Runoff of the Daisy thread-kinda!

[IRescue452]

There's a black lab mix in our neighborhood that spends its life on a 6 foot chain. If it weren't so mean sounding I'd have liberated it long ago. What's the point of having a dog if it lives on a 6 foot chain?

[chocolatepuppy]

critter crazy, you have me in tears here,what a touching story. Thank God that old dog had you.

I too see a few dogs chained outside, it's their life. Why have a dog? Do they think it's protection? The dog barks all the time, so if someone were breaking in their house or garage would any neighbors even look out the window to see what's going on

[lute]

I too hate the sight of dogs being kept chained up 24/7. Dogs are socail animals and need to be indoors with their families. They look to us for leadership. When we bring a dog or puppy home it's our responsability to know how to properly care for the dog. Know how to keep the dog happy and sane. Life on a chain or kennel is no life for a dog.

If you keep the dog indoors, but crated unless time to potty or eat it's just as bad. if not worse than keeping it on a chain. I see a lot of dog show people keep their dogs crated more than necessary.

The plain and simple of it is DOGS NEED INTERACTION WITH PEOPLE MORE THEN A FEW MINUTES A DAY!

[Taz_Zoee]

Ok, I would not normally post on a thread that I thought was, or could, get ugly.....but first let me start off by saying Zoee is an inside dog.

I grew up out in the country and we always had a dog or dogs. And my parents were very adamant on them NOT coming in the house. So they were chained up outside. NO animals allowed in the house. As my sister got older she began working with dogs she got her first GSD, Trevor. My parents helped pay for some very nice kennels to keep the dogs in during the day. And then at night they came in the garage to sleep in crates. Eventually, my sister had 6 dogs, 3 lived outside....3 GSD's. And 3 lived inside (I guess my parents gave up).....a min-pin, a rescued greyhound and one GSD pup from one of the outside GSD's. Those dogs that lived outside got as much love, care and exercise as the dogs that lived in the house. They were taken on LONG walks around the property, had regular vet care.
All but one of those dogs are now at the RB...the min-pin just turned 17 last month. Each and everyone of them lived to be around 15 years of age......with the exception of one that had a serious health issue, and that was one of the inside dogs.
So my parents now have only two dogs, the min-pin inside, and a rescue outside.

Our DJ dog was mainly an outside dog. He lived outside and had a doggie door to come into the garage. He did come in the house usually each day. I know I let him in with me when I was home alone all night. Well, he developed lung cancer and died at the age of 8. When we got Zoee, my BF thought DJ living outside is what killed him (even though I kept telling him NO). So Zoee is strictly an inside pup.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that it doesn't matter where the dog lives as long as it IS well cared for and loved. Don't get me wrong, I see your point about them being indoors, obviously my dog is inside and I wouldn't have it any other way. But I think it's a bit harsh to immediately bash someone for keeping their dog outside. The dogs you are all describing that live outside do sound like they are not getting the love and attention they need, but hey, what can we do? We can't save the world, unfortunately.

[Pam]

I have very strong feelings on this but don't want to come off sounding harsh. I hope I can do that. I think most of us look at dogs as family members. We keep all of our family members inside the house and interact. I cannot understand, and never will, how people keep dogs outside. I wouldn't do that to a family member. I don't understand how someone can develop a relationship with a dog that isn't with them inside 24/7. When I see a dog outside all of the time and, worse yet, chained outside, I think the people who own that dog see them as *lawn ornaments.* I do not buy into the argument of having a dog for protection. Believe me, my Ripley (all 14 lbs. of him) can alert me to anything going on outside. After I am alerted it is my responsibility to see if there is a reason for the alarm. I would certainly never have a dog for protection with the idea of having an *attack dog.* I am sorry but I just cannot fathom any reason for ever having an outside dog.

