For anyone whose Dog(s) sleeps in the back Garden...

Niamho!

Quick easy question really,

How old was the dog when you started to put it outside to sleep in it's kennel, or whatever it sleeps in?

oh one other question aswell, anyone have a valuable dog that sleeps in the back garden? would it be an issue for you if the dog was valuable, whether or not you put it in the back garden at night?

sorella

We would never put a dog outside to sleep - period.

And all our dogs are precious.

Munster Gal

My dog (chocolate lab.) has always slept outside. We have a very large garden which is fully fenced in so she can't get out.When she was a puppy she slept in a kennel in the shed. When she was about a year old we bought a 6x8 shed especially for her and had it specially insulated. We fenced in a run (5 metres x 8 metres) all around it. She roams free in the garden all day and in the summer nights can go out into her little run.
If you only see the value of your dog in monetary terms you shouldn't have it in the first place. To a loving owner a mutt from the pound is just as valuable as a pedigree pup costing thousands of euro. The size and breed of dog is what will determine where it can sleep.

Niamho!

Look, I'm looking for honest answers, not smart answers coz i can imagine alot of them will come up...

Of course i love the dog!!
I'm trying to decide for myself whether or not to continue letting a dog sleep indoors or whether to put it outside at night, i'm only asking a question to find out about other peoples experiences.
I know some people find it cruel, or wrong or whatever else and some people have no problem with it.... I'm only asking a fair question.

Harris

I think if you have had the dog sleeping indoors up to now, it would not be fair to suddenly chuck it outside.

Dogs genuinely sleep all night long indoors and rarely get up to any nonsense.

I think it could cause stress to the dog if suddenly he/she has its sleeping arrangements changed.

looserock

Niamho! wrote: »

Quick easy question really,

How old was the dog when you started to put it outside to sleep in it's kennel, or whatever it sleeps in?

oh one other question aswell, anyone have a valuable dog that sleeps in the back garden? would it be an issue for you if the dog was valuable, whether or not you put it in the back garden at night?

Most pups from a proper breeder will have been reared outside from the beginning.
Probably in a insulated and heated kennel, most likely heat lamps.

If you can offer that level of accommodation you can put a pup outside from 8 weeks.

As for valuable dogs I have dogs outside whose value would not be believed by most people and they are very happy out there.

jozi

Our dog's nearly 11 and all that time he's slept inside.

I don't understand why people leave their dogs out for the night just for it to sleep, maybe it's to do with where i'm from but i just don't get it. Dog sleeps in just like I do.

anniehoo

Sorella you didnt answer the OPs questions at all. And yes, of course all our dogs are valuable, but i think the OPs point is a pedigree dog has a far higher chance of being stolen from a garden than say a mongrel.

Many dogs are perfectly suited for sleeping outdoors. It all depends on their coat length, type of kennel insulation and weather conditions. A very young pup (<3mths) could alternate between a bed in the house and a kennel outdoors during the day and gradually increase the length of time outdoors as time goes on. Make sure you have a secure well insulated kennel with enough room for the dog to turn around but not too much so it doesnt heat up. It all depends on how consistent you are. A dog used to being let in the house everytime he barks or whines will cop on pretty quickly that thats all he has to do to get in the house! If you have bought a "valuable" dog then garden security is paramount.

Whispered

My dog sleeps indoors, and always will. People see their pets in diferent ways, to me he's part of the family so he sleeps inside like a part of the family. Other people also consider their dog a part of te family but are perfectly happy to allow them sleep outside. Each to their own I suppose, so long as the dog gets plenty of interaction during the day and has sufficient shelter.

My dads dogs are outside from the day he gets them. They usually come from outdoor homes too. But they live outside all the time so I think there is a difference TBH. If your dog is indoors all day anyway, I wouldn't bother putting him out to sleep at night, he probably woudn't settle very well.

dolly13

looserock wrote: »

Most pups from a proper breeder will have been reared outside from the beginning.
Probably in a insulated and heated kennel, most likely heat lamps.

