I am sooo mad right now...GOOD update #28

[caseysmom]

good grief, dogs have been living outdoors for centuries. You think the first tamed wolf came right in thru the doggie door and plopped himself in front of the fireplace? I've had dogs before. They lived outside and were perfectly content to do so (although I brought them in at feeding time). I know tons of people who still own dogs. Those dogs live outside too... and it gets chilly here (was 20 this morning). Bottom line, just because a dog lives outside doesn't mean it's gonna die. People don't keep their packs of hunting beagles in the house. As long as the dogs have a warm place to curl up and get out of the weather, they should be fine....especially if they're grown and have lived outside all their lives.

I'm glad you no longer own dogs.

[aTailOf2Kitties]

I'm glad you no longer own dogs.

My dogs had big comfy doghouses to sleep in, and plenty of attention. They got exercised several times a day, every day, rain or shine. They came inside for feeding and when it was below freezing.

both of my dogs lived to a ripe old age despite living outside most of their lives. The beagle came inside as soon as she got old and we couldn't keep any weight on her, around age 10. She died in my arms at the vet's office of a seizure despite being on meds for many years. She was 15 and also had arthritis, and chronic pancreatitis, both being treated. Living outside or inside had no relevance to what ultimately killed her.

My Elkhound became inside also around age 10, after having exploratory surgery to fix a mistake a vet made when spaying her as a pup (used non-absorbable sutures inside, eventually causing a pocket of infection, making her sick). She was left inside to recover since it was winter and I didn't want her incision getting filthy. Then I moved to an apartment and she came with me. Despite being an inside dog at that point, she was old and began suffering from "old dog" problems: arthritis, senility, incontience, worn out teeth etc, all being medicated. She died at age 15 when her poor feeble old body just couldn't take it any more.

I ask you, do you seriously believe that being an inside dog all of thier lives would have made any difference in their lifespan? Don't inside dogs suffer the same health problems mine eventually did? Does spending your entire life indoors prevent arthritis? Pancreatitis? Senility? Epilepsy?

Now tell me again I was a bad owner. I guess I should have left my beagle in the drainpipe where I found her at 4 months old, blanketed in ticks. She clearly didn't deserve to spend her life in my back yard, she'd have been better off wandering in the streets until she was run over or attacked by other strays. Or sent to the local shelter which was notorious for being a filthy, disease-ridden hellhole. I guess I should have left the Elkhound wandering around the neighborhood living off of scraps and risking life and limb trying to get food from other outside dogs. God forbid I give her a forever home and lots of love and attention, albeit outside.

Truly the lady with the small dogs needs to get them a doghouse if they're outside. I think it's the law in most states. If she doesn't care about them then she needs to find a better home. On these 2 points we all agree. But don't you sit here and tell me that dogs should never be allowed to live outside, as I have known a lot of other people with outside dogs that are just as happy and healthy as your pampered indoor pooches.

[/rant]