# Do you leave your dogs outside?



## Shamrockmommy (Sep 10, 2009)

I've never been able to leave my dogs outside unattended. I worry too much.
However, now we have a secure "kennel run" which is 10x20' or so just off the sun room door that has gravel and pavers. 

If I could leave them outside while I'm gone, I wouldn't have to rush back to potty them. I would get a dog house for them, though so they had a place to get out of the elements. We're in the country, and they have another fence around the 3 acre perimeter just in case they got out of the kennel run. If they bark it won't bother too many people, we're pretty spread out. 

BUT I think I might still worry too much! LOL. 

So do you leave your dogs out?


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## Celt (Dec 27, 2010)

I use to leave my dogs out (doxies and various big dogs). As long as they have enough water (add in what ifs...water gets spilled/splashed out) and if there are "wanders" maybe place a top on the kennel to keep them out. My lot never had a problem with being outside.


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## emirae1091 (Sep 16, 2013)

I would if I had a place. Unfortunately in a condo, there's only a patio, so that wouldn't solve anything!

I have an old Android phone I'm going to set up as a dog cam just for fun. I'm sure mine just sleeps all day anyway... But maybe you could try something like that? Then at least you could check in on them when you felt the need.


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## doggiedad (Jan 23, 2011)

i don't leave my dog outside for any length of time unattended. in the morning
i'll let him out and come inside to brush my teeth. then i go and let him in. 
tonight i was hanging laundry in the basement. i let him out back while i hung 
the laundry. i kept the back door open while i hung the laundry.


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## doggiedad (Jan 23, 2011)

having a camera set up doesn't offer any security for the dog. the camera won't stop a theft,
a camera can't keep a dog from digging out of the yard, a camera won't stop being poisoned, etc.



emirae1091 said:


> I would if I had a place. Unfortunately in a condo, there's only a patio, so that wouldn't solve anything!
> 
> I have an old Android phone I'm going to set up as a dog cam just for fun. I'm sure mine just sleeps all day anyway... But maybe you could try something like that? Then at least you could check in on them when you felt the need.


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## doggiedad (Jan 23, 2011)

will that 3 acre perimeter fence prevent your dogs from digging out of the yard?



Shamrockmommy said:


> I've never been able to leave my dogs outside unattended. I worry too much.
> However, now we have a secure "kennel run" which is 10x20' or so just off the sun room door that has gravel and pavers.
> 
> If I could leave them outside while I'm gone, I wouldn't have to rush back to potty them. I would get a dog house for them, though so they had a place to get out of the elements. We're in the country, and they have
> ...


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## doggiedad (Jan 23, 2011)

part of my dog's job is being our pet/companion and he can't 
do that if he's in the back yard.


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## Celt (Dec 27, 2010)

doggiedad said:


> part of my dog's job is being our pet/companion and he can't
> do that if he's in the back yard.


Personally, I think an outside "run" is preferable to being inside a crate when a person has errands or job that have to be done.


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## thegoodstuff (May 12, 2010)

The way my house is set up, my dogs can come and go into the fenced in yard from the house as they please if I leave the door open. Java was a digger so when I put the fence up, I tacked 18 inches of that green vinyl coated wire fencing along the bottom of each fence panel - 13 or 14 inches of that was buried in the ground. After all that, Java never even once tried. >_<. 

The perimeter of 3 acres is 130,000 linear feet; thats a looooooot of chicken wire


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## Savage Destiny (Mar 16, 2011)

Celt said:


> Personally, I think an outside "run" is preferable to being inside a crate when a person has errands or job that have to be done.


Only if it's completely dig proof, climb proof, has a lock on any door/gate and has access to shelter. Otherwise I'll leave my dogs in their nice, safe crates, thanks.


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## _unoriginal (Apr 8, 2012)

May get flack for this...

I had two Golden Retrievers growing up that lived outside 24/7. They had a 12x12x12 (no lid) outdoor kennel on a slab with a dog door to a 7x6 kennel in the garage. We lived in a neighborhood in the middle of nowhere and never (thank god) had an issue with anyone coming onto the property or messing with the dogs in any way. 