If you can offer that level of accommodation you can put a pup outside from 8 weeks.

As for valuable dogs I have dogs outside whose value would not be believed by most people and they are very happy out there.

Proper Breeder - the above would refer to a puppy farmer and not a responsible breeder!

sorella

Well, yes I did actually.

In the only way there was.

Timing of putting the dog out? Never.

Is 'value'an option? See my answer to that.

I knew what she was getting at; she has a valuable dog and wants now to sleep it outside. And seeks approval for that.

Which others will not give her.

And neither will I:)

anniehoo wrote: »

Sorella you didnt answer the OPs questions at all. And yes, of course all our dogs are valuable, but i think the OPs point is a pedigree dog has a far higher chance of being stolen from a garden than say a mongrel.

Many dogs are perfectly suited for sleeping outdoors. It all depends on their coat length, type of kennel insulation and weather conditions. A very young pup (<3mths) could alternate between a bed in the house and a kennel outdoors during the day and gradually increase the length of time outdoors as time goes on. Make sure you have a secure well insulated kennel with enough room for the dog to turn around but not too much so it doesnt heat up. It all depends on how consistent you are. A dog used to being let in the house everytime he barks or whines will cop on pretty quickly that thats all he has to do to get in the house! If you have bought a "valuable" dog then garden security is paramount.

Munster Gal

To be fair the OP could have phrased the question a little better. I have met so many people who introduce their dog and then boastfully tell you how much it cost.
Regardless of the dog being valuable/pedigree or not you have to have a secure garden. Dogs are stolen for all sorts of reasons, particularly small ones - I personally know of a Shih Tzu being snatched from her front garden during the day while the owner was inside. We had a near miss with our dog, someone tried to steal her but she got away. We have since put a better lock on the side gate, installed new security lights and put a lock on her enclosure. She still sleeps outside because she is happiest in her own cabin. We brought her in while we were having the security updated and she was unhappy and uneasy the whole time.

sorella

Amen to this; very well said.

jozi wrote: »

Our dog's nearly 11 and all that time he's slept inside.

I don't understand why people leave their dogs out for the night just for it to sleep, maybe it's to do with where i'm from but i just don't get it. Dog sleeps in just like I do.

Vegeta

sorella wrote: »

And neither will I:)

Why?

Munster Gal

dolly13 wrote: »

Proper Breeder - the above would refer to a puppy farmer and not a responsible breeder!

That's a very unfair generalisation!

lightening

Jaysus... Lots of snootyness here!!

Hi OP, my dog is a pretty good security dog, so he sleeps outside, we started in the middle of summer and left the back door open with a comfortable bed in the kennel and no bedding inside. Eventually he chose the comfy bedding of the kennel. My sheepdog was alive then, so he had company.

He has short hair, so when its very cold in winter we let him sleep inside, but the cold doesn't seem to bother him. He gets a bit restless inside, but every dog is different.

He would be difficult to rob, he is dreadful in the car and a little wary of strangers.

Lauragoesmad

I would be wary of leaving any dog outside all at night these days. Not because I think its cruel, although I do think its a tad pointless having a dog if its going to be out the back most of the time but I have heard of pedigrees and mongrels being stolen for ransoms!:eek:Just make sure you're back garden is very secure, not only to the dog but for dodgy people!

SheenaD

ok you sound a little bit to attached to this dog for my liking.. or you perhaps looking for a friendship with the dog ?
I think animals any animal needs to be able to run free and never be caged up but at the end of the day its your dog and its up to you how you want it to live.

good luck.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

sorella wrote: »

I knew what she was getting at; she has a valuable dog and wants now to sleep it outside. And seeks approval for that.

Which others will not give her.

And neither will I:)

A bit presumptuous and disingenuous of you. I see no plea for your, or anybodys approval and who are any of us to do so or not?

