What do you think of dogs being kept outside?

dvet

I don't know if this has been discussed before, but I've noticed from some posts in other threads that some people seem to think that keeping dogs outside, even for part of the day (i.e. when the owners are at work), is mean.

Personally, I don't agree that this is true for every case. I can't really resist letting my dogs into my house because they're so addictive (:D), but my parents live in the countryside and their dog lives outside most of the time. Being surrounded by neighbours with farm dogs/outside dogs etc, it's pretty much seen as the norm, and my parents were both raised on farms with farm dogs etc. My parents are responsible dog owners with a big garden, which is totally fenced in, and a lovely cosy kennel (built by my brothers, lined with carpet and full of duvets and pillows....I think I'd happily live there!). Their dog gets regularly played with, taken for walks and given attention. My parents love her to bits, she's part of the family, and she's a very healthy, and happy dog.

I know though that a lot of people on here live in cities and have other concerns, like no garden/garden too small/the possibilty of your dog being stolen or escaping, and that is fair enough.... But what if you had a lovely big secure garden? Would you guys still say that its not on to let your dog live outside, even just during the day?

I'm not looking for advice, I just though it would be an interesting point to discuss!

(P.S. I'd like to emphasise the secure/big garden point: I in no way support having dogs tied up 24/7 or kept in sheds permanently anything horrible like that!) :eek:

Denerick

We live in the countryside. Our dog lives outside. City folk tend to be strange when it comes to the treatment of animals, they often think keeping a dog outside is inhumane or something...

dahat

this topic seems to be a bit dicey on here.

i keep mine outside,my runs and large garden are secure.
each autumn i buy straw for the winter months.
all seem to be happy and healthy,fed well,real well.
all well loved family dogs.
they get time indoors when out n about the large garden doing as they do.
i have no problem leaving them in and out but dgos+garden in winter equals a well dirty house and an angry wife!!
on colder days i often give warm tea or a soup of good stuff to keep em warm.
a small drop of brandy is an old school way of doings things and im sure some will be horified but i dont see any real harm.

i wouldnt not accept any criticism for the way i keep dogs,i have seen many many dogs kept in horrible conditions and think mine are well treated.

Cherry Blossom

Bit of an obscure comment here but it depends on the dog. I had a puppy farmed lab for 14 and half years and he would only come in the house if the front door was left open for him as an escape route. The only time he was happier in than out was if someone had bangers going off somewhere to scare away crows or fireworks. He spent his whole life hanging out in the garden during the day when he wasn't following me around and slept in the stables with the horses at night where there was a way he could get out any time he wanted. The whole yard is completly secure as I've had a few houdini ponies around the place so there was no chance of him wandering off.

I think as long as they are secure and happy and comfortable enough in whatever circumstances they are kept in there is no issue.

Graces7

Collie who we took in around four years ago had been kept outside or locked in a dark shed her first five years. In the country of course. Unwanted and untrained.

The neighbours who kept their wee collie chained up outside 24/7 thought we were crazy.

She took to indoors well, stage by stage and indoors is where she and our other dog live.

It is choice, but no way would we ever keep a dog outdoors. However secure and warm.

JacksonHeightsOwn

my beagle sleeps inside, she's locked in her crate and she loves it

if im out for more than 4hours, then she goes out the back garden, granted, its quite big, but she has a nice kennel there ,and she just sleeps, everyones a winner

Odysseus

I can't keep a dog at the moment due to the way I work and time away from my home. However, growing up our dogs where always kept outside 24/7, I have no problem with that as long as there is suitable shelter. Yet when I am in a position to get a dog again, it will be a house dog. I never like our dogs being out in all weather; I only remember one occassion where our one of our dogs was in the house, that being the bad snow of the early 80s.

Its just my belief that unless it is a working dog rather than a pet, even though it would spend a lot of time outside as I'm an outdoor person, spend a lot of time walking, hunting etc so that would be do it for fresh air.

