Originally posted by Scooby4
It takes a really sick person to assume a dog being kept outside is just a yard ornament. What do you think of horses in fields? A trophy?
Assuming mistreatment of animals is a big assumption and done by very small judgemental people. What do you think when you drive by a homeless person? They should be inside your house 24/7? It's okay for a homeless person to sleep outside but not a dog? If your so concerned about a dog being outside, then you should have no problem allowing a homeless person live with you too!
By the way, my next door neighbor has 2 rescued fawn colored Dobies. They are kept outside with cover and are really great dogs! However, my other neighbor next door has 3 yippee yappee pomeranians they keep inside and they are the MOST uncontrollable loud dogs in the neighborhood. The owner's mistreat them and use them as trophy dogs. So don't tell me that inside dogs aren't trophies and kept as ornaments for the owners. I often feel sorry for those dogs as they NEVER get the attention as the Dobie's do. And they are outside ALL the time!

I dont even understand most of this. Whatever. I have no idea what homeless people have to do with this.... I'm pretty sure those homeless people would MUCH prefer sleeping inside in a warm bed. Horses are obviously livestock, and probably couldn't fit through the door of a house. Most dogs only serve the purpose of being a PET. Why does anyone need a PET if the only purpose it serves is to sit outside? Would YOU like to sit outside in a yard all day, with barely 10-20 minutes of attention from the owner that you devote your life to? The reason I refered to keeping a dog outside 24/7 as keeping it as a backyard ornament, is because 99% of the time (as far as I've seen, and I have volunteered for rescues and shelters for 4 years) when people keep their dogs in the backyard, the dogs are alone out there, just for looks, or for the person's own sick enjoyment. Big deal if they go out to feed them and spend 10 minutes with them. The dogs needs are often overlooked, they're undersocialized and waay underexercised. The fact is, there are good owners and neglectful owners. SOME situations are better for the dog to be outside (healthy working dogs, people who work outside with them). MOST are not, in the suburban/city world we live in.

Also, I wanted to add that MY wonderful, amazingly reliable Border Collie was once also a wreck in the house. We got him at 8 months old from people who owned a cattle ranch and bred him, who kept him outside 24/7, in a barn with other dogs. He had fear issues (especially with other dogs), food guarding issues, he was unsure in all new situations, he was neurotic, un-housetrained and he had never heard a vaccum or any other normal household noise. After thorough, consistent housetraining he didn't have a single accident after the first week. We gave him plenty of one-on-one attention, and exercised him frequently, along with providing more chewies, bones and toys than he needed. He chewed on a door frame once, but with a little bit of effort and direction he never destroyed anything. Me and Gonzo also attented Obedience classes for about 1 year straight, then follow-up classes. He is an awesome dog now, and he LOVES his life... he's no longer neurotic, destructive, fearful, or anything. I'm sure Benji could be a model doggy too, with a little bit of effort. Obedience classes, crate training, and plenty of exercise would definitely help her. I couldn't ever imagine keeping my dog outside, he would absolutely die. He loves being with his family, recieving that special attention, and being in the middle of everything, and we love him too.