My dog has always been outside (a Rough Collie) and is a dearly loved part of the family. During the very cold spell in January she was in a few nights but it's a chore to get her inside as she prefers to be out. The garden is secure, her large run in padlocked and has 8ft high railings so she is safe. She was outside from a pup and is an outside dog. The debate depends on the breed of dog, I feel, and on it's age when being intoduced to sleeping outside. But please spare me the sanctimonious blurb about dogs needing to be indoors, or are not real family memers if put outside etc.

I think anniehoo summed it all up perfectly.

looserock

dolly13 wrote: »

Proper Breeder - the above would refer to a puppy farmer and not a responsible breeder!

I'm referring to breeders of champions including two breeders of world champion which I have visited.

Most serious breeders are likely to have a lot of dogs, they cant all sleep inside.

Killme00

My two sleep outside. During the recent spell of heavy snow, i tried to take them in but there wouldnt settle and wanted to go out so i let them back out. I checked on them regularly and they were either cosily tucked up asleep in their kennel. I actually slept on the couch for those few nights because i was worried about them, i am 100% they slept better than me.

Busta Hyman

sorella wrote: »

We would never put a dog outside to sleep - period.

And all our dogs are precious.

ive got to say i feel your pretty much always quick to get up on your high horse and get snooty.

Niamho! wrote: »

Quick easy question really,

How old was the dog when you started to put it outside to sleep in it's kennel, or whatever it sleeps in?

oh one other question aswell, anyone have a valuable dog that sleeps in the back garden? would it be an issue for you if the dog was valuable, whether or not you put it in the back garden at night?

dogs are mostly well equiped to sleep outdoors given the right bed. but in saying that our king charles is out most days running around the back garden or asleep on the radiator. at night she sleeps on my chair. its really a matter of do you feel safe leaving your dog out at night. you have neglected to mention what type of dog. a small rare breed probably not right for keeping outdoors purely from a security standpoint.

mikom

[quote=sorella]
We would never put a dog outside to sleep - period.

And all our dogs are precious.[/quote]

Busta Hyman wrote: »

ive got to say i feel your pretty much always quick to get up on your high horse and get snooty.

Maybe the horse is too precious to get up on. :rolleyes:

Busta Hyman

mikom wrote: »

Maybe the horse is too precious to get up on. :rolleyes:

lolz

Niamho!

She's an Alaskan Malamute. She's far more equipped to deal with the outdoors than most dogs. but before anyone jumps to conclusions - i'm not trying to justify the fact that she should be outdoors.

As previously stated, i'm still debating the issue. sleeping out the back is something that may or may not happen. There are pro's and Con's at the moment to both.

SheenaD

its not a child you are dealing with though an animal has the right to get out.... its cruel actually its beyond cruel.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

I'd have no qualms whatsoever about an Alaskan Malamute sleeping outside. I think the dog would actually be healthier for it but certainly weigh up the options for yourself.

Alun

Vada Sparse Simulation wrote: »

I'd have no qualms whatsoever about an Alaskan Malamute sleeping outside. I think the dog would actually be healthier for it but certainly weigh up the options for yourself.

I agree. Even the coldest weather we get here would be like a balmy summers day for a dog like that. Alaskan husky sled dogs, some of which have no thicker coats than a lot of domestic mutts, sleep outside in -20 degrees or colder with no bother at all.

Maddogg

I have a springer/collie mix.

since i have got her she has slept in the kitchen, at first i used to closed the door in the kitchen in case she had a n accident (which she never has) but now if i leave the doors open she will just sleep in the kitchen.

but if i am out late and she has been outside and i come home she is so comfortable in her kennel that she will just look at me as if to say "leave me alone"

so basically its up to her but more times then not she sleeps in the kitchen and is a brillaint guard dogs as she has proven twice already........;)

Rob_l

Niamh, your dog is fine for staying outside in a good a kennel all my own pure breed dogs and mixed breeds have stayed outside with the exception of halloween and from a health point of view of the dog it will be fine, about the safety of the dog as a young pup it is an easy target(when it gets older it wont be so easy to rob its not a small dog) for theft you could perhaps venture to the local garda station and ask them are there many dog thefts in the area thats your only barometer on safety from that perspective. You should also get the dog chipped.