I would not see anyone who keeps a door outside as being a poor owner, it really is a personal choice imo anyway.

Rowley Birkin QC

Our golden retriever and her 7 pups live outside and sleep in a shed at night time. The pups will only be here for another two weeks and we have had a red incubator lamp from the farm over them to keep them warm. The pups come into the house the odd time but are far happier roaming around the garden and into the first field around the house.

She wanders into the house from time to time but is always happier outside. She has a big garden and any time someone goes down the farm she is on our heels.

Whispered

I think it depends on the dog, the owner and the set up. How many people say "oh no I'd NEVER have an outdoor dog" - and yet have their dog in one room in the house all day, no walks, little interaction etc. While giving out about someone who keeps their dog outside, but walks it, makes sure it has stimulation etc.

Then you have people saying that it's not natural to keep a dog indoors, while locking their lone dog out the back, much less natural to keep a dog alone imo.

Once the welfare of the dog is looked after properly, I think both ways can work but my choice would always be indoors. In my opinion it's safer, kinder and leads to a closer relationship with your dog. And I'm not a "city folk" either. Does that mean us "country folk" can

tend to be strange when it comes to the treatment of animals

too Denerick

Odysseus

Whispered wrote: »

Once the welfare of the dog is looked after properly, I think both ways can work but my choice would always be indoors. In my opinion it's safer, kinder and leads to a closer relationship with your dog. And I'm not a "city folk" either. Does that mean us "country folk" can too Denerick

Yeah I'm not sure what difference that is supposed to make, I grew up in Dublin and now live in the country. It did make a difference to me in that now I'm in a better position to hunt for my table, something I always had an interest in, but being a hunter does not mean I am any less of a animal lover. Some people may have a different opinion on this, but most hunters I know have great respect for animals.

Hope I haven't gone too far off topic, but I guess living in the country does give people more access to the pleasure of seeing animals in the wide, for example I seen about 20 hares the last time I went for a walk in the fields. Apologies if I have gone too far OT.

dahat

Odysseus wrote: »

Yeah I'm not sure what difference that is supposed to make, I grew up in Dublin and now live in the country. It did make a difference to me in that now I'm in a better position to hunt for my table, something I always had an interest in, but being a hunter does not mean I am any less of a animal lover. Some people may have a different opinion on this, but most hunters I know have great respect for animals.

Hope I haven't gone too far off topic, but I guess living in the country does give people more access to the pleasure of seeing animals in the wide, for example I seen about 20 hares the last time I went for a walk in the fields. Apologies if I have gone too far OT.

stay away from the hares!!!

---

coursing entushiast here!!!

where in the country?would love to sort something regards trimmings from your days/nights out and about........

Whispered

Yes I agree Odysseus, I have such an interest in animals due to my dad who's a hunter. While I don't personally agree with it, I do agree that many hunters have a respect for nature that most people never develop. Not easy to develop a true feeling of nature when all of your meat comes vacuum packed.

Odysseus wrote: »

I'm in a better position to hunt for my table, .

dahat wrote: »

coursing entushiast here!!!

Aren't they two entirely different things?

dahat

Whispered wrote: »

Aren't they two entirely different things?

yes indeed,was a statement of humour

abouttobebanned

This topic is definitely a touchy one on this forum. A lot of people sleep with their dogs and I personally believe that this is incredibly unhygienic. That's not the question however...my dog lives outside..sleeps outside in the summer and inside in the winter. They are animals..they eat ****e..lick their balls and some people forget this.

I love my dog..but I don't forget that he is just that..not a toddler

Rowley Birkin QC

abouttobebanned wrote: »

This topic is definitely a touchy one on this forum. A lot of people sleep with their dogs and I personally believe that this is incredibly unhygienic. That's not the question however...my dog lives outside..sleeps outside in the summer and inside in the winter. They are animals..they eat ****e..lick their balls and some people forget this.

