Dogs Inside Or Outside

[Parkeyre]

No worries Parkeyre, and I'm sorry I chose your post to reply to. Could have picked one of several. I just don't think people get that some dogs, despite the intentions and hopes? of owners, do not like being indoors. My outside boy has won his class at obedience, he is a velcro dog OUTSIDE.

I could never leave him there and not have any interaction with him. He has no desire to follow the little ones inside at night. He has a bed on the verandah and another in the enclosed carport.

:D

[JulesP]

My outside dog gives me plenty of 'companionship and company'. I spend a lot of time with him. Training him, walking him, just hanging out with him. I would like him to come in but that ain't going to happen, I would rather he be relaxed and content outside than stressed to the max inside. Would not be fair on him. He refuses to come IN the door, what am I supposed to do? Lug him inside and superglue him somewhere?

When I started working from home I thought it would be nice to have a dog in the house with me. So I popped a bed in my study and went and got Brock. Normally the dogs stay in the kitchen when inside. No way in hell would he come into my study, which is off the kitchen. I had to put a lead on him in the end. After 30 mins of him laying there stressed and panting I let him back out. The girls don't mind being inside and one of them prefers to sleep in.

[poodlefan]

My outside dog gives me plenty of 'companionship and company'. I spend a lot of time with him. Training him, walking him, just hanging out with him. I would like him to come in but that ain't going to happen, I would rather he be relaxed and content outside than stressed to the max inside. Would not be fair on him. He refuses to come IN the door, what am I supposed to do? Lug him inside and superglue him somewhere?

When I started working from home I thought it would be nice to have a dog in the house with me. So I popped a bed in my study and went and got Brock. Normally the dogs stay in the kitchen when inside. No way in hell would he come into my study, which is off the kitchen. I had to put a lead on him in the end. After 30 mins of him laying there stressed and panting I let him back out. The girls don't mind being inside and one of them prefers to sleep in.

Don't forget that a dog's preferences are shaped by early life experiences. If he wasn't allowed inside as a pup, he'd be unlikely to be comfortable straight away as an adult. He'd have to be conditioned to relax there.

On the other hand, if you bought a puppy home and gave it the option of being inside or out, I wonder what most would choose - my guess is a combination of both.

[Rozzie]

And that is the problem with my dog. He was chained outside from 8 weeks to 3 months (not by me) when he was picked up with the collar embedded in his neck. This needed to be surgically removed. He had a huge issue with collars too, understandably.

[poodlefan]

And that is the problem with my dog. He was chained outside from 8 weeks to 3 months (not by me) when he was picked up with the collar embedded in his neck. This needed to be surgically removed. He had a huge issue with collars too, understandably.

You really do want to shoot some people don't you :

[Rozzie]

Absolutely. It just goes to show the temperament of my dog though. He could have turned out very different from the dog he is today. Whoever bred him did a good job. He has a serious indent around his neck.

Edited January 13, 2011 by Rozzie

[Toolz]

And that is the problem with my dog. He was chained outside from 8 weeks to 3 months (not by me) when he was picked up with the collar embedded in his neck. This needed to be surgically removed. He had a huge issue with collars too, understandably.

aww your poor doggy!!

at least he now has a loving home where he is spoiled rotten

[Pollywaffle]

There will always be arguements for and against the indoor versus outdoor keeping of dogs as there is with everything, but my point is... why argue about something that should be a personal choice. People should worry more about what they are doing themselves and less about judging others.

I think many of those who keep their dogs outside are neither aware of those arguments nor of the responsiblity they have to ensure that their dog's needs are met. I've said either can be done well but the onus on spending time with an outside only dog is higher.. and frequently not acknowledged.

I think many dog owners don't even consider the issue. Dogs are outside because "that's where dogs belong". Asking them to explain why reveals those cultural perceptions I posted out earlier.

Point out that physically isolating a social, pack animal is not natural for the dog and they look at you like you're crazy. I've got two of these kinds of owners as close neighbours. And I get to listen to their dogs.. a lot.

Couldn't agree more.

My point about being judgemental is more based on the OPs mention that her neighbour " seems good in every other way"

This is according to OP measured against her standards.

My comment was made more as an observation than a judgement..sorry if it sounded the latter...

Don't be sorry, all good.

I was not having a go at you at all.

Also just making an observation how often we tend to think that others are not up to scratch if they do not do or believe in the same as us. You are not alone with this. We all do it from time to time. :D

True..guess this whole posting has shown me that there are very definite arguments for and against inside/outside...and it's not necessarily 'cruel' for dogs to be kept outside if they are treated right. I guess it all comes down to how the dog is treated generally. I feel better about my neighbour's approach because of all your thoughtful/considered responses...thank you for enlightening me!

[fbc]

I think its totally personal choice and provided that the dogs/s are cared for and maintained it shouldnt matter whether indoor or outdoor.

My 3 are predominantly outside dogs however thats not to say they dont come inside. 1 of them definately prefers being outdoors and will actually whine to go out after about half an hour. I do make sure they have dry and clean or cool beding/sleeping arangements I also spend time both outside and inside with them.