As for the people who gave abuse, a dog is a dog its not a human you dont feed it human food you dont treat a dog like a human because well its a dog not a human.

boomerang

A responsible breeder will ensure that their puppies are very well socialised before leaving for their new homes. Very, very hard to do that properly when they're out in a shed. They need to be handled by children, all different kinds of people (especially men) and exposed to all the noise and bustle of life with people - washing machines, the phone ringing, the doorbell, vaccum cleaners, other pets...

That is of course, unless the new owner is just going to keep the pup in the back garden, too.

I don't think the size/coat of the dog should have any bearing on whether the dog is allowed to sleep indoors or not. If you train your dog to be mannerly and groom it regularly, that dog could sleep in the tiniest apartment, if it came to it. (Not that all dogs are suited to living in tiny apartments - that's not my point!) A friend of mine has a Pyrenean Mountain Dog and a St. Bernard - they both sleep indoors in her cottage along with all of her cats.

I don't agree that all dogs are essentially "weather-proof" and can/should sleep outdoors if that's what the owner wants for the dog. Dogs can and do die of cold in this country - even if they have access to a kennel. I personally know of an eight year old Jack Russell and her pup that were found dead in their kennel in the garden during the cold snap after Christmas. They'd died of exposure.

Irish-Lass

Are you in the house during the day - myself and my husband both work full-time so the dogs are out the back during the day - one day they have a dog walker so that breaks up one day and then another day they are in a Doggy Day Care so its really only 3 days that they have no company - so I feel when we get home from work that they deserve some quality time with us - most dogs are social and like interaction and company whether it just be lounging around with you or playing etc.

Also is your dog going to be a barker - it might be worth thinking of your neighbours - alot of neighbours have fallen out over dogs barking through the night especially if the local cats decided to run the back wall.

I think if your dog is happy sleeping in the house and you are happy with same why change it. I have to say I do feel sorry for dogs that are outside when its so cold out

boomerang

http://www.paw-rescue.org/PAW/PETTIPS/DogTip_BackyardDogs.php

lightening

Good link Boomerang, but I think the OP was asking about letting her dog sleep out the back garden. I don't think she was intent on locking the dog in a back yard for the rest of its life!

boomerang

Yep, sorry lightening, was just making some comments in light of the general discussion on indoor/outdoor dogs; my post wasn't aimed at the OP specifically.

Discodog

It is so strange to read a subject like this. In the UK, Scandanavia, Germany etc you would never see a post like this. It's actually quite difficult to buy a dog kennel in the UK. They were used about 30 years ago !.

Obviously the Irish see things differently as born out by the fact that they kill 17,000 dogs a year. My neighbours still can't believe that my dogs sleep in the kitchen. If you don't want a dog to share you life - please don't get one.

lightening

Discodog wrote: »

Obviously the Irish see things differently as born out by the fact that they kill 17,000 dogs a year

There is a difference between letting your dog sleep outside and having it killed in fairness, how these kennel manufacturers and suppliers stay in business is beyond me.

http://www.uk-kennels.co.uk/dogkennels.htm

http://www.reeveskennels.co.uk/

http://www.garden-marketplace.co.uk/dog-kennel-rabbit-hutches.html

http://www.petpadsonline.co.uk/index.php?page=qualitydogkennels

http://www.aquatics-online.co.uk/catalogue/dog-kennels.asp

http://www.plastickennelsandcatteries.co.uk/

http://www.uniquekennels.co.uk/

http://www.chappiesdogkennelconstruction.co.uk/services.htm

http://www.dogservices.co.uk/detail.php?ID=642

http://www.timberbuilddogkennels.co.uk/

http://www.petpadsonline.co.uk/index.php?page=pitchedroofdogkennels

Discodog

Well as you clearly have a bit of time on your hands why not email all of them & see how many kennels they sell in the UK. A friend of mine has four "dog shops" in the UK & hasn't sold a kennel in years !