I love my dog..but I don't forget that he is just that..not a toddler

Yup, have to agree with all of the above. Our dog is a family pet, not a child.

Zapperzy

Whispered summed it up nicely there is no black and white dogs should be inside/outside answer. It depends on the particular dog and owner. I think it is wrong to say 'dogs are animals and animals belong outside' as much as I think it's wrong to say 'dogs always belong inside' and as whispered described stay in the one room on their own all day with no walks or stimulation.

I know people who would never allow a dog inside the house and the dog stays outside all day on it's own chained up on a short chain with access to a shed and some coal bags to lie on. It's a lab and as far as I can tell it's not a young dog either. That to me is a sad existence for a dog.

OP just to make the point that it doesn't matter if you live in a city or the middle of nowhere dogs are still being stolen left, right and centre. I know of a woman who had 2 unneutered boxers stolen (m & f) and they lived in the countryside. I have also heard of houses being broken into for dogs so no matter how secure a garden is where theres a will theres a way.

All you can do is your best, make note of anyone paying extra attention to your dog, if someone is asking about it always tell them he's/she's neutered (even if their not), don't walk the same route everyday, don't put your dog's name on their tag and if a stranger asks what their name is lie (tell them a name which sounds completely different) and if someone asks what breed they are tell them you don't know as they're a crossbreed.

Whispered

abouttobebanned wrote: »

I love my dog..but I don't forget that he is just that..not a toddler

Rowley Birkin QC wrote: »

Yup, have to agree with all of the above. Our dog is a family pet, not a child.

My dog is also the family pet. Sleeping indoors doesn't make him any less of a dog, and it doesn't make us see him as any less of a dog. A perfectly happy "doggy" life, indoors.

So long as the dogs welfare is properly looked after then in my opinion people should not give out (or condescend) about others ways of looking after their dog.

EDIT: Zapperzy - my dog being stolen is a huge fear for me. I've often thought I'd prefer to find him dead than for him to be taken from the house. At least I'd know then what happened to him and that he's not in any prolonged pain/ fear etc. I was approached once about breeding him (he's neutered) and when I said no I was asked if he was for sale. The man in question then offred to swap a horse for him!! :-o The thougt of something happening terrifies me.

peasant

It doesn't really matter if a dog is kept inside or outside. It does matter however if the dog is kept in isolation for hours on end.
But that can and does happen both inside as well as outside.

iguana

My dogs sleep indoors but I did originally plan to have them sleep outdoors. Unfortunately our neighbours in the house we lived at at the time were rotten and their kids used to torment the dogs. We ended up moving the dogs into the kitchen to keep them safe. And I'm now happier with them sleeping indoors, I've gotten used to it.

They do have a crate set up in the shed so I have the option to leave them in the garden when I'm out. Ideally I'd like to have a utility room that they could sleep in which had a doggie door leading to the garden. (Or as it's the ideal world a small section of my 30 woodland acres.:))

Wolfe Tone

My do is inside most of the time, in Summer she sleeps out the back. Its grand either way, inside or out, as long as they are not ignored imo.

Zapperzy

Whispered wrote: »

EDIT: Zapperzy - my dog being stolen is a huge fear for me. I've often thought I'd prefer to find him dead than for him to be taken from the house. At least I'd know then what happened to him and that he's not in any prolonged pain/ fear etc. I was approached once about breeding him (he's neutered) and when I said no I was asked if he was for sale. The man in question then offred to swap a horse for him!! :-o The thougt of something happening terrifies me.

Same here, I was once asked by a local guy if I would sell him my terrier because he reckoned he would be a good dog to let loose across the fields after foxes. Needless to say I politely declined and nearly speed walked my way home constantly looking over my shoulder and didn't sleep a wink that night. :rolleyes:

Odysseus

dahat wrote: »

stay away from the hares!!!

---

coursing entushiast here!!!

where in the country?would love to sort something regards trimmings from your days/nights out and about........

I hunt hare when the season allows and with correct firearm, I'll PM you my locality.


