does your dog live outside or inside??

Djhyper66 · May 2008

Just curious to see how many people have there dogs live outside or inside???

my shiba is a inside the house dog.

Leonberger · May 2008

I have a 4 month old Akita puppy that lives inside.He goes out at least5/6 times a day, for at least 15 minutes each time.

ljowen123 · May 2008

My shiba is an inside kind of gal.

scarlet · May 2008

Jake definitely lives inside. His preference is to be wherever I am. Lately, when it's time for me to leave for work, he would prefer to stay outside. Today, he is confined to the screened porch.

tsukitsune · May 2008

both shibas are inside, part of the family. all fosters stay inside, too. Not that I would put them outside, I don't believe in tethering and I don't trust them with a 6 foot fence, but on my adoption contract, I'm not premitted to have them as outside dogs.

okiron · May 2008

I've only had outside dogs so far but any new additions will be inside.

Greensage · May 2008

This post is very similar to "How much is too much time outdoors".

I think that a pack (which includes us) would not sleep or live separated. Meaning that if your dog lives completely outside then the rest of the pack would as well. I do not see myself living outside anytime soon so until that happens Rudi lives indoors. I am an avid gardener and I try often to get him to spend as much time out there as I do, but I would never force him to be anywhere but where he is comfortable and safe. He is a member of my pack and is my family now forever.

I have a brother who is only 13 months older than myself. To date I know he has gone through 12 or more dogs in less time than I raised one dog. He simply throws them into the backyard and wonders why they tear everything to pieces. Within six months to a year the pup is gone. I have not spoken to him in several years and I do not consider him part of my pack/family. His destiny, if I had my way, would be a Nursing Home with limited interaction except to scold him when he shits his pants. Who am I to judge him? I just know he is not "my" family.

I do not want to offend anyone that does keep a dog outside, but if they do I certainly hope they are not tethered or alone. No dog deserves to be punished for being a dog. Besides, what is the purpose unless to guard something of value, and if that were the case the dog should not be alone and should not be left without a purpose such as guard dogs. Equally, it is breed-specific in nature as to the type of dog that is utilized for guarding. Most guard dogs have daytime interaction with humans in the guarded environment and when the humans go home for the day the dog does his job. Feeding and watering daily is not the kind of interaction a dog should be limited to either.

Sorry, I guess I am grumpy today. I do not mean to get defensive or offend. Personally I do believe people who want a dog need to go to some sort of class. Equally so I think that people who want to become parents need to pass some sort of testing prior to being allowed to procreate. Yikes I am a bitter old thing today....I should go back to bed! LOL

Huggs without pulling anyone's hair, Ron

kwyld · May 2008

All 3 of mine are inside dogs, but my Shiba would probably live outside if I let her. She could care less about anything inside because things are alive and moving outside. She likes to play the game of barking at me on the deck telling me to let her in, then I get up and open the door and she bolts to the back of the yard and stares into the grass.

Nataku · May 2008

My 13 years old Shiba has always lived inside, as I live in an apartment. He enjoy staying inside and sleep on my bed laying on my pillow ;D. Even when I take him out for his "businesses" he decides where to go and when he had enough and wants to go back home. When I take him to the country he loves playing on the grass, he really gets nut!But soon he gets tired and want to go back home...

ljowen123 · May 2008

Greensage - I agree with you. When I had my husky, he had just over 2 acres fenced in with an 8 ft. fence. He had a dog house that we made out of a truck camper top. It was insulated for the winters and was cooled in the summers. He was never on a tether. I spent a fair amount of time inside "his park" - we created a pool for him (using a child's wading pool)and we had a couple of benches inside as well. We used cyclone fencing so he could se what was going on around him. My first stop when I got home was to go in his park and spend time with him. He had several trees to shade the area - more than half of the area was shaded 75% of the time. My dog interacted with the cats outside and the bluejays that liked to steal his fur. When my grandfather lived with us, he could always be found in Gorky's area. My dad was retired during most of Gorky's life and spent a lot of time during the day there.

Sadly, many dogs that are outside dogs are neglected - not in the manner of food or shelter, but for love and time. Unless you make the effort to spend time with the dog, it's easier to get busy inside and forget that your companion is waiting for you outside. I spent most of my time growing up outside. Whether it was chores (5 acres of cutting grass, weeding the vegetable garden, planting flowers, etc.) or playing sports, my brothers and I lived outside. There were only 7-8 stations we could get on TV (cable didn't arrive until '98), so we played and lived outside - mom loved to let us camp out in the yard. Even though Gorky had all that space, the first thing I did when I got home from work was take him for a long walk and then we'd sit on the porch together.

I believe there's a fine balance with having a dog outside. As long as you are caring for that dog and spending as much time with him as you would if he was inside (within reason), then I think you're good. If that's not what is happening, then the dog is being neglected.

I've always thought people should have to get a license to have pets or kids.

okiron · May 2008

Oh man LJ you are making me jealous. I would've loved to live at your house. Sounds like so much fun.

ljowen123 · May 2008

It was a lot of fun growing up. My parents moved out of Atlanta when I was four (eldest brother was 13) - they wanted to give us space to grow up in. The road I live on was only travelled on before 8, after 5, and in the middle of the day by the mail lady. My dad was really good at building things and he helped us build a fort in the woods - that's one of my favorite memories. Because most of the kids that lived on my road had about the same amount of cleared space - we rotated (so it seemed) where we were playing. I always tagged after my brothers - most of their friends had brothers/sisters my age so it worked well. It was pretty idyllic and is one of the reasons I'm glad I stayed when I moved back.