Of course there is a difference & I am sure that many Irish dog owners love their dogs. But it appears that dogs being kept outside is an Irish thing - my neighbours dog sleeps in an old car !.

Why do people want their dog outside ?. One of my neighbours insists that a dog makes the house smell.

lightening

I mailed them all, each of them sell 17,000 kennels a year.

DublinWriter

I could never let our dog sleep outdoors - would you put your kids outdoors too?

Discodog

Wow well done Lightening !. If you need 2 kennels my local shop here in the wonderful West has 2 that have been in stock for months.

I will resist the temptation to say that maybe that's why 17000 are killed. That's about 6 every working hour seven days a week.

But please answer why you want your dog outside ?

lightening

Discodog wrote: »

Wow well done Lightening !.

Thanks.

Discodog wrote: »

If you need 2 kennels my local shop here in the wonderful West has 2 that have been in stock for months.

They mustn't be selling well.

Discodog wrote: »

I will resist the temptation to say that maybe that's why 17000 are killed. That's about 6 every working hour seven days a week.

You didn't resist it. Did you?

Discodog wrote: »

But please answer why you want your dog outside ?

He is inside when it's cold. He gets very restless and prefers it outside, but it makes us feel better when he is inside when it's cold.

lightening

DublinWriter wrote: »

I could never let our dog sleep outdoors - would you put your kids outdoors too?

Would you let your kids walk in the park with no shoes in the winter? Don't tell me you let your dogs walk with no shoes?

Rory123

I think that the people who's dogs sleep outside are not confident that their dog is trained to be inside for 9 or 10 hours. They feed the dog too much food, too late at night and they don't want to deal with the poo or wee.

My dog is very old now so he is in all night, and all day if the weather is bad. I give him the choice to go out every hour. He tells me when he wants to come back in. He took no training and has never messed up in the house.

If people took a little bit of time to make sure their dog was properly trained and made a spot for the dog to sleep (the utility room in my dog's case), then there is no reason why the animal shouldn't have the shelter in the house.

...Although I don't exactly think people should be hanged for sleeping their dogs outside?

cos!!

Some dogs just prefer the outside!!simple as!!my brother has two dogs, a jack russell and a border collie, both the same age. The little jack russell is such a little house dog and loves to be inside but the collie is much happier out the back messing around! it depends completly on the dog!and is no way cruel letting them be outside if they prefer it that way??by the way i have a house dog at the moment, but our last dog slept out the back

Rory123

cos!! wrote: »

Some dogs just prefer the outside!!simple as!!my brother has two dogs, a jack russell and a border collie, both the same age. The little jack russell is such a little house dog and loves to be inside but the collie is much happier out the back messing around! it depends completly on the dog!and is no way cruel letting them be outside if they prefer it that way??by the way i have a house dog at the moment, but our last dog slept out the back

Yeah true, but I don't mean during the day. I think all dogs should be outside during the day (and humans for that matter ), but at night I'd rather see a dog in a bed inside the back door than outside, sometimes locked in a small kennel.

cos!!

yeah i suppose!i know where your coming from!all dogs need to get out for a while everyday!burn off some energy, sniff round, jus be a dog....but dey also need solid human attension!i dont agree that a dog should be left out the back day a night with no attention!but i dont see much of a problem with some owners letting their dog sleep outside once there is proper shelter and that they are getting attention and socializing during the day?

Irish-Lass

We are lucky that we have 3 dogs so they have each other for company during the day but it has to be lonely for a dog that is on its own all day then to spend its night all alone as well - you will find that alot of ppl get rid of dogs because they destroy the back garden rather then thinking that the dog might be bored.