On the original question as it was mentioned the most important thing is the dogs welfare, if it is cared for outdoors and the owner is happy with it I see that as the most important answer. However, when I'm luckly enough to own another english bull apart from from a few hours a day in my garden it will have full access to the house. As I said as an outdoor person it outdoor needs will be fully covered.

dvet

I think it's great that there are so many people here with a balanced view of the situation. I agree with most of you that either way (indoors/outdoors) can work depending on the situation, and I'm not against a dog living indoors all day either, but again, if done responsibly and with the right type of dog/enough walks etc. The reason I brought the topic up to start with was because I read a couple of comments on another thread where the commenters seemed to be totally against dogs being outdoors (even if just for a couple of hours everyday). They seemed to be implying it was cruel to have a dog outside at all. I was a bit shocked by that really! So i'm glad you all seem a bit more balanced in your views

dvet

Zapperzy wrote: »

OP just to make the point that it doesn't matter if you live in a city or the middle of nowhere dogs are still being stolen left, right and centre. I know of a woman who had 2 unneutered boxers stolen (m & f) and they lived in the countryside. I have also heard of houses being broken into for dogs so no matter how secure a garden is where theres a will theres a way.

God...It's scary to think about isn't it I've heard of puppies being stolen from gardens in cork city to be used as 'bait' for training fighting dogs. Totally horrifying to think about!

Discodog

I was born in the Countryside & have lived their for most of my life. Our first dog was kept outdoors but every other dog since has been indoor. I love sharing my life with the dogs & they appear to feel the same way. They have a big bed in the kitchen but all three will prefer to join me in the lounge especially on colder evenings.

I think that the relationship between dog & owner is often the defining factor as to where it lives. Yes a dog can be ignored indoors but it won't feel so ignored as it will be surrounded by the sights, sounds & smells of the household.

I only really noticed outdoor dogs when I moved back after many years in England. You rarely see an outdoor dog in England but what I really noticed is that you don't hear dogs barking in the way that you do here. I am about to walk mine & I can guarantee that during a 40 min walk I will hear several outdoor dogs barking.

I could never keep a dog outside as I would be constantly going out to check that it is OK & to enjoy it's company.

lrushe

My dogs are in when I'm there and out when I'm not. They have a custom made kennel with weekly bedding changes. As for being stolen, my dogs wouldn't allow a stranger into the back garden plus I live in a terrace house so a thief would have to scale the obstacle of the whole neighbourhoods dogs to get to mine. I tried keeping them in overnight last week with the cold and high winds but they were having none of it, the only one of my dogs who will stay inside is the Chi.
I know people who have 6 dogs ( was 3 but an unplanned pregnancy doubled the number :rolleyes:) 2 live exclusively outside and 4 inside (don't ask me how they made the distinction between those who live outside and the ones who live inside). None of their dogs are walked and get no interaction, the slightest sound sends them up the wall barking.
I can't speak for anyone else but I know my dogs live a content life, if I thought for a minute they weren't I would change it. As others have said there is no yes or no answer, it's an individual choice.

Whispered

lrushe wrote: »

My dogs are in when I'm there and out when I'm not. .

I would tend to do it the other way around. I know of people in terraced houses whos dog was taken from the garden. The people who take dogs are rarely opportunists and often have a dog chosen a bit in advance. I'd often hear of people who have had enquiries about their dogs only for them to go missing days or weeks later. This happened also with 2 of our dogs when I was a child (one of which was in the house!!!) and I dread to think of their fate.

I would say that 99% of the time my dog is indoors out unless one of us is in the house. It's probably paranoia though.

lrushe

Whispered wrote: »

I know of people in terraced houses whos dog was taken from the garden.