The land doesn't look the same now and theres a lot of people on the road now - a 42 home subdivision got built on the 130 acres that was next to me. I built a house on the property behind my parent's house (which we had torn down), my eldest brother used to live on the upper end of the land, but his ex got it in the divorce, my other two brothers hold the land behind my house which is completely reforested - they don't plan to build - one live with me and the other lives in S. Ga. My brother who lives with me has three kids and we are beginning to work on their tree house - we figure it's going to take us just over a year to complete - if we can settle on the floor plan and features.

okiron · May 2008

Holy moly, I'm moving in with you guys lol.

Greensage · May 2008

I am with Okiron, how fabulous LJ. I wish I was there to help with the Treehouse; that is where I am the happiest, building things. Did I every show you the aviary I built in my backyard? It is for 3 pairs of lovebirds that were given to me because they were unwanted.

this is a Garden/potting shed I built at my last house.

I still have the plans to this building. If you like I can send them in that box I am sending to you.

Ron

ljowen123 · May 2008

There'll be space in the treehouse for sure! We're using a Shumard oak that is 60-70 years old - it's got some nice branching. The main supports for the tree house will be stilt-like and from the ground, but we'll be braced against the 4 main low branches at the base. The base will be about 15 ft off the ground and we're not yet sure how big it's going to be. I want there to be enough room/support for 8-10 people. Michael (youngest nephew) wants a fireman's pole and a rope ladder for access - we plan to build a stairs/platform system winding around the tree. It'll get a fair amount of use due to extended family (see post about Mother's Day) and I love to sleep outside in the spring and fall.

dlroberts · May 2008

Seriously, that sounds like an amazing place to live and, more importantly, to grow up!

ljowen123 · May 2008

That would be great! We could use all the help we can get! My uncle wants to come and help - since he built his own house, he's getting an engraved invitation to help us with the process. I don't have my fenced area anymore - after Gorky died my dad and brothers removed it because it was too depressing to see it without him in it. My house is built on part of that fenced area. The tree house will be at the edge of the woods - about 150 feet from my house.

BradA1878 · May 2008

I love tree houses!

)

All 7 of our pups sleep in the house, during the day they are free to go outside or be inside - depends on the temperature outside. The hotter it is the more pups are inside during the day. We just leave the door open so they can come and go.

We call them in before dark and then only let them out to use the restroom, and if we leave [day or night] we call them in and crate them.

My wife and I on the other hand sleep outside. lol. j/k!

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BTW - Welcome to the forum Djhyper66!

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glacier · May 2008

Sasha's always been an inside dog. When I had a house with a yard she would sometimes just lie outside and sleep in the sun. At first when my neighbors saw her they thought that there was a dead/unconscious dog on our lawn. But the yard was tiny, not even big enough to play fetch in. Right now I live in an apartment, but if you can believe it, there are people in the same building who keep outside dogs on their balcony.
My foster, Cobalt, is also an inside dog. He likes to sit on my balcony and bark at people coming by below though.

baanton · May 2008

Josephine is an inside dog, as was Joe before her. That's the style of city dogs in Mn., I guess due to leash laws, anti-barking laws, etc.

When you get into rural MN. its quite a different story, especially if you have a hunting dog or other kind of "working" dog (like a sled dog, for example). My brother-in-law has 2-3 hunting dogs at all times, and they get to live in an outdoor kennel with a sizeable "run" area. I believe they get a lot of attention from him and his wife every day, though. They get to go out to the pond, and exercise quite a bit, and play outside the kennel. They are very disciplined, though. I know they also get quite a lot of attention during the hunting process. Just very recently (after becoming empty nesters) they got the newest hunting dog, as a puppy. This dog got to stay inside, and sleep on their bed and the whole nine yards. I guess now that she's a bit older (3 or so), she mostly lives outside in the kennel.

And as I said in other posts, when growing up on the farm the dogs were all outside dogs. I think they got lots of attention, from us kids (not me so much, but some of the others loved playing with the dogs). I remember they were always with us when we were outside, and I remember them following my mom and dad while they did outside farm chores, and chores in the barn.

I agree that dogs need a lot of attention, and inside or out, if ignored this is a terrible cruelty.

Akira Inu · June 2008

Akira lives inside. But sometimes i wonder if he would rather just be outside all the time.

Of course now that it is getting hotter outside he spends more and more time inside.

Heidi · June 2008

My pups generally go wherever we go. We're inside at night (obviously) and then much of the day, but often we'll be outside doing whatever and then we take the pups out and they run around and keep us company.

Michelle M · June 2008

All my pets have been inside members of the family. Ronan and Tasha are no exceptions. Ronan even sleeps on our bed. They spend time outside if the weather permits, and only when I can keep a good eye on them as a neighbor kid once opened the gate and was trying to coax Tasha out of the yard. You can only imagine the words he AND his mother got! Still, there are a lot of children in the neighborhood and I have to watch that things aren't thrown over into our yard, kids aren't climbing the fence, sticking fingers between boards, etc. And then there are neighbor's kitties that roam freely. And of course, I'm now leary of snakes. So, I have to be able to see out the window and watch them every 5-10 minutes if they're out there. Works out well since I spend a lot of time writing in the dining room and that's right off the back yard. Both pups prefer to be where we are - which is inside on and usually on the furniture. Neither of them spend much time outside by their own choice -- too hot!

does your dog live outside or inside??

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