How do you feel about outside only pets?

[greysandmoregreys]

I'm sure this question has been asked many times but I hadn't seen any threads on it so figure I would ask

I'm kinda in a toss up about outside only pets. That being dogs, cats, you know the normal house pets.

I understand that it would be tough to have an inside horse or cow and these are known as pets also so just trying to clarify

I know that when I was young our family had a GSD that just hated to be inside for any lenght of time. She loved to just lay outside and soak up the sun and enjoy what was going on around her outside. She would come in and after about 5 min would be whining to go back outside.

So what are everyones thoughts?

[aly]

I strongly disagree with outside only pets. I think if you adopt/buy/find an animal, you are making a committment to take this animal as a part of your life and family. Their emotional well-being is just as important as their physcial well-being. My heart breaks for the animals that spend their lives in a backyard looking inside at their "family" on the other side of the door

[Tollers-n-Dobes]

I don't like it when dogs are being kept outside at all but when I was younger my family had to dog-sit a German Shepherd and he LOVED to be outside, we didn't like that he was living outside all the time but as soon as we brought him back in the house he would run to the door and bark, whine and scratch at the door because he wanted out again so finally we gave up and let him go outside. He always had plenty of water, toys and also a dog house incase he got too hot though, we also spent alot of time outside with him too so he wouldn't get lonely, he had very thick fur and was alwasy really hot in the house so I think that's why he liked to be outside. At night we brought him in the house. Generally I hate it when dogs are kept outside!

Oh and I just wanted to add that if this was my personal dog I wouldn't have wanted him to be outside all the tme but obviously he had lived outside for 7 years and living with us for a week I wasn't going to make him stay in the house.

[guster girl]

I wouldn't personally ever have a pet strictly outside. But, as long as the pet is well nourished, given the attention it needs, and, has proper shelter, I'm ok with it. My neighbors had two outside dogs and they spent a lot of time with them. I've seen more neglect with outsdie pets than I have with inside pets, for sure. But, honestly, those people shouldn't have pets at all. Even if they were kept inside, they wouldn't be cared for. I completely disagree with a dog on a tie out for any length of time, though.

[binka_nugget]

I think anyone adopting/buying a pet should only do it if they're willing to make the pet a part of the family and keep it indoors for a majority of the time.

However, if the dog liked being outside (and the yard was well secured), I wouldn't have a problem with leaving the door open so the dog could come in and out as it wished.

[cali]

depends, I know my moms boss was denied a dog he wanted to adopt because it would be outside only, here is the thing...the guys buisness is on his land, he owns the buisess, the dogs have full run of the office building, which is larger then his hous,e they also sleep in the garage, which is attached to the house, but my moms boss is also ONLY indoors to sleep, otherwise he is always outside, his wife is also outside all the time because she has a little hobby farm, with chickens and a garden etc.. they are still learning about dogs but they are very willing to learn and have lots of refernces from various people, my mom included, as well as breeders etc... the guy just wants to rescue dogs, unfortinaly all the rescues deny him for the sole reason of that the dogs will not be indoor only. he did end up rescuing a dog a little while ago, a keesie mix girl that was found dumped on the highway.

[Fox-Gal]

There are cases where there might not be a choice in the matter. Case in point, My Odie. He is a full time outside dog and yes I have been given H@#l for it by some people.

What they don't relize is when I got Odie, he was beaten with in a inch of his life and the shelter called him un-adoptable, because of his behaiver. So I took him in before he was to be put down.

I tried for years to get him, house trained, for that matter just to get him not afraid of the house. What ever happened to Odie, had to happen in a house and he has never recovered from it. He will come in side, if the front door is left open, but once it's closed, he do anything to get back out.

So here where my chooses. 1, to have him live outside and be happier or 2, I could have let the shelter put him down, because they belived he was un-adoptable at the time. I choice outside over being put to sleep any day.

