Some Questions About Dog Ownership

[ash&elar]

Mine are inside and out as they please or as I say, Big girl is outside if im not home and the lil fella is crated inside.

We live in a rural area so walking isnt really necesarry for excercise or safe walking right next to the main road with trucks etc going past and now the weather is warming snakes are coming out.

I take the dogs in the car whenever possible and make sure they stay socialised. There is always so much going on in my house they do not get bored.

Julie does not care at all about the rain she runs around in it out in the yard!!! Fez isn't so keen, but likes the beach.

[claireybell]

We have a dog door and the girls come and go as they please.

They get a 20 minute walk in the mornings on leash and then a 40-60 minute walk of a night time off leash.

We dont walk in high winds as my cocker gets dust in her eyes and we end up at the vets. No issues walking in the rain though. For them anyway!

[KumaAkita]

We walk at 5:30 every weekday morning - regardless of the weather. I look like the Michelin man in winter with a beanie, a couple of coats, scarf, gloves, longjohns, trackies... Kuma's got his thick wooly coat, so he's fine! We will sometimes walk on weekends, but he will always have obedience or other longer play sessions on the weekend.

He has migrated to sleeping outside in his kennel as he's gotten older. He loves to lie on our concrete patio or in the dirt... He's inside when he wants to, but prefers to spend time outside. We are thinking we may have to keep inside on Saturday nights as the weather warms up and our neighbours start getting home late - last two saturday nights he's been barking at shaddows in the wee hours! Doesn't make for neighbourhood harmony

[Pawfect]

Mine start to dissolve if they get wet, so I can't take them out in the rain.

My Mum's grey is the same! She won't even eat her dinner if the clouds look dark (she eats outside cause she always needs to go to the toilet halfway through her meal!).

[Earthdog]

We have a dog door....which neither dog will use. The laundry door stays open except on cold winter nights. The dogs have free rein and can go wherever they want.

As for walking...one is OK if it's raining, the other isn't....she despises getting wet. I will walk them if it is sprinkling but not in heavy rain.

I too don't see the point of having a dog if it is kept outside 100% of the time and I think it's cruel to have a dog and not walk it....unless it has a medical condition that precludes walking or if someone lives on acreage and the dog has a lot of room to exercise in.

Well, short of cutting my dog's legs off or nailing him to the lounge, I am not going to insist he enter a situation that he finds extremely stressful. If you have some whizbang, surefire way of getting him to relax and be inside, I'd sure love to hear it.

And shock, horror, sometimes the Shihtzu sleeps outside too, especially when it is hot. The verandah is cool and tiled.

[Odin-Genie]

I have a dog door so the dogs come and go as they please. Though they spend most of their time inside lounging on bean bags!!

They usually get walked and taken to the dog park for about 1 hour every week day. It's usually more on weekends. However, when it rains they stay inside. My elkhound hates getting wet. My goldy would love a walk in the rain but she is prone to hotspots if she gets wet, and doesn't enjoy the drier. So she stays inside as well. We don't go for walks if it is too hot. None of my dogs can handle heat. On really hot days we go to the dog park late in the evening and let them stroll at their own pace.

[Jetty]

I don't see what the problem is of having dog who live outside. As long as they get the attention from there owners that they need still what is the problem?

Where does my dog live?

Mostly outside. He is in his crate inside when it is cold otherwise he is outside to sleep. He is happy with this and still gets plenty of attention.

How often do I walk my dog?

Once every few days or sometimes it can be more. As long as he has has mental and physical play/stimulation he does not need a walk at all. I like taking him for walks as often as I can though.

Do I walk my dog Rain, Hail or Shine?

No, I refuse to go outside in bad weather, plus I would prefer him not to get wet since he has a long coat.

[sandgrubber]

My dogs do vineyard chores with me . . . which means a few walks a day, rain or shine, off lead, over 13 acres, plus some swimming if they want.