Beaucoupfish

My dog sleeps in a lovely kennel outside and comes inside for a treat every evening. I let him sleep inside if it's very cold. Very often he asks to leave the house because he has his dog things to do outside. I live in the country-side and he's a country dog so he is used to being outside and he's very happy. He knows all the kids in the area too which gives me a break sometimes je je!

mikom

Christ, if dogs could read this thread I'm sure they would be laughing at us.


First dog:
I was happier then and I had nothin'. We used to live in this tiny old house with great big holes in the roof.

Second dog:
House! You were lucky to live in a house! We used to live in one room, all twenty-six of us, no furniture, 'alf the floor was missing, and we were all 'uddled together in one corner for fear of falling.

Third dog:
Eh, you were lucky to have a room! We used to have to live in t' corridor!

Fourth dog:
Oh, we used to dream of livin' in a corridor! Would ha' been a palace to us. We used to live in an old water tank on a rubbish tip. We got woke up every morning by having a load of rotting fish dumped all over us! House? Huh.

First dog:
Well, when I say 'house' it was only a hole in the ground covered by a sheet of tarpaulin, but it was a house to us.

Second dog:
We were evicted from our 'ole in the ground; we 'ad to go and live in a lake.

Third dog:
You were lucky to have a lake! There were a hundred and fifty of us living in t' shoebox in t' middle o' road.

Fourth dog:
Cardboard box?

Third dog:
Aye.

Fourth dog:
You were lucky. We lived for three months in a paper bag in a septic tank. We used to have to get up at six in the morning, clean the paper bag, eat a crust of stale bread, go to work down t' mill, fourteen hours a day, week-in week-out, for sixpence a week, and when we got home our Dad would thrash us to sleep wi' his belt.

First dog:
Luxury. We used to have to get out of the lake at six o'clock in the morning, clean the lake, eat a handful of 'ot gravel, work twenty hour day at mill for tuppence a month, come home, and Dad would thrash us to sleep with a broken bottle, if we were lucky!

Third dog:
Well, of course, we had it tough. We used to 'ave to get up out of shoebox at twelve o'clock at night and lick road clean wit' tongue. We had two bits of cold gravel, worked twenty-four hours a day at mill for sixpence every four years, and when we got home our Dad would slice us in two wit' bread knife.

Second dog:
Right. I had to get up in the morning at ten o'clock at night half an hour before I went to bed, drink a cup of sulphuric acid, work twenty-nine hours a day down mill, and pay mill owner for permission to come to work, and when we got home, our Dad and our mother would kill us and dance about on our graves singing Hallelujah.

Third dog:
And you try and tell the young pups of today that ..... they won't believe you.

All dogs:
They won't!

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Discodog wrote: »

It is so strange to read a subject like this. In the UK, Scandanavia, Germany etc you would never see a post like this. It's actually quite difficult to buy a dog kennel in the UK. They were used about 30 years ago !.

Obviously the Irish see things differently as born out by the fact that they kill 17,000 dogs a year. My neighbours still can't believe that my dogs sleep in the kitchen. If you don't want a dog to share you life - please don't get one.

I have never bought a kennel from a shop in my life. I source them from Garden Shed providers etc. and I think many shops have old stock for that reason. On one hand you say it is difficult to buy a kennel in the UK and elsewhere you cite a shop with 2 in stock for years. Not hard to buy one there surely!
Yes we put down 17,000 (some say less but however we'll go with it) in Ireland. The UK put down 126,000 last year (almost 3000 greyhounds alone) so what is your point? I don't have up to date figures for Germany but I do know their per Capita dog ownership is very much lower than Britain or Ireland. Scandanavia is too broad a term for me to pull my stats together as I don't know if you mean just Norway, Sweden, and Denmark or if you are including Finland and others.