Of course over the years sense I have had him, he now would be adoptable, but still would be a outside dog, no matter who got him..........And he's mine now and I love him, so we do the best we can by him, to make his outside life good and happy.

And if you ever came over and meet Odie, you say what everyone says when they see him........"That's one happy dog."

Even Tuffy and Cannilla are outside most of the time even though the both have the choice to come inside when ever they want. They just like it outside. Except when the weather turns cold, then you will find them inside.

Outside doesn't always mean a bad thing. Inside is better of course, but with the right housing outside, lots of love and caring, time spent with them, outside is not all that bad. Just don't let me see a outside dog chained up, living in a small area with not much human time......... Then I'll raise H#$L.

[pitc9]

I feel bad for those poor animals left outside all the time. I try to understand... but it still upsets me. People will say most Northern breed dogs, Malamutes, Huskies... etc.. like to be outside. That may be the case, but I still feel bad for them.

[Tollers-n-Dobes]

Originally posted by pitc9
I feel bad for those poor animals left outside all the time. I try to understand... but it still upsets me. People will say most Northern breed dogs, Malamutes, Huskies... etc.. like to be outside. That may be the case, but I still feel bad for them.

That's how I felt with the GSD I had to dog-sit but he wouldn't stay inside no matter how hard I tried but he seemed happy outside so after a couple of days I gave up and left him there but he was allowed to come in whenever he wanted too

[micki76]

I think some dogs probably DO prefer to be outside, whether they’re scared of the indoors, or just like it outside. Some, like my Millie, like to be outside all day (even if we’re home), but come evening, she wants to be with inside us. (I have a pet door, so mine go in and out at their leisure.)

Chester prefers the indoors for the majority of the day.

Now, behind us there’s a husky mix that’s miserable. He’s outside 24/7/365. He howls, barks, digs, and make a HUGE nuisance of himself to the entire neighborhood because he’s bored. This is the type of outside dog that burns me up. They NEVER have any time for him, or take him inside. EVER. He gets food and that's about it for attention.

The people next to me treat their “yard” dogs pretty much the same way, yet they have a toy poodle inside. This one I really don’t get. They got all 3 as puppies, so I know the Dal & Lab weren’t too afraid to be inside, or they could’ve been crate trained. They do at least put them in the garage at night, and their dogs don’t bark (unlike the husky mix). They don’t get much attention.

On the other side of us are two dogs that are only out during the day. They go in at night and sleep in a crate. One’s a heeler and one’s a beagle. They don’t disrupt and are honestly happier playing and sunbathing during the day than they would be in crates. They get playtime and attention.

[Glacier]

I have one dog who is strictly outdoors. Kayleigh comes in very rarely. She hates being inside. Generally, she comes in, gets a treat and waits at the door to go back outside. There are a number of reasons why Kayleigh is an outside dog. First she's a malamute-wolf hybrid. She has an astonishing coat and she overheats in minutes in the house. Second, she has an out of control prey drive. I have to lock up all my cats for Kayleigh to come inside. Third, she is dog aggressive and none of the other dogs can be inside while she is. I refuse to make Preacher spend any more time outside than he has to. His health won't take it. Kayleigh is young and extremely healthy.

Had I known what I know now about Kayleigh, I probably wouldn't have adopted her and she would be dead. Had the shelter known what I know about Kayleigh she would have been declared unadoptable and put down. That would have been a tragedy.

That said, I adore Kayleigh. She's a wonderful dog in many ways. I make a special effort to spend time with her. If I'm going for a long hike in the middle of nowhere, Kayleigh is always the dog who comes with me. I make a point of giving her extra attention since she doesn't get house time. If my hubby is working in his shop, he often takes Kayleigh in there with him. We are working on a way to build her an enclosure attached to the shop so she can come and go out of there at will & still keep the other dogs safe.

