# Outside dogs??



## Kassandra (Jun 6, 2012)

I'm just wondering what people's views on outside dogs are..

Personally, I don't think I would ever keep a dog outside. They could be out all day if they wished but during the night they are coming into the house whether they like it or not lol!

That being said, I have nothing against people keeping their dogs outside. Growing up our dogs were always kept outside. I know some dogs like it much better and actually hate being inside, my grandfathers dog being one of them. She absolutely hates being inside and likes to sleep outside and be out all day. As long as somebody is doing it right (a good shelter, food, water, dog is not being deprived of anything, etc..) then I see no problem with it. 

I'm asking this because I know some people I volunteer with at an animal shelter see it as the cruelest thing ever. I don't see how it is cruel at all if the dog enjoys it. I know that yes, a lot are out there because they don't have a choice but also a lot of them love it. The people I volunteer with think that every dog outside should be seized and re-homed (lol like there aren't enough dogs in the shelters anyways). I shut my mouth around them because they will tear into me and tell me I'm heartless and such. 

I can't be the only person that thinks that there is nothing wrong with keeping a dog outside if they like it!


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## lovemydogsalways (Mar 4, 2012)

Well I don't like it much, but DB has a **** hound that lives outdoors. I take very very good care of him. He wouldn't be happy inside. We got him from a buddy of ours in June. He lived on a chain at that guys house and before he lived their he was born and raised outside as a pup.
That is what people do with hounds around here.
Spiderman used to be on a shit food, but I switched home to Native and soon will be putting him on Nutrisource Performance. He has a new wooden dog house with straw and I clean his kennel and get him out daily. Some/many breeds shouldn't live outside IMO.
Unfortunately DB was raised with dogs living mostly outdoors. His parents have three outside/inside dogs and two kennel coyote hounds.


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## Jacksons Mom (Jun 13, 2010)

I wouldn't say I "like it"... I would never have a dog outside because to me... what's the point in having a dog? Usually even farm dogs who work on the farm all day, etc, come inside at night and hang with the family and such. However I do understand that sometimes dogs prefer it, specifically certain kinds of breeds, and I don't think it's cruel so long as it's still being fed and watered properly, groomed properly, and properly protected from the weathers and outdoor elements. Preferably still trained properly as well and taken on walks, etc, besides in the backyard.

As an example, I used to dogsit for a Rottweiler and they lived in a townhouse. It had a decent sized yard (for a townhouse) and an upper level and a bottom level. The fence was at least 8ft tall. They would usually leave him locked in the bathroom when they left for work in the morning (he wasn't trustworthy in the house yet, and outgrew the crate they had). Then I came around noon-ish to walk him for 45 minutes and if the weather was okay (not too hot, not too cold, not too rainy)... I would put him out back in the yard. He had a dog house plus a deck plus underneath the deck. He seemed to love it. And the owners would get home and walk him again, and then he was in the house with them for the remainder of the night. To me, I didn't see anything wrong with this. I wouldn't do it with my dog just because he's smaller and I'd worry about predators or him digging under the fence, etc.


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## Kassandra (Jun 6, 2012)

Of course a lot of breeds shouldn't be outside.. mainly the smaller ones, ones with a very short coat, etc. I really was talking mostly about hunting dogs and farm dogs, that kind of thing. 

Most people here also keep hounds outside as well as bird dogs (pointers, setters, retrievers, spaniels). I usually see no problem with it if they like it and are treated properly. 

Again, I wouldn't keep my dog outside because I like my dog with me, that is why I have her. Even though I was raised with my dogs always being strictly outside I never would keep my dog strictly outside, unless they were like.. noticeably depressed every time they went in the house. I think in that case I would suck it up and just let them stay out there so they would be happy because IMO that is the main thing.


