"Outdoor Dogs"

[KYS]

Karen,

To bad you can not report them, but I am
not even shure if chaining up a dog is even illegal in some counties, as long as their fed,have some type of shelter,not beaten and their barking does not
disturb the neighbors.
I feel so much safer with my dogs inside at night. My dogs are pretty spoiled.
The minute I get home from work,
They all want to come in and watch T.V. with me and get belly rubs.

[ktreva52]

In Indiana, the law states that any dog tied up outside must be on a 12' tieout with a dog house and water. What a lot of these people do not realize is that while the dog is outside, it has taken the role of alpha in its "territory" and that causes a lot of problems. Especially if there are kids in the neightborhood that aggravate the animal.
When I was young, we kept the dogs outside because they were "outside animals" (according to my father). That changed when my mother got a Samoyed from a woman at church who had always been inside, so Sam had to be inside and they've had nothing but indoor dogs since. As for the "manners" thing, a little basic obedience will cure that, but I suspect that most of these people consider dogs "just animals with fur coats" and have no clue that dogs have emotions or feelings. Of course, most people think I'm crazed to believe that, but I've seen it in their eyes and actions and thought about it a lot since I started teaching obedience. All my dogs have been indoor dogs and I just can hardly stand the thought of those dogs outside all the time. They get lonely and destructive and miss the security of the pack so much. What's the sense???????

[This message has been edited by ktreva52 (edited November 16, 2000).]

[Smilla]

My parents' dogs love going outside as well, but when they want in, they want in! Katie has managed to tear a hole in a couple of the screen doors, and has learned to wrap a fat paw around the opening and bang the door when she wants in.

There is so much activity with dogs going in and out at my parents' house, that my sister and I ended up buying the same shirt as a Christmas present last year--luckily, for different parents. It can be found at signals.com and says, "Agenda for the Day: Let dog in, let dog out, let dog in, let dog out".

One of MY favorite shirts, by the way, is one that confesses (albeit, in French), "J' embrasse mon chein sur la bouche!" (Translation: I kiss my dog on the mouth!) I always get strange looks when I wear it, and I'm never sure whether it's because the people don't know French...or do.

[This message has been edited by Smilla (edited November 16, 2000).]

[teena]

I would feel so guilty leaving my dogs outside all the time. My two have their choice of inside or outside during the day and seem to prefer the comfort of the couch I couldn't imagine looking out my sliding glass door with those pitiful faces staring in at me.

[RachelJ]

Originally posted by Smilla:


One of MY favorite shirts, by the way, is one that confesses (albeit, in French), "J' embrasse mon chein sur la bouche!" (Translation: I kiss my dog on the mouth!) I always get strange looks when I wear it, and I'm never sure whether it's because the people don't know French...or do.

[This message has been edited by Smilla (edited November 16, 2000).]

Smilla, Where did you get that one? I have got to have it.

[Smilla]

Rachel,

I got it through "Signals" too (their magazine), though it was years ago--like seven. I seem to recall trying to order one for my sister a couple of years later and they no longer had it, though the woman I spoke to said it had been very popular. It might be worth a call to them if you're interested--maybe they've resurrected it.

They had shirts for "mon chat" too, and I think a couple of other animals. My shirt is grey with aqua lettering, and has a picture of a little scottie dog on it...wearing a beret!

Try signals.com for Contact Information.


[This message has been edited by Smilla (edited November 17, 2000).]

[dukiemom]

I clipped this out of a newspaper years ago:
Alone Again...
I wish someone would tell me what it is
That I've done wrong.
Why I have to stay chained up and
Left alone so long.
They seemed so glad to have me when
I came here as a pup.
There were so many things we'd do
While I was growing up.
They couldn't wait to train me as a
Companion and a friend.
And told me how they'd never fear
Being left alone again.
The children said they'd feed me and
Brush me every day.
They'd play with me and walk me
If I could only stay.
But now the famiy "Hasn't Time"
They often said I shed.
They do not want me in the house
Not even to be fed.
The children never walk me
They always say, "NOT NOW!"
I wish that I could please them
Won't someone tell me how?
All I had, you see, was love,
I wish they would explain
Whey they said they wanted me
Then left me on a chain?
Anonymous

[Pam]

Beautiful poem DukieMom!!!!!!!!!! Thank you so much for sharing it. It was lovely and so true!

[karen israel]

EXACTLY!! SOB! SOB! WEEP! WEEP! SNIFFLE! SNIFFLE!

[strawberry_puff13]

A lot of people keep their dogs outside, not because they're mean, because the dog is to destructive, large, or one of numerous other reasons.
We have an inside dog--he's a Chihuahua/Pikenese mix, but when he wants outside we let him out. We also have an outside dog, she's a German Shepherd. We kept her inside until she was about 8 months old and she loved it outside In the winter when it's cold we let her come in at night, but she goes out the next morning.
Mabey when she's older and calms down some we can bring her in more often, but not until then.
We leave her out mostly because she is a guard dog. We live in the woods, and robberies and break-ins have been reported where we live Inside she would never know if someone was out side thinking about coming in.
Our small dog stays inside because he small and we wouldn't want a cyote or bear to get him( we have seen them)!
We'll thats all I have to say!