As for the Northern breed thing, if I'm outside in the winter and my hands get cold, I go stick them on Kayleigh's belly! She melts snow even at -40C! My dogs are happier and much more active at -20C than they are at 20C. Most of mine do come in at night, but sometimes they absolutely refuse to! I've rarely seen them use a doghouse. I waste alot of money buying straw for their houses that they kick out into the snow! I know mushers who have survived a night in the bush by having their dogs sleep on top of them in the sled basket. They give off an amazing amount of heat!

Generally, I think dogs should be part of the family. But I know lots of sled dogs who have never seen the inside of building who get more interaction with their owners than some inside dogs. It's just as easy to ignore a dog inside as it is to ignore one outside. I know inside dogs who spend long hours in their crates, even when someone is home.

[GoldenRetrLuver]

Molly and Daisy are indoor/outdoor dogs.
They have doghouses in our backyard patio with nice, big beds inside of them for when we're not here (school, work, etc). Our patio is pretty large, so when they do have to spend part of the day outside, they're protected from the cold weather, wind, rain, etc.

Here's a picture of it:


They also have indoor beds, which they usually sleep on at night. They both love to be outside, but of course, prefer to be inside with us, where they are for a huge majority of the time.

Our cats are also indoor only, as well as our cockatiels and our hamster. Our six desert tortoises are kept outside. When they were smaller, they had an area in the back of the yard which was covered, so birds and other animals that might be considered a threat couldn't get to them. Now since they've gotten bigger, my dad built a "playhouse" kind of room for them which is out in the backyard, attached to the garage. They go in there when it's time for them to hibernate. Otherwise, they usually have "free roam" of the backyard. (Don't worry, the dogs don't bother them, and vice versa. )

I hate to see dogs and cats left outside 24/7. The family next to us has two Chihuahuas which are almost ALWAYS left outside. They used to have a Dalmation, which was tied to a tree 24/7 a few years ago. I don't know what happened to her.

On the other side of us, there's a family who has a Chow, which I've rarely seen welcomed inside as well.

I'll never understand why people get a dog or a cat, and leave them outside in the yard 24/7, with no attention. It's just not right.

[Miranda_Rae]

First off I don't like outside animals. For one, they are social creatures, and I really don't know why anyone would want to have them outside when they could have them inside.

Second my family has 2 outside cats. Now before you get mad at me, let me explain. We have a heated shop and they are in that most of the time. Second they get ALL of their shots, and third my parents don't want them in the house because they are pretty allergic to cats and they don't want them in the house. Believe me I want them in the house SO very bad, but unfortunately I am not the boss of the house so I can't say, "The cats are going be inside only", I have to obey my parents. I would LOVE to have them in the house, as strickly inside cats only, but unfortunately I don't have control over that.

One of the reasons I have never mentioned our cats before is I was afraid that people would get angry with me, and start saying nasty things to me when i don't have control of whether they are inside or not. Believe me I would LOVE to have them inside, but its a no-win situation for me.

My extended family are farm people and they believe that the place whre a dog should be is outside, ESPECIALLY if it has long hair, and I do not agree with them. I have gotten some flax from people about MY dog being in MY house.

Anyho, I am just saying that I think any animal that a person has they should be INSIDE with them.

[Kfamr]

I really don't agree with it, and that's all i'm going to say.

[DogLover9501]

I really don't like when pets are kept outside.

I do believe that they CAN be happy if they are in a fenced area with alot of room to roam, with a warm place to sleep, and still get to spend lots of time with their owners, I still would never do that to my pets, and its rare(as most outside pets don't get the proper care/attention).

Way too many people get puppies because they are so cute or because their children want them, and then the puppies grow and the children get tired of them and they are tied up outside 24/7, that's what happened with many people in my family.

My cousin has a dog who is tied up all day long and gets to sleep inside, I still don't agree with that because he can't fit into his dog house and his chain is about 2-3 feet long even though they have a huge yard.

So I basically disagree with outside pets 100%.