest to arrange for your Dad. Or, perhaps he could get intrigued counting steps, as I have done sometimes in the past. I also have a GPS tracking app on my phone.

Since I carry a phone, I've taken a few pictures to chronicle the seasons. He could take a picture every day and post it on FB or BlueSky. That would encourage him to take greater notice in his surroundings. (I just thought of this, and I may give it a try. I could start with the crumpled Volvo I walk past.)
posted by SemiSalt at 5:33 AM on January 3 [2 favorites]

Cat and cat stroller?
posted by poppunkcat at 9:44 AM on January 3

I liked an app called The Walk. It is an audio story with you as the protagonist in a dystopian adventure that unfolds as you walk. It tells you how much more you have to walk to get the next part of the story.
posted by obol at 12:17 PM on January 3 [1 favorite]

I'm in a walking club that trains for the Senior Games.
posted by The corpse in the library at 2:15 PM on January 3