[DrKym]

I have very strong feelings on this but don't want to come off sounding harsh. I hope I can do that. I think most of us look at dogs as family members. We keep all of our family members inside the house and interact. I cannot understand, and never will, how people keep dogs outside. I wouldn't do that to a family member. I don't understand how someone can develop a relationship with a dog that isn't with them inside 24/7. When I see a dog outside all of the time and, worse yet, chained outside, I think the people who own that dog see them as *lawn ornaments.* I do not buy into the argument of having a dog for protection. Believe me, my Ripley (all 14 lbs. of him) can alert me to anything going on outside. After I am alerted it is my responsibility to see if there is a reason for the alarm. I would certainly never have a dog for protection with the idea of having an *attack dog.* I am sorry but I just cannot fathom any reason for ever having an outside dog.

Pam I am going to agree to a point,........ I have a few friends that raise sheep in Ga, and years ago I had a small herd also, the Border collies that he raises and trains the pack of them have outdoor kennels. I never had an issue with this type of "outdoor" dog, simply because when they weren't working on his farm, they were with him at trials etc. Fact was and is in that case and many others , keeping them all in the house isn't an option.

I asked him once what happens when they are old or pups? as they spend their lives working for you don't you feel that you owe them something in return? His answer.....My bitches whelp in the house the pups are loved as their mom is , and they stay with me till I cull the workers from the pets, they go to good homes that will make them just that a pet loved and spoiled. When they are old I show them more kindess then most kids give their old folks, they get the house a rug in front of the fire and peace in their last years.

So as I agree completely that dogs should be a family member , it needs to be borne in mind that are many types of families.

As for those that are chained, or simply kept as a lawn ornament.....well there is a special place in hell for callous heartless people, I just hope I get to peek in it and have the satifaction of seeing several people I have met over the years reaping their well earned rewards!

Hug those beautiful poodles for me!

Just my thoughts

[kallisto4529]

My family has had dogs my entire life, I have never known what it was like to not have one for more than a few months maybe. Some of them like larger breeds were outside/inside dogs, they all were spoiled rotten and loved so much, for example. Natasha was a rotti, we were given her by a friend when she was two months old, we had no idea how to raise a rotti, so the next day off to the vet we went and all the advice we could get, we followed the advice to the letter, she stayed inside 24/7 until she was about a year old, then she was inside/outside dog, sometimes she stayed outside with her own dog house for however long she wanted, but she was always allowed inside whenever she wanted, and we had two cocker spaniels as well.
She never was out when it was cold or excessively hot or bad weather, she knew she could get on the beds, she had no idea how large she was, at her healthiest 130lbs. We lost her at 6yrs old, it was devastating, anyway, i think that you can do both worlds sometimes, but not all the time, primarily they should be inside dogs, i would feel to guilty other wise.

[caseysmom]

For me the whole problem was him want to sell the dog, and wording it that way. There are dogs that are outside that are fine. The whole thing just seemed rather cold.

[critter crazy]

My question is this, why would you get a dog for protection, but keep it ether chained up, or in a run?? how does that protect your family?? The dog cant do anything but bark, and if the person who is meaning harm, knows the dog cant get in the house, how does that protect anyone? seems quite pointless to me! JMO!

[cali]

I think it depends on the owner. my moms boss has 2 dogs that are not allowed in the house. 2 dogs that were dumped along the highway and he rescued, when he tried to adopt from a rescue they turned him down flat because the dog would be oustide....ya ok but the guy lives on a farm, owns his buisness on the farm, has offices on the farm where the dogs are more then welcome inside, has a heated and A/C attached garage for them to sleep at night, and the guy works outside, he is only in his house to eat and sleep, otherwise he is outside or in the office, both places tha dogs are more then welcome. not to mention they get attention from there ad AND all the employees who play the the dogs on their breaks. they get home groomed regularly, plus a professional groom twice a year. all dogs in their care are promptly fixed, and fully vaccinated and visit the vet once a year unless an emergancy. it is a dream life for a dog to end up living with this guy, but he was turned down flat by rescues. so he took in a aussie mix some highway workers found dumped, they tied her up away from the road so she would not get hurt, and tried to find her a home. she is now living very happily with my moms boss.