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## Little Brown Jug (Dec 7, 2010)

I think it depends. If the dog is well cared for (proper housing, food, attention, exercise and the like) then yes I'm OK with it. I know one person who has a couple of Beagles. He keeps them outside all year around however they have a heated shed they can come and go into, a fenced in area of the yard and get daily attention and exercise, toys, treats anything a normal, well cared for house dog gets only they don't come into the house. They aren't abused in my eyes, they are well cared for. And while I myself like my dogs to be in the house with me I have very little problem with how he cares for his dogs.

Now in same cases I see huge issues. Like the Lab that lived a couple houses down, on a short chain attached to a shabby old doghouse 24/7. I saw very little interaction, never saw him off the chain unless he broke it or slipped his collar. I never ever saw a dish out there though surely he was fed and watered. No blanket, straw anything in the dog house and the hole was way to big and the house way too shabby to provide any type of decent protection. It was a sin. AC was called but all they did was strap a tarp around the dog house and give him an empty salt beef bucket for water. Both quickly got chewed up. Nothing was ever done. Another was a a very old looking husky/shepherd. Again very little that dog had. I don't like that kind of outdoor dog. And obviously not one in one of those, chicken wire pens you see so many poor Beagles in that are raised off the ground so the poop and pee will just fall through. They are pretty much in their for a good portion of their time.

I have no issue if the proper precautions are made. And the breed is suitable. The problem is so many people are in the old mindset here and the hunting dogs get the worst of it. AC is not a common thing here either in some communities they could be hours away from the nearest SPCA or animal control office and they are usually so understaffed and burnt out some just don't seem to care anymore.

Are you involved with BP? They can be a little... dramatic with some things. lol Don't get me wrong they do good work but sometimes some of things they say/do kinda makes me go "what?"


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## Caty M (Aug 13, 2010)

If the dog honestly and truly prefers it, I guess it's okay... but I've never met a dog like that before! In the summer ours are out most of the day when I am home, they have a dog door and go in and out, but the IGs will sunbathe all day. But, they absolutely adore being with me and snuggle with me like twelve hours a day, and sleep in my bed, not possible if they were outdoors only. An outdoor dog can never really have the same amount of interaction IMO.


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## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

Caty M said:


> *If the dog honestly and truly prefers it, I guess it's okay... but I've never met a dog like that before!* In the summer ours are out most of the day when I am home, they have a dog door and go in and out, but the IGs will sunbathe all day. But, they absolutely adore being with me and snuggle with me like twelve hours a day, and sleep in my bed, not possible if they were outdoors only. An outdoor dog can never really have the same amount of interaction IMO.



I agree with the bold.

My dogs would much rather be inside next to me than outside. If the dog really prefers outside, then okay, but I hate people who get dogs but don't want them inside.


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## Javadoo (May 23, 2011)

Sprocket said:


> I agree with the bold.
> 
> My dogs would much rather be inside next to me than outside. If the dog really prefers outside, then okay, but I hate people who get dogs but don't want them inside.


I don't see the point of having a dog if it's going to live outside 24/7.
Lawn ornament?

I got my dogs as companions. 
They enjoy being outside, but they love being inside with me. 

That said...I would never leave my dogs outside without being there with them.


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## naturalfeddogs (Jan 6, 2011)

A lot of years ago we had a German Shepherd who was given to us as an adult and he was TERRIFIED to be in the house. We tried for a month or so but he was just so stressed we let him live outside and he was happy as could be. But I was raised where dogs were always part of the family and lived inside, and to this day mine do and always will. But there are situations were dogs do live outside for one reason or another, and I don't have a problem with it as long as there is good shelter.


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## Maxy24 (Mar 5, 2011)

I pretty much agree with most of you. I don't like it, feel the dog is missing out on a lot of love and attention and bonding, and feel the owner is missing the whole point of owning a dog. But if there does happen to be a dog who truly prefers being outside because he's not into people that much or because he was raised outside and is now just completely uncomfortable indoors, I guess it'd be fine so long as the dog gets proper shelter, exercise, etc. 