I know it's not a complete impossiblity for a dog not to be taken from a terrace house but it does make it more difficult, I have neighbours and other dogs to the sides and back of me all of who would raise hell if they saw a stranger scaling a neighbour's wall plus it also means if I'm not home there are still a pair of eyes watching my house as I would do for my neighbours.
It's not unknown for a 'rob to order' dog to be stolen from inside a person's home aswell, especially a pedigree dog which can cost as much as your average flat screen tv.

Whispered

lrushe wrote: »

It's not unknown for a 'rob to order' dog to be stolen from inside a person's home aswell

Actually I know a girl who now brings her chiuaua to work after someone was caught trying to break in.

lrushe

Whispered wrote: »

Actually I know a girl who now brings her chiuaua to work after someone was caught trying to break in.

Would love that to be an option for me

The Sweeper

My dog's in and out while I'm here, in if the weather's bad and I'm going out for a few hours, and out if the weather's good and I'm going out for longer.

I put in a post and rail fence with dog wire from the back face of my house to the 6ft fence, making an enclosed area behind my garage which is now the dog's run. It's about 10m long and 6m wide. There is a door into the garage at the back of the run, so I wedge that open and the dog's bed is in the garage. There's a full bucket of water in the garage, an ever-full bowl of canidae kibble, and the garage is where the dog gets his dinner and his breakfast of raw chicken on the bone, and raw stewing beef, for instance. (He's six months so still gets two meals a day).

He has chew toys and rope toys in his run, including a hard plastic ball with a wee hole in it that dispenses treats or kibble if it's nosed around.

The run is worth its weight in gold. It gives me somewhere to put my exuberant pup if I have a workman around. (He's allowed say hi, then put in his run with a bone.) It gives me somewhere outdoors to put the pup if I'm out at work - he doesn't have to hold his bladder, he can be in the sunshine, he has things to chew and rag when he's bored, he has shelter if the weather changes, so on.

Plus when he's outside in his run, he's not inside in the bathroom behind a babygate with my cats teasing him. I have an open-plan house, I don't have a separate kitchen with a door where I could put him. I have a laundry room, but it's 2.5m x 1.5m and I wouldn't shut him in that for the day.

I also don't have to worry about him eating my furniture, turning a cushion to confetti, or having a scrap with my cats, who are indoors when I'm out.

He has the choice to sleep inside or out - if I put him to bed indoors and he fusses and won't settle, he goes out (where I'm sure he spends an hour chasing moths in the garden lights before he puts himself to bed).

I've never heard him bark and whinge persistently when he's put in his run. The first two times he was put in there he carried on for about 10 minutes each time, then settled. Now he just watches to see if I'm really leaving, and then it's head down and he gets on with whatever treat he's been given - frozen kong, dried kangaroo tail, meaty lamb bone, whatever it is. He's begun to associate his run as 'his' space. Let's put it this way - he's not a dumb dog, and when I open the garden gate into the run he's usually through it before I am, he's not sitting down needing to be dragged or pushed into it.

It's a good set up. He's a pretty destructive puppy if given the chance, and free-ranging in my house he'd have eaten the place by now. I know it, because he's devoured three beds. We're currently on a trampoline bed in the bathroom, a Snooza D1000 in the living room (COOOOL bed) and his garage bed is a four-inch thick layer of cardboard, over which sits the empty frame of a previously eaten trampoline bed, and that frame provides support to a large square of old carpet from the house, and one or more clean towels (from the charity shop, gotta love them for old towels) goes on top of the carpet every three days or so.

Every so often he dismantles it and redecorates, so I put it all back together again and remind myself why I'm not buying him another bed.

This works for us, and my dog isn't ignored or neglected.

Absolutely he CAN get bored. But when he's bored out there, he digs holes, chews his bone and scatters bits everywhere, or tears his bed up, all of which are things I'd go demented over if he did them inside the house. And I don't believe he'd just not be bored if he were INSIDE the house all day when nobody was home.

Company is the trick - and when there is no company for the dog, I don't see the problem of him being somewhere where he can entertain himself with digging and chewing and shredding and I'm NOT going to come home and crack the shits with him for it.