My neighbors were a family of 4 adults (middle-aged couple that had their elderly parents in the house) that did keep an eye on the house and let us know everything that happened during the day. We didn't ask them to but the elderly couple loved to tell us about their days, which consisted of telling us what the dogs did during the day :lol:

My dogs loved living outside. We would bring them into the basement when it got below 0 outside but they would pant and moan to go back outside. They didn't like being inside; they thrived outdoors. 

Would I do this in the future? Sure I would, if I lived in an area where having outside animals was the norm (don't need someone telling me that I'm neglecting/abusing my dogs) and I wouldn't have to worry about people coming onto my property.


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## NutroGeoff (May 15, 2013)

As of right now, Baxter is outside while I'm at work. He spends the day outside with my mom's dogs for the most of the day. I do bring him in at night though. And in about 3 months I am going to be moving into an apartment and he will be inside all day.


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## Losech (Jul 10, 2012)

Yeah, I leave them outside unattended all the time. I sometimes even *gasp* use a chain with one of them. 

I live in an RV on 20+ acres of woods with farmland on one side and the wilds on the other. My fenced area isn't that big but there is plenty of room for them. I have a dog door so they can come and go as they please.
Yes there are predators, yes they might get stolen or poisoned, but honestly, it's a perfectly acceptable risk to me. I know all my neighbors, I have three of them. None of them would steal or poison my dogs, and you can't even see my place from the road. 
I live in a very "green" area of Oregon. Nobody wanders around unnoticed. Strangers are instantly questioned. And everybody hears about it.

I think it's better for the dogs to have free access outside rather than be forced to stay inside for 8 1/2 hours while I'm at work. I really don't see how my dogs prefer being locked in a small RV to going out when they choose to to relieve themselves or bask in the sun. Most of the time when I come home from work all four of them are outside asleep in the dirt. It's their choice.

I've been staying in Arizona with relatives for the month of December, they haven't come inside the house once. They are totally fine out in the back by themselves.


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## porchpotty (Aug 10, 2011)

My dogs are inside though I don't really leave the house without anyone. They freely go in and out but they love it in the yard most of the time.


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## flashyfawn (Mar 8, 2012)

I would absolutely never leave my dogs outside when nobody is home. We had a rash of dog theft a while back and I most definitely don't live in what would be considered a high crime area at all. People were stealing pet dogs to use as bait for fighting dogs (and there was one case with two labs who were locked in a secure outdoor kennel run and the thieves just cut through the chain link.) I haven't heard of any more in a couple years but I'm taking no chances, my dogs are in the house when we go out. They do not have to be crated so they have the run of the house. But personally even if they did need to be crated, I would consider that safer than leaving them outside alone. I guess this is just something that everyone has to decide for themselves.


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## Georgiapeach (Jan 24, 2011)

With a small dog, I'd worry a hawk would get it. Also, the dog may nuisance bark, due to boredom, causing problems with your neighbors. Theft has already been mentioned. I'd rather leave my little ones in their crates inside. I don't even leave them outside without my supervision when we're home.


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## Shamrockmommy (Sep 10, 2009)

Interesting thoughts from everyone. 
The kennel run is dig resistant, and it's possible they could climb if they figured it out. They could dig under the perimeter fence as well, but in general, it's made to keep even my 3 pound chihuahua in. 

Rarely we spend a whole day (8 hrs) away from home. It's rare, but it does happen. Otherwise 2-3 hours gone per day a couple times a week is all we're away from home. Would be nice if they could be able to pee and not be confined to crates the entire time. 

THAT said, I am probably too much of a chicken to do it anyway LOL.