FYI, most of the dogs that kill people are "resident" dogs, ones that don't live with the family. They live outside, in kennels (and not rotated in), or in the basement, or are somehow separate from the family most of the time, are not involved with the family's day to day life. So even though it seems like most of the time your dog is inside with you he's not really interacting with you, it doesn't mean that learning and bonding isn't going on. The dog still learns about normal human behavior and forms an affinity for you by watching you and your family do their thing and just being around you, even if it doesn't directly involve them. A lot of people who keep their dogs outside say that their dog still gets the same amount of play time, exercise, training, an attention as an inside dog. And while it may be true that you interact DIRECTLY with the dog the same amount, the outside dog misses out on watching people do people things, and doesn't get to lay beside you as you watch TV or read a book, and I think that does make a difference somehow.


I think their are certain situations where it's a little different. Like if the owner(s) truly spends almost all of their home time outside and pretty much only goes in to eat and sleep. But I'd say that doesn't happen often.


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## kathylcsw (Jul 31, 2011)

For myself I would never have an outside dog. As others have said it kind of defeats the purpose of having a dog. My dogs are with us all the time. When we watch tv they are in the living room either with us on the couch or nearby. They both sleep with me at night and nap with me on the weekends. I just don't truly understand why you would have a dog that you spent so little time with. My dogs are part of the family and I would no more keep them outside than I would my son.


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## Kassandra (Jun 6, 2012)

Little Brown Jug said:


> Are you involved with BP? They can be a little... dramatic with some things. lol Don't get me wrong they do good work but sometimes some of things they say/do kinda makes me go "what?"


Yes it is BP.. I understand where you are coming from and totally agree with you. I don't deal with any of the.. how would i put this.. crazy things that they do sometimes.. but for the most part they really help a lot of the dogs. I have my volunteer shift there and they tell me about the stuff they do but I don't agree with some of it.


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## starturtle (Jul 12, 2012)

I work with a rescue that won't adopt dogs to outside only homes. In their defense 99% of the time the people are looking for a guard dog or bully breed. They won't set a dog up to fail like that. Also most of the people around here who have outside dogs drop feed and water daily (if they are lucky) and that is about all the interaction the dogs see. But we did rescue a couple of feral dogs who wanted nothing to do with the inside of a house. They ended up being adopted out as outside dogs.

My dogs on the other hand have to be kicked outside some days. They would prefer the sofa to just about anything.


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## seashells (Oct 11, 2012)

It's definitely strange to me as we've always had inside dogs. I know a family who has outside dogs, however they get very regular walks and the husband spends most of his free time outside doing gardening/yardwork so they're actually probably spending more time with him by being outside than they would inside. And I guess that makes sense for them. 

I wouldn't even let my dog outside for a brief period of time unsupervised...but he's tiny so he'd be an easy snack for large birds, coyotes, etc. It's just not safe with some dogs.


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## Kassandra (Jun 6, 2012)

Seems like we all have the same opinion on this.. 

If the dog truly likes it better and is not being neglected in any way, shape, or form then it is fine.

This is basically what I thought most of you would say, too. I know the majority of us would never let our dogs be strictly outside dogs because then defeats the purpose of having a dog to us, but I think it is a little extreme to say it is cruel.. if it is getting what it needs and is still getting interaction with their owners and it isn't unhappy outside then I don't see how it is cruel like some people I know believe..


Also, rescues are a little different IMO.. I don't think that a rescued animal should be adopted out as an outside pet only. Unless it is a case as Jenny said that the dog was literally terrified to go indoors.. that would be completely understandable. I know it shouldn't be any different - a dog bought from a breeder or one rescued from a rescue group - however I'm just thinking that IME most of the dogs rescued were kept as strictly outside dogs and most of them have bad experiences with being strictly outside dogs so they should be kept inside so they don't have to.. remember? those memories...?? 
I don't even know if I'm making any sense here but it's making sense in my head....


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## lauren43 (Feb 6, 2011)

While I agree with what everyone here says I do believe a person can create an outside dog, and I am not a fan of that idea. If you want your dog tethered outside 24/7 and that is what you do with it from a young age there is a good chance (with certain breeds) you will create a dog that really does enjoy being outside.

