Outdoor Dogs

[morla]

Hi! I was wondering if anyone on here has outdoor labs. Simon is an outdoor dog but he sleeps inside in his crate.

[Greg M]

Hi! I was wondering if anyone on here has outdoor labs. Simon is an outdoor dog but he sleeps inside in his crate.

Our dog will be an outdoor dog that will be crated indoors at night. Primarily because when we are at work, no one will be here to let her outside. When we are home, she will be free to be in or out as she chooses. We are planning on keeping a pillow bed in the living room for her also so she can hang out with us when we are watching TV.

[BigBrownDog]

Both of my dogs are indoor dogs. I would not feel remotely comfortable having my dogs outside when we are not home - there is risk that they will get out of the yard (even though it is fenced) and then lost/hit by car or that something will happen to one of them (I had a dog poisoned many years ago by someone in my then neighborhood) or that the unchecked barking would be a huge annoyance and nuisance to my current neighbors. There are laws here about that and I'd get fined for excessive barking.

Mine are fine indoors all day. And - there is always the option of a dog door if you really feel that getting out is imperative.

[Dani]

My dogs are companions. So they live inside with me.

[Baloo317]

Both of my dogs are indoor dogs. I would not feel remotely comfortable having my dogs outside when we are not home - there is risk that they will get out of the yard (even though it is fenced) and then lost/hit by car or that something will happen to one of them (I had a dog poisoned many years ago by someone in my then neighborhood) or that the unchecked barking would be a huge annoyance and nuisance to my current neighbors. There are laws here about that and I'd get fined for excessive barking.

Mine are fine indoors all day. And - there is always the option of a dog door if you really feel that getting out is imperative.

Same here. I am very protective of my dogs, and there have been far too many thefts of dogs/puppies reported for me to ever feel comfortable leaving them alone outside by themselves. Especially since we do perform in the "public eye" quite a bit and I have had offers (some rather insistent) to "purchase" them, especially Peanut, lol.

Regardless, far too many variable factors, too many things that could go bad. Crated in the house may seem cruel to some, but for dogs who are well exercised for the rest of the day, it's a safe place to chill in comfort, protected from weather, bad people, etc.

[Chi&LabLover]

I would NEVER keep my dogs outside. I feel like it's cruel to have a dog LIVE outside...why get a dog if you're going to separate it from the family? My dogs are part of my family...they live IN THE HOUSE. When we go away Skye is still crated as she isn't quite trustworthy by herself (thought I broke her of her little sock habit...was wrong, she proved that to me yesterday), once she can be trusted, if ever, she will be allowed out of the crate when we're gone and have run of the house. For now my two chi's have run of the house while we're away and they do just fine. Skye lived the first two and a half years of her life outside in a kennel, I have seen what that can do to a dog and I would NEVER do the same to mine, she finally realizes she has a HOME now and is much happier.

[jzgrlduff]

I would not feel remotely comfortable having my dogs outside when we are not home - there is risk that they will get out of the yard (even though it is fenced) and then lost/hit by car or that something will happen to one of them (I had a dog poisoned many years ago by someone in my then neighborhood)

Exactly. Not to mention how many dogs are stolen out of peoples yards every single day and taken God knows where. Don't do it.
Puppies will need to be let out after about 4 hours. HIRE A DOGSITTER for the first couple of months. By then, they should be able to hold it inside for 8 hours.

[javasmom]

My girls are both indoor dogs.
I would never leave them outside alone, unattended all day when I'm not home.
Moka is crated..not sure if I'll ever trust her to stay out of her crate when I'm not home.
Java is loose in the house....my son sent me a picture of what she does all day at home:



Java would hate being kept outside all day. She loves laying in a warm, comfy chair with her cozy.
With the cold weather here in New England I would never leave them outside all day.

[BauersMom]

Bauer is an indoor dog. Normally there is someone with him during the day (I work from home), but he is fine inside for 9-10 hours if need be. If he were outside he would spend all of his time trying to figure out how to get back inside. We never leave him outside unattended, someone is always with him.

[tammyhuffman]

I can't imagine leaving a dog, let alone a new puppy, outside and unsupervised while i was at work all day. The thought of the things that could happen absolutely horrify me. If that was all I could offer a living creature I would buy plants.