Ive seen dogs that have been considered neglected living indoors before so by saying indoors is better is not necasarily true it comes down to the individual and their capability to look after their pets.

[fuzzy82]

I am European too, and where I am from we keep dogs inside, with the family. I believe it's mostly a cultural thing that Australians keep dogs outside.

Both of my dogs are inside dogs. They never go out in the backyard on their own, and they don't want to. They want to be around me all the time, and will always hang out in the same room as me. When we go out my puppy is crated and my adult dog is loose in the house. Neither of them have separation anxiety and they are both housetrained. I couldn't even imagine keeping a dog outside.

IMO, leaving a dog outside all day while you are at work encourages barking, digging and fence jumping.

[Sam the man]

Sam is outside during the day (in a large fenced area attached to the house) but inside at night after he has his late afternoon walk. He comes inside too when there is heavy rain or storms. There is no way I would leave him outside at night time.

[Monah]

i had a dog with a collar embedded too he ended up being with us for 15 years!

neither he or the female acd we got aged 7, had ever been indoors. they got used to it pretty fast! and so did the bc we have most of the time.

I"m sure many dogs are OK outside if they are part of life ie. herding, going to work etc.

I worked on a lot of farms. The dogs did do a lot with the farmers, but there were also often extended times when they did not.

I know out west here, many are chained most of the time and have even seen just a shrub for shelter.

Mine are indoors, I dont know any different.

I think they do get a lot of enrichment and training indoors too. Mine know 'stuff; :D

they know what is in every cupboard, which phone makes what ring, where everyhting is ie, I can ask them to find something or a person and they do. There is a lot to learn indoors. they also know a large variety of language and pick words out of sentences, I guess that's not from beiing indoors, but it is from being with us all the time. My boychild is in the navy, if I say something like, I wonder if shane is ok? the girls go rushing to his room, look outside when the room is empty etc... have to be very careful! I can also ask them to find each of the 4 cats by name, no problem.

No separation issues either. they sleep in crates at night together but if I go out during the day one is in one room and one another, so they are not dependent on one another.

they do outdoor stuff too of course, agility, flyball, heaps of activities.

I find an indoor dog is incredibly tuned in to the family. I guess I have not experienced anything else so dont know. Our additions who were outdoors only before we go them,

took a fair while to 'know' stuff, but took full use of the furniture!! ;)

ours are just where we are, if we are in the patio, car, pool, boat, beach, cafe,, sofa, floor, table, shower, loo! , mowing, visiting the neighbours.....they are there. ;)

Edited January 13, 2011 by Monah

[Gayle.]

Don't forget that a dog's preferences are shaped by early life experiences. If he wasn't allowed inside as a pup, he'd be unlikely to be comfortable straight away as an adult. He'd have to be conditioned to relax there.

Well, I'd kind of dispute that. I've had Isaak since he was 8 weeks old, he came to be from a very reputable breeder who still owns the back half of him (I get the eating half, she gets the puppy-making half ;-)

He was inside from day 1, while I was at work, til he got big enough to run with the other Aussies and not get hurt (to be honest, I think I erred on the side of caution there). He slept uncrated in our room til he was 8 months old.

Then the shoe fetish started. He ate 3 pairs of brand new shoes, not to mention my glasses and a few other things off my bedside table....either while I was in the shower or asleep. In the end I couldn't trust him so he got put in the pergola to sleep, where he was quite happy and settled right away.

He's now 9 months old and last night I thought it might be nice to have him back in the bedroom. So I put everything up and away, secured the sliding wardrobe doors with planks of wood laid in the tracks, and brought him in to bed.

He jumped on Dusty and humped her head. He tried to bite her muzzle, then he leapt all over me. I pushed him off and put him on his bed so he started on Dusty again. Then he started pacing, whining and being a general annoying pest. I said "Bed! Now!" and he went to the back door and stood there til I let him out and I didn't hear a peep out of him all night.

He met me at the door for breakfast, happy as can be.

[wuffles]

IMO, leaving a dog outside all day while you are at work encourages barking, digging and fence jumping.

Personally I think it would not be healthy for my dogs to be inside while we're at work. They need fresh air and the stimulation that being outside provides them. Sure, they dig, they bark... they are dogs. One is a young working breed, she doesn't want to sleep all day, she wants to play and run and dig up old bones and splash in puddles and annoy her older companion.

Not saying this is right for all dogs... some would be happier inside. But it's an individual choice depending on the dogs and the owner's lifestyle.

[MadWoofter]

As others have said, I think there's a huge difference between a pet that lives outside yet is given adequate attention, whether that be through working or training or just being around people, and a dog that is (as someone else said) left to rot.

Tess is very much an indoor dog. Not only that, she's a sofa & bed dog too ! Fleming however is much happier outside hiding under a bush. Mind you, they had vastly different backgrounds - Tess was given the basics but no attention/affection, while Fleming was a fairly major abuse case. He is much happier in a situation where he feels 'safe' and that usually means outside under a bush where he can hide (or under the coffee table when he's inside)

When I'm home they can go where they want - Tess is usually on the closest sofa or bed, or velcroed to my side, and Fleming will be in one of 3 spots in the yard. He does come in by himself of an evening and likes nothing better than to stretch out at my feet.