For example. My parents dog Tess, is a 14lb maltese/shih tzu mix and she loves being in our garage. Since a puppy she was taught that this is "her" area. And the moment she was out of the puppy stage, the garage became her "cage" so to speak. SO when we were away, she was/is in the garage. Granted our garage is finished so its carpeted and it has furniture in it and its the main way to get in and out of the house (it has both a front entrance and the slider to the backyard), but it is not heated. In the winter this 14lb dog has to be made to go in the house when we leave, most times she will not come inside on her own free will and we have to actually go pick her up and put her in the house, she's a stubborn little girl. The funny thing is, the dog we had before Tess, was the exact same breed and enjoyed the garage in the same way Tess does. And I should mention that although Tess does love the garage, when everyone is home she goes in and out all day/night long and she sleeps with my parents at night. 

But at the end of the day we basically created this monster. If you get a dog with the intent of having it tethered 24/7, then why get a dog? Why not just buy a statue of a dog to stand in the backyard. On the other hand, I understand getting a dog with the intention of having an indoor companion and then finding it does not like being inside or simply prefers to spend most of its time outdoors. I do also believe that some of these dogs could be worked with and in turn trained to love to be inside.


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## sozzle (May 18, 2011)

I couldn't imagine Stanley being outside, besides which he'd freeze in colder weather having very little fat on his body and a very thin coat.
Working dogs in NZ tend to live outside as often a farmer will have 4 or more normally hunterways, heading or border collie type dogs that have thick coats. They tend to have outside kennels with a run (from what I've seen). Sometimes they might have one come inside. I had a friend who's husband wouldn't allow their two dogs inside which was sad (in my opinion) but as they had been raised that way and the family spent alot of time outside with them it wasn't a problem. I tend to think of them as a member of the family therefore I would want a dog inside with me.
I have another friend who has a husky and never comes inside because she gets too hot, is big and boisterous and quite smelly but is a very loved member of the family all the same. The kennel/run is just outside the front door and she seems a very happy dog.
We all have different ideas on our dogs living arrangements.


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## NewYorkDogue (Sep 27, 2011)

Just a quick story:

Years ago there was a Lab breeder in Ohio who sold a pup to a couple nearby. Several months later, he found out that the dog was being kept outside, with little to no human interaction. Furious, he went to the home and saw his beautiful black lab tethered to a chain...and promptly either bought the pup back or just took it (siting breach of contract.)

The dog was a mess, psychologically-- he would not allow anybody to approach him, or especially try to pet him on his head. The breeder worked with him to bring him "back" ... to where the dog was able to trust human beings, and accept affection and training.

Long story short, that same Labrador went on to win Best of Breed at Westminster in 199(4)?(his "call name" was "Duffy 911", after his remarkable rescue and turn-around.) I met the dog at a Westminster show in 1996 and was stunned with his presence and good looks, knowing nothing about his background.)

The best part? I got one of his puppies, Luke, later that same year. Thank g*d they rescued him or I would never have met my very first heart dog...

ETA: Not to say the dog's wretched state was due to him being an outside dog only--- by all appearances he had been abused/neglected to some extent... but still, if the dog's outside and neglected...you end up with a broken dog and a broken spirit.


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## malluver1005 (Nov 15, 2009)

Kassandra said:


> I'm just wondering what people's views on outside dogs are..
> 
> Personally, I don't think I would ever keep a dog outside. They could be out all day if they wished but during the night they are coming into the house whether they like it or not lol!
> 
> ...


I am against keeping a dog outdoors 24/7. They are part of the family and need to be treated as such. Aspen spends about 50% of his time outdoors, because he chooses. He can come in and out as he pleases. In the wintertime, yes he does sleep outside in the cold, again because he wants to, and because he's in heaven


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## CorgiPaws (Mar 31, 2009)

I'm not going to sugar coat it: I disagree with the idea of outdoor only dogs and I do NOT think it can be done in a way that does not cheat the dog out of a certain quality of life. 

