Do people give you a hard time for having pets indoors?

[Vicki]

Ever since I got Star (2 year old german shepard) I have had people tell me I'm crazy for having her indoors. Does anyone else get this reaction for having pets indoors?

[DoggiesAreTheBest]

First of all, Welcome to Pet Talk!

I think alot of people thing that a big dog's place is not inside the house. Some even have think that no dog should be alowed inside. I beg to disagree! I, as well as other Pet Talkers, have big dogs that live indoors! Attitudes like that can be due to size or odors that some homes have when they have dogs inside.

I admit that before I had a dog of my own I didn't think they should live indoor because all the houses I went to were always smelly and dog hair was all over the place. But once I brought Draker home, I let him live inside. Sure, it takes more work to keep the shedding under control and my place never smells bad because my dog never smells bad. He has good hygene and I lkeep him as clean as I can.

Actually, I have been told that I am crazy for letting live inside. To me, Drake is a family memebr. I would never let my son live outside! His place is inside with his family! Little babies can often be a mess and smelly, would you put them outside and tie them to a tree? NO!

I see no porblem with it! If you are fine with Star in doors, who care what other think or say! It is your home not theirs.

[Presley]

Yes... Presley is indoors when we are, She goes outside only with me or if someone is here and they take her out on a leash. She is Never alone outside. My err friend who has Presley's sister thinks I am insane and that she should be outside and that we should move to another house with a bigger yard and so on. I told her if I wanted a dog to sit in a 14x8 dog run like her two labs do I wouldn't have got a dog in the first place. I sometimes wish people would mind their own business.. Presley is happy with us.. She is part of our family.

Melissa & Presley

[anna_66]

Oh, I understand this one! My dad always thought a dog was a dog not a human & why did we treat them like humans? They are my babies! I would never leave them out all the time, and hate when I see dogs that are. My dogs are out when they want to be & in when they want to be. I like them to be with me & they like to be with me! So who cares what anyone else thinks, they are yours and it's your home, do what you want to do & tell them to mind their own business! (Sorry, was that too blunt?)

[Albea]

Nobody has ever given me a hard time for having my dogs indoors and, if anybody ever does, I'll give the same answer as some other Pettalkers: It's my house, the dog is a family member, and it's nobody's business but mine.
I had a fence built in my backyard before I brought my first Golden puppy home and she loved to spend time outside but I never left her out unless I was here to check on her every couple of minutes. None of my dogs has ever stayed outside if I was not in the house. My current Golden, Carina, doesn't want to be out even for a short time unless I'm out with her too.
The thought of not allowing a dog in the house, no matter how big it is, is very objectionable to me.

[Tanya&Fritz]

My dogs are definitely indoor dogs! They would last about 5 minutes outside in the winter.

[mugsy]

People are ALWAYS telling us that. Now, I won't say our house is as clean as it could be because of the dogs, but I don't care...if people don't like it...stay away!! We have all of our 15 in the house unless they are out to get the stink blowed off! lol

[kobieeli]

We get laughed at all the time about how the dogs are allowed in the house--they come and go as they please through the doggy door, but they're mostly inside with us. They sleep on the bed at night, watch us cook in the kitchen, and lay at our feet during the day.

I actually feel sorry for people who live in showcase-like homes and never have an animal around. Our house is clean and never smells like dogs, but it isn't immaculate either--a nice happy medium. And our cars are "dogmobiles" stocked with frisbees, leashes, poop bags, and muddy paw towels, and with lots of nose prints on the windows! If our house bothers you, don't come over. If our cars bother you, don't ride with us. We won't change for other people's opinions!

[LoudLou]

Some people give us a hard time about Louie & The Beans, however, they are the same people who don't understand that we chose to have a dog and 2 cats instead of "skin-kids". They are also the people who never get invited to our home.
If you don't like "Angora-carpeting" on "Fur-Baby Calling Cards" (Hair on your clothes) then you needn't come to my home.

[Heather Wallace]

Yes I have had people moan about my cats, about their furr getting everywhere etc, I say If you don't like it don't come back!!!

[lizbud]

Not really because most of my friends consider their animals
as companions, friends , as a part of the family. I think the
outside only dog is a very old fashioned concept. I, for one
am glad it is.

[aly]

People don't give me a hard time about all my animals being indoors so much as they give me a hard time because my life revolves around them. I don't like to go out with friends at night because I hate the thought of them being alone. I take them everywhere with me that they are allowed to go. I carry Reece and Tobi around like babies. I even wrap Tobi in a baby blanket.

My dogs never set foot outside unless I'm with them, and the cat never goes outside period. When people come to my shelter and put on their application that their dog will be 100% outdoors, it really infuriates me. Why get a dog if they are not allowed to come inside and be a part of the family? I always explain to them that dogs are pack animals and need to be with their pack. They are also denied a dog from us. I wish I could tell them that if they want a lawn ornament, they should try Kmart.

[Cincy'sMom]

Many of us at work are animal lovers. Between the 5 females that work in the lab we have 6 dogs, 3 fish, 2 guinea pigs, 2 horses, 1 rabbit and an uncoutable number of cats (and this is downsizing, after one friend had to get rid of 3 horses, a goat, a donkey and had one dog go to RB), however there are only two males who work back there and neither have any pets. One of these males, claims to like dogs "in their place" and his definiton of that is "outside in the yard" He is almost horrified that we we all let our dogs into our homes and our beds. Okay, the beds is extreme for some people and I can understand that, but like Aly said, dogs are pack animals. They belong, inside where their pack lives!

And most my friend at work ( who love dogs)have decided they could alost take or leave dogs compared to me (meaning I too let my life revolve around my dog) Okay, so I take them to classes, train them and when I know we are going to be out all evening, I take them to dayschool so they get companionship and exercise when we can't do it. Right now, they are my only babies and I want to do everything I can for them. I may not be able to afford as much when we have skin babies, I do what I can for them (not that I will forget them later )

[shais_mom]

We grew up with one outside dog. He stayed outside all the time. My sister got her dog Scooby-Doo about 4 mos before I got Shaianne. And my mom was throwing a fit b/c of an inside dog. Then I got Shaianne and everyone joked that my house was so small it was like her dog house. Then I got the cat. Now I have Keegan. I can understand that people have animals outside, I would be a big hypocrite if I didn't but I certainly don't like it. I will not have an outside dog again.
I have been getting comments behind my back at work from the one person that doesn't like me about my dark scrubs and the fuzz on them even tho I have all sorts of lint removers to take it off. That is the only problem I have had.
My mom doesn't like inside dogs but b/c she loves me she accepts my dogs in her house. Even when my sister brings her dog up and I assumed she would make him sleep in the garage in the crate she said 'oh no, he isnt used to that'. Even after Shaianne peed,pooped, and puked all in the same day she let her come back. And Keegan being a baby she had several accidents she still allows her in the house. Even my grandmas let my dogs in their houses. I just make sure they are either on leash or at least behave. I like so many other pettalkers when people say something to me I say, "My life, my house".

[anna_66]

Originally posted by aly
...they give me a hard time because my life revolves around them.
...Why get a dog if they are not allowed to come inside and be a part of the family?
...I wish I could tell them that if they want a lawn ornament, they should try Kmart.

I agree 100%, I was just saying the same thing last night to one of my friends. Aly, it was the friends who just got the puppy Memphis-OMG she's so tiny (not quite 8 wks yet) and such a roughian, sounds like she's gonna eat you up! I took pics and when I get it developed (next week) I'll post them. I can't wait for everyone to see her!