I do however keep them inside when I'm out - mostly because I live on a corner and there are some stupendously thick people around who think that racing their dog(s) up my fenceline & stirring my dogs up is considered fun. I keep them inside when I'm out so they don't get too stressed by the idiots (and don't disturb the neighbours). I know that Fleming is OK with this as he doesn't stress out when he is inside, but I know he'd prefer to be out.

A lifetime ago I went out with a guy who was a farmer, and I was distraught that he chained his dog up at night and it slept in a kennel and was never allowed inside. Now I know that the dog got huge amounts of attention - he was let off the chain at first light, they were always out together even if they weren't working, and for a macho Aussie country bloke that dog got more than it's fair share of pats & cuddles. It's the quality of life that counts.

[blue.amstaff]

I can't personally see how a Dog can be your companion if he lives outside all the time, unless of course the owner spends a great deal of time outside, training, gardening, entertaining, working etc. Otherwise I can't work it out.

But that being said, if the Dog is well cared for and all his needs are met, then whatever floats your boat.

[Henrietta]

A lifetime ago I went out with a guy who was a farmer, and I was distraught that he chained his dog up at night and it slept in a kennel and was never allowed inside. Now I know that the dog got huge amounts of attention - he was let off the chain at first light, they were always out together even if they weren't working, and for a macho Aussie country bloke that dog got more than it's fair share of pats & cuddles. It's the quality of life that counts.

Now, that life is definitely a far cry from your suburban outside dog similar to what PF is describing, you know the type who is tossed some food on a regular basis, perhaps yelled at for barking, acknowledged occasionally and that's about it.

Personally, I'm an inside dog kind of person and my dogs are inside kind of dogs. They love to be with you most of the time. There are times they choose to wander off to do their own thing of course, but mostly they want to be around or at least in the same room (unless they find a comfortable spot in the air-conditioning and I have to be somewhere else... I can get stuffed then lol. We go outside to play and train and they obviously wander outside during the day to explore or toilet or lie on the sun or the cool patio.

I love the quiet contentment that is having your dogs in the same room as you whilst you study/read/watch TV and I'm sure they love it too.

Edit spelling and adding stuff

Edited January 13, 2011 by Henrietta

[JulesP]

My outside dog gives me plenty of 'companionship and company'. I spend a lot of time with him. Training him, walking him, just hanging out with him. I would like him to come in but that ain't going to happen, I would rather he be relaxed and content outside than stressed to the max inside. Would not be fair on him. He refuses to come IN the door, what am I supposed to do? Lug him inside and superglue him somewhere?

When I started working from home I thought it would be nice to have a dog in the house with me. So I popped a bed in my study and went and got Brock. Normally the dogs stay in the kitchen when inside. No way in hell would he come into my study, which is off the kitchen. I had to put a lead on him in the end. After 30 mins of him laying there stressed and panting I let him back out. The girls don't mind being inside and one of them prefers to sleep in.

Don't forget that a dog's preferences are shaped by early life experiences. If he wasn't allowed inside as a pup, he'd be unlikely to be comfortable straight away as an adult. He'd have to be conditioned to relax there.

On the other hand, if you bought a puppy home and gave it the option of being inside or out, I wonder what most would choose - my guess is a combination of both.

Well I have 3 dogs all from the same breeder. All came home at the same age. All got treated the same from day one in regards to in/out.

Brock appears uncomfortable in the house and wants out. Happy to be in the kitchen for an hour or so at night. He is happy to be rescued from nasty weather.

Poppy is happier in the house and will venture out of the kitchen but is happy outside. She doesn't try and sneak inside.

Amber pretty much tries to get in the house. If I put her out at night she is plastered at the glass door with a sad face. Think she would be fairly happy to be in for most of the time.

So three dogs, same up bringing and different preferences.

[Gayle.]

My dogs don't dig, we have beautiful gardens and while they squash a few plants by sleeping on them, they don't dig them up. They don't jump fences, and the one that had a barking problem barked when we were home, when he was inside, when I was outside playing with him....he just loved the sound of his own voice. That's now under control and none of them bark much except at strangers coming by.

They are too active, too interested in everything and enjoy playing with each other too much to leave inside while we're at work. They are much better off outside where they can do what they love doing.

[Crisovar]

If someone wont allow a dog inside why bother with the mess and trouble they make? Those owners would rarely see the dog. Buy a fish instead. Dogs need company, live outside, or allow the dog inside.

People from the UK do allow the dog inside and they allow them on transport too. Australians are well behind.

I guess it does depend on your lifestyle and where you live but considering the wonderful outdoor life we have and how mild our climate is we spend much of our time outside. I disagree with the bolded comment, you would maybe not see an outside but I can assure you I would. We live in Australia, we enjoy and active outside lifestyle, many happy healthy dogs do live outside and spend considerable time with their owners.

How do you feel about dogs that spend all day locked in side then see their owners for a short time after work before the flit off to other social activities. Do not judge others on how you live.