My reasons:
1. There is no way that on a daily basis they are going to get their social, mental, and training needs met. Unless you're a non working person who spends 18 hours a day outside with the dog, there's simply no way. I think of every dog I've ever owned, and the means it takes to meet their needs, and a good chunk of that is simply by coexisting. Several hours of my day IS completely devoted to the dogs, but even time like now, I'm winding down for the night, catching up on forums and groups, and my dogs are not left alone. 

2. I've never, EVER met an outdoor only dog that was in no way a complete pain in the butt. EVERY SINGLE outdoor dog I've ever met was either consistently understimulated resulting in total overstimulation quite easily, or completely lacking training, or undersocialized. I've NEVER met a well rounded, sound, outdoor only dog, ever. 

3. It. Makes. No. Sense. 

4. I don't think it's smart, OR safe to leave a dog outside unattended for long periods of time. They become a nusience to neighbors, are at risk of being harmed by wildlife and people alike, and sickness or injury are easily left unnoticed. 

I know some dogs prefer to spend time outside, and I get that. Griffin is outside most of the day by HIS choice. I bring him back in at night, and he's free to come and go as he pleases, but he will go out and sunbath for hours at a time, and then mosey on in for a while. I have NO problem with that, but I don't think it's fair to lock or tie a dog out around the clock.


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## werecatrising (Oct 15, 2010)

I have 2 outdoor dogs. I have gotten quite a bit of flack for it but have learned to ignore it.
Darla had been in 4 homes before coming here. In everyone she kept trying to break out windows to get outside. i worked with a behaviorist to try to turn her into the dog I wanted. I finally realized that wasn't fair. When I got Jasper I tried to acclimate him to life indoors but pretty much let him do his own thing. He would rather be out with Darla and the ducks/chickens. 

I do disagree with getting a dog and just tossing it outside to be ignored. I think working dogs or those who just want to be outdoors are another story.


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## Kassandra (Jun 6, 2012)

werecatrising said:


> I do disagree with getting a dog and just tossing it outside to be ignored. I think working dogs or those who just want to be outdoors are another story.


This is basically my thoughts.


I love seeing everybody's different views and opinions on the matter. And it's great that nobody is bashing anybody else's opinions, either. I was simply just curious of peoples views on the subject when I started the thread so it's great that it stayed that way.


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## werecatrising (Oct 15, 2010)

I should probably mention that the dobe is an indoor dog. I would not dream of leaving a doberman outside. It is my two pyrenees mixes that prefer the working life!


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## EckoMac (Jun 1, 2012)

Ecko was an outdoor dog when I rescued him. His nails were so long he now has permanently splayed toes. His pads are so soft, I have to go to great lengths to keep him from having blowouts on long walks. Now, he goes out pees, and hauls butt to get back inside. He has aclimated to the AC and only wants outside if I am going too.

I think that if the person is exercising, socializing, grooming, feeding, watering, and providing proper shelter... then the dog will probably do just fine outside. If ANY of these are not being done, then it is abuse.


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## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

werecatrising said:


> I have 2 outdoor dogs. I have gotten quite a bit of flack for it but have learned to ignore it.
> Darla had been in 4 homes before coming here. In everyone she kept trying to break out windows to get outside. i worked with a behaviorist to try to turn her into the dog I wanted. I finally realized that wasn't fair. When I got Jasper I tried to acclimate him to life indoors but pretty much let him do his own thing. He would rather be out with Darla and the ducks/chickens.
> 
> I do disagree with getting a dog and just tossing it outside to be ignored. I think working dogs or those who just want to be outdoors are another story.


Your outside dogs are LGD's aren't they? Even if they don't actually guard livestock they are probably hardwired for outdoor living.

IMO LGD's are entirely different than your average outside dog.


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## werecatrising (Oct 15, 2010)

Sprocket said:


> Your outside dogs are LGD's aren't they? Even if they don't actually guard livestock they are probably hardwired for outdoor living.
> 
> IMO LGD's are entirely different than your average outside dog.


Yeah, they live out with the chicken and do an excellent job guarding them.


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