[Nobas Mom]

Guess I have mixed thoughts on this subject as well as many do. I would never think of keeping Noba outside for any reason, however... growing up we had Newfoundlands. We had four of them (2 boys, 2 girls). We had a HUGE old farmhouse that we lived in (when I say big, picture 7 bedrooms alone and there were only four of us in the fam including parents). Anyway, two of our newfs insisted on staying outside, especially during the long cold Maine winters... We would bring them in at night when it was especially cold and they always got one on one time inside for three hours a day. But whenever Bonnie and Duke were in the house for any extended period of time, they would start pacing in the kitchen by the door and want to go back outside... so mom and step-dad built them a ridiculously huge dog run in the yard, complete with heated dog house (insulated and heated)... they had a kiddie pool for the summer and plenty of room to run. The other two crazy newfs (Mariah and Bruin) REFUSED to go outside for anything other than walks, playtime and potty. We had these neighbors up the street that tried to call animal control because Bonnie / Duke were always outside in the winter... after the agent called our vet, he began laughing. Our vet had told him that Newfies prefer to be outside in the snow (as long as it's not too cold) and that he should tell our neighbors to leave us alone. Bonnie and Duke were intended to be inside dogs from the time we got them. We got Bonnie as an 8 week old, and Duke as a 4 year old rescue from a pound in Canada (pure-bred with papers, champion lines, gonna be put to sleep three days later, bi-lingual for $50... )... but they chose the outside life much to our chagrin... and not for lack of attention and love!!! How could you not love a big slobbering newf!!!

Sorry this is so long, but just another affirmation that no matter how much love and devotion you give dogs, some of them just prefer to be outside. Bonnie lived to be 14 and Duke ended up living to be 12 I believe (we had to re-home him due to major agression towards cats). But don't worry, he went to a great home where he had undivided love and attention!!!!!

[Twisterdog]

I have very strong feelings on this but don't want to come off sounding harsh. I hope I can do that. I think most of us look at dogs as family members. We keep all of our family members inside the house and interact. I cannot understand, and never will, how people keep dogs outside. I wouldn't do that to a family member. I don't understand how someone can develop a relationship with a dog that isn't with them inside 24/7. When I see a dog outside all of the time and, worse yet, chained outside, I think the people who own that dog see them as *lawn ornaments.* I do not buy into the argument of having a dog for protection. Believe me, my Ripley (all 14 lbs. of him) can alert me to anything going on outside. After I am alerted it is my responsibility to see if there is a reason for the alarm. I would certainly never have a dog for protection with the idea of having an *attack dog.* I am sorry but I just cannot fathom any reason for ever having an outside dog.

I totally agree with this, Pam. To me, having a dog living outside in the yard is like taking the least favorite of your children and making him/her live outside, while the rest of the family is in the house.

"Well, Billy is messier than his sisters, leaves his dirty underwear in the middle of his bedroom floor, doesn't wipe the toothpaste out of the sink and hates to take a bath. So he has to live in a tent in the backyard. We take good care of him, we make sure he has food and water, and we go outside almost every day to talk to him for a few minutes. In the summer when it's warm we even throw the baseball for him a few times a week! There's nothing wrong with having an outside child! We love him and take care of him, and he's perfectly happy out there in his tent while we are all in the family room, watching a video and eating popcorn."

I had a Siberian husky that liked to spend a lot of time outside, moreso than the other dogs. I don't know if he got hot, or just like his solitary time more. However, I had a dog door, and it was his choice. He came in the house whenever he pleased, and was in quite a bit, just not as much as the other dogs. So, while I do definately agree that some dogs prefer the outdoors much more than others dogs do, I do not believe for a second that there are dogs that would choose to spend every minute of their lives outside, away from their families.