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## Savage Destiny (Mar 16, 2011)

Losech said:


> Yeah, I leave them outside unattended all the time. I sometimes even *gasp* use a chain with one of them.
> 
> I live in an RV on 20+ acres of woods with farmland on one side and the wilds on the other. My fenced area isn't that big but there is plenty of room for them. I have a dog door so they can come and go as they please.
> Yes there are predators, yes they might get stolen or poisoned, but honestly, it's a perfectly acceptable risk to me. I know all my neighbors, I have three of them. None of them would steal or poison my dogs, and you can't even see my place from the road.
> ...


Personally I have nothing against properly done chain spots. I'd much rather see dogs on chain spots than wandering loose to find trouble.


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## NutroGeoff (May 15, 2013)

_unoriginal said:


> May get flack for this...
> 
> I had two Golden Retrievers growing up that lived outside 24/7. They had a 12x12x12 (no lid) outdoor kennel on a slab with a dog door to a 7x6 kennel in the garage. We lived in a neighborhood in the middle of nowhere and never (thank god) had an issue with anyone coming onto the property or messing with the dogs in any way.
> 
> ...


Yeah when I was younger I had my labs outside in 12x12 kennels. But I lived in the mountains in California and my closest neighbor was around a mile away. They always did just fine outside and really seemed to enjoy being outside.


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## InkedMarie (Sep 9, 2011)

I don't understand people having outside dogs, except for livestock guardians and if they bring them in, why not with the family, why a basement? Yeah, I know a basement can be finished but I bet it's not.

We have a fenced in yard, they do go out alone but I check every five minutes. I have a couple barkers so I don't trust people.


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## doggiedad (Jan 23, 2011)

a house trained dog has free roam of the house. being inside is safer than being outside.



doggiedad said:


> part of my dog's job is being our pet/companion and he can't
> do that if he's in the back yard.





Celt said:


> Personally, I think an outside "run" is preferable to being inside a crate when a person has errands or job that have to be done.


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## doggiedad (Jan 23, 2011)

your dogs live outside. then they go from the outside to the basement.



_unoriginal said:


> May get flack for this...
> 
> I had two Golden Retrievers growing up that lived outside 24/7. They had a 12x12x12 (no lid) outdoor kennel on a slab with a dog door to a 7x6 kennel in the garage. We lived in a neighborhood in the middle of nowhere and never (thank god) had an issue with anyone coming onto the property or messing with the dogs in any way.
> 
> ...


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## Shamrockmommy (Sep 10, 2009)

2 of the 4 dogs I have are not reliably house trained, unfortunately, and leaving my PWD to roam would ensure the house be raided of all substances that have a flavor! LOL She can open the cabinets, swipe anything off counters or tables, etc. I tried leaving her out once and she ate pretty much the entire contents of a trash can behind a cabinet door.


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## NutroGeoff (May 15, 2013)

Baxter is pretty well house trained. Every once in a while he will go to lift his leg on a couch or something but I tell him no and he stops.


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## Unosmom (May 3, 2009)

maybe if I had a 6 ft privacy fence. Uno can scale anything less than 5.5 ft and I really don't trust people nowadays. Even if I did have a fenced in yard, I would never leave him unattended, things happen, no matter how random they might be, I'd rather not risk it.


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## _unoriginal (Apr 8, 2012)

InkedMarie said:


> I don't understand people having outside dogs, except for livestock guardians and if they bring them in, why not with the family, why a basement? Yeah, I know a basement can be finished but I bet it's not.


To be perfectly honest, my family wanted a dog. Every person in my family wanted a dog, most of all _I_ wanted a dog. However having a dog in the house was not an option because of my medical issues (that I have since grown out of). All of my doctors said I shouldn't live in a house with a dog (or any furred or feathered animal). I couldn't spend time in friends' houses that had inside dogs. I couldn't be in my grandparents' house for more than a couple of hours at a time as they had a dog and 3 cats. But I really wanted a dog. We opted to keep the dog outside.


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## _unoriginal (Apr 8, 2012)

doggiedad said:


> your dogs live outside. then they go from the outside to the basement.


Yes, a handful of times, they did end up in the basement, temporarily. But they always would have rather to have been outside.


