Runoff of the Daisy thread-kinda!

[critter crazy]

I for one have no problems with someone having an outside dog. What I dont like is when the dog is neglected, because it is outside. Kind of like, "out of sight, out of mind". Dogs need to be properly taken care of, and yes this can be done if the dog lives outside. But moer often then not, outside dogs,are left on their own, get no socialization, no interaction ect..... Yes this can also happen to indoor dogs. People need to take responsibility for their pets, and do everything needed to make sure the animal leaves a good life. They are not a toy, to be just tossed aside, when you get bored.

[coco-bean]

so i just got home from the park. Good news is we are not the only ones spending quality time for with out pets i happen to see 3 different people with their doggies. Bad news is...the last doggie i saw happen to not be on a leash and the guy was running towards me while we were walking(on leashing i might add) and it was just me...so i have 3 very large breed doggies, who might i add are pretty strong, with some guy running TOWARDS me with his dog not on a leash...yea it was fun let me tell ya! well cainan really didnt like this dog and was growling like crazy as i tried to walk around the dog, it just stood in my way sniffing all my doggies and the man just kept running, didnt even call his dog for not even joking @ least 30-45 seconds... duh!
BUT at least he's playing with his dog i guess haha!

[Freedom]

Anyone concerned about a dog in their area, maybe you could email this person for ideas, suggestions!

[Danegirl2208]

Now my dogs are inside dogs i wouldn't have it any other way, and neither would they..But let me say this:

chains do not abuse dogs..PEOPLE do

I am not against having dogs outdoors or RESPONSIBLE chaining..What i DO see as a bad thing is NEGLECT..But what people fail to see is that neglect can happen anywhere not just on the end of a chain. To think that everyone who chains their dog is scum and that they are neglecting their dogs, is absolutly ridiculous.

[Suki Wingy]

Just wanted to add, my pup used to get tied out to a tree in the front yard while we were doing yard work or playing, or at a store for a few minutes while we ran in, but he did get incredibly defensive from it so we've stopped. He does go out in the fenced in yard unatended about 45 minutes or more a day when it's nice out but it's his choice. Me, I rather have a pair of geese for protection. I can see a pack of hounds or other working dogs living in a barn or outside though.

[Roxyluvsme13]

There's also this other campaign, can't remember the name, that lets you experience the life of a chained dog or something like that. I would do it, but my mom wouldn't let me..

[BC_MoM]

Molly is a fantastic little girl, happy to greet everyone and everything off leash. On leash, she gets more defensive, protective and territorial. I can only imagine what living on a chain for even 24 hours would do to her.

[shais_mom]

Just wanted to add, my pup used to get tied out to a tree in the front yard while we were doing yard work or playing,

Keegan used to get tied when she was a puppy at times at my parents house - now I'm not even sure where the tie out at their house. I usually have her on leash for potty trips - Tho she does go offleash quite a bit. The only time she is tied to a tree now is when I mow the yard. I like to have her outside with me to enjoy the sunshine and fresh air too but she likes to be the Neighborhood PR person so ya never know where she is going to end up. So I mow the area where the tie out is and then tie her to it and finish the yard.

[Twisterdog]

Just wanted to add something for all the young people living with their parents, where the parents want the dog to be an outside dog and the child has no choice in the matter:

I hope anyone in this situation realizes that everyone's comments on here stating that they don't agree with outside-only dogs are directed to adults who choose to do this, not children who have no choice in the matter. We realize that you all must live with rules you do not necesarily agree with, and no one is placing any fault on you whatsoever.

And I say this also from experience. When I was growing up, our dogs were outside dogs. Period. My parents both grew up on ranches, where dogs had a job to do and lived outside. Dogs were another animal with a purpose, and my grandparents would no more have let one of their ranch dogs in the house than they would have let in a horse or a goat or a chicken. It never crossed their minds, I'm sure. These dogs were not pets, they were employees.

My parents continued that philosophy. However, our dogs were pets, with no jobs to do. There is a difference. Now, my parents are the sweetest, kindest people you'd ever meet. So I'm certainly not saying people who have outside dog are mean, horrible people. My parents were simply ignorant of the ways dogs function socially, and carrying on an outdated practice out of habit.

The three dogs we had when I lived at home were in no way abused. They had a double-walled, insulated, raised dog house heated with a lightbulb. It was probably almost as warm in there as it was in the house. They had water and food. And in the summer when we were young kids, they had some company, when we were all playing in the back yard. Honestly, though, as we grew up that play-time diminished. They were never abused. But were they neglected? I think so. They spent no time in the house, they had little human interaction compared to a house dog. They had a good life, if you look in terms of basic necessities ... food, water, shelter, vaccinations, vet care. But they didn't have much quality of life, in terms of being part of the family. And they had it a LOT better than a lot of outside dogs ... they were never chained, we had a huge yard, and they had each other. My heart truly breaks for the single dog living alone outside. That is like a life of solitary confinement for a social animal.

Just wanted to clarify.