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## Celt (Dec 27, 2010)

I've had dogs who would rather be outside by themselves than inside. Didn't matter the weather, they were happiest outside. I know of 3 dogs that did themselves serious damage while in the crate. And several who "developed" issues from being crated for long periods. A crate, imo, is no more "safe" than a well made and stocked kennel or yard. Both have there pros and cons, like much else in keeping pets, this has to be a personal decision.


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## NutroGeoff (May 15, 2013)

See my dogs are pretty well supervised when they are outside. My mom is always home during the days and she sits by the window to the outside. So she is constantly looking out to check on them. That wasn't an issue when I was younger because we lived so far away from anyone. There was nobody close enough to do anything to my dogs. And they loved living outside just as much as they would have loved being inside. I was outside most of the day with them anyways. The only time they were ever in their cage was when I was at school. Anytime I was at the house I was outside "exploring" with them.


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## MollyWoppy (Mar 19, 2010)

I don't have a fenced back yard, but my pups go on a tie out at the front of the house for an hour or two most afternoons. The garage door is open and the door into the house is open so I can be right there is one of them barks for any reason. They do enjoy it, checking out the one or two people who walk around the culdesac, it keeps their brains busy thinking they are protecting the house. I'd love to have a fence around the backyard, but if I did and the dogs were outside, it would only ever be if I was home and if I had the doors open so they could come and go as they pleased. Thats just me, I don't want to annoy the neighbours as Mol can be a bit of a demand barker at times, and we also have people boating up and down the canal behind the house which means she has to ensure no-one even thinks of touching the dock, but also it's a precaution in case they get too hot or get bitten by fire ants or bee's or whatever, I just need to know they know they can come inside to safety. Same with the kitten, she's allowed outside to do her thing in the culdesac for an hour each late afternoon. Everyone knows her here, she never goes more than 4 houses away, plus she has a tracking device on so I can see where she is every 10-15 minutes or so. But, she adores going out, it satisfies her hunting and roaming instincts and when I call her or activate her beacon, she comes running home. I love that cat!


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## doggiedad (Jan 23, 2011)

how is lifting his leg on a couch "pretty well trained"? lol.



NutroGeoff said:


> Baxter is pretty well house trained. Every once in a while he will go to lift his leg on a couch or something but I tell him no and he stops.


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## NutroGeoff (May 15, 2013)

doggiedad said:


> how is lifting his leg on a couch "pretty well trained"? lol.


It's not very often. In fact, he hasn't done it in probably 8 or 9 months.


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## Tammy (Dec 30, 2013)

I have witnessed this question become a heated "discussion" on other forums, it can and has become hostile. Personally, even though I am in a very rural area my dogs are never out unattented. And being away from home with my dogs outside, regardless of how secure I thought they were, just would not work for me. The many things that could happen truly frighten me. My 2 are happy to snooze away inside, safe and sound, if they need to be left alone. I am fortunate to have one of the vet techs from my vet's office who can take them out for a potty break and romp to stretch their legs if all of us will be away for more than 4 hours. I know everyone does not have this option and I am very thankful that I do.


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## Shamrockmommy (Sep 10, 2009)

I can see why this topic would become heated. 
I've never been one to leave my guys outside for any amount of time. We always lived in town and you never know what neighbors or other passers by might do… 

THough recently, since we have a 10x25' pea gravel fenced potty area (we call it the kennel now for short!) and we are in the country, I've been leaving them out about an hour while I'm home (so I can clean w/out 4 dogs underfoot). 
I don't know if I'll be able to leave them out alone ever, but it's a nice idea, isn't it, in a perfect world where they would never get hurt, stolen, poisoned, etc.


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## NutroGeoff (May 15, 2013)

With the neighbors I have now and the fact that I truly do actually have neighbors, I wouldn't leave my dogs out unattended. I remember that when I was young, we had a small dog that someone poisoned by throwing a cheeseburger with rat poison in it over our fence. It was terrible.


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