Leaving dogs outside

[Karyn]

One of the attorneys in my office is a doctor/attorney. He asked me what breed of dog I had. I told him rottweiler. The answer I received was appalling, especially from a well educated man. He said rottweilers, pit bulls should all be exterminated! He proceeded to tell stories of kids who came into Children's Hospital in Philadelphia all chewed up by these breeds. When questioned further - the kids were unsupervised, dogs were unspervised or running loose. I asked shouldn't parents be more attentive to what their kids do, shouldn't they have some responsibility for teaching kids not to approach strange dogs no matter what size? Shouldn't owners be required to supervise their dogs? Dogs do not choose their owners or to be drug dogs or fighting dogs. The responsibility is not on the dogs. His opinion was these dogs should not exist - I thank God I don't work with him. Fortunatley, he is in the Philly office and I am in the New Jersey office...

[Ninasmom]

We have never left any of our dogs outside for any period of time. Every once in a while, they are put in the lanai, but even then, the blinds on the sliders are wide open and we can see them the entire time.

In Rochester, both of of neighbors left their dogs outside unsupervised for extended periods of time. On the right side, the collie would bark constantly. On the left side, the coon hound would howl constantly. That was fine, until 10 o'clock at night. I was known to call both of them at 11 and say, "It's time to bring the dogs in." I even had a response of "OH! We forgot about him!" a couple of times. Sad.

[giglz15]

I leave my dogs outside while I am at work. My husband gets home at 1:30 so they spend about 4 hours alone in nice weather. Almost everyone in our neighboorhood as a dog or 2. We live close to a school, and kids walk down our alley. When we first got Duke our Rot I took him to both neighboors on either side of us and introduced him. The neighboorhood kids and our direct neighboors love our dogs and pet them over the fence. The gates are paddlelocked though because I don't want the kids letting them out. The only problem I have ever had with leaving them outside is Duke 2 times has climbed over the fence into the neighboors yard. They both have labs on either side and he just was playing. They left him there and when I came home told me and I went and got him, but since they knew him they were not scared of him and just let him play, and I know he got lots of cookies. The only person he has ever showed any aggression too it the meter reader guy, but he never gets out of his truck and just drives down the alley, if he gets out of his truck the Duke is all wiggles. I feel perfectly safe leaving them outside by themselves and when I am home and leave the door open for them they prefer it out there then in here most of the time anyways.

[Dugganmom]

I have never from the day i got duggan left him or my lab outside unattenened. EVER. I would not even think about it and after reading a different post on here i hope noone else will either!!!!!

[gnwhite]

I dont leave my dogs outside for my own personal reasons.

Its too hot in texas (in my opinion for them to be outside). especially for my rottie friend.

I garden and landscape my yard. that sometimes involves plants and pesticides that could be harmfull to a board dog. fire ants, fire ant poison are just one big problem in the region.

and i just plain old spoil my dogs and would rather keep them inside. my cattledog would love to stay outside but since we are inside thats where he likes to be. sampson hates to be outside if we are not with him. where we go he goes and if we are not home he wants to be inside with soft music on and wait for us. if only the dogs could answer the posts we might get much more insight.

[rottcrazed]

A person I know in the Rottweiler world up here a few years ago, while I was revising my contracts, looked at my contract for me at my request. His response to my clause stating that the puppy cannot be an outside dog (left out in a dog run, backyard with a dog house, etc...) and must be an inside dog was 'good luck with that'.

Funny thing, I have not had a problem with this clause yet. If someone tells me they are going to be housing the puppy outside all the time, maybe in a garage at night, they don't get a puppy. I ask these questions before really getting started discussing the purchase of a puppy with someone. Most people, I find, are pretty honest about this. Sure you can be duped, but you can usually get a feel for people in a few conversations.

There are FAR too many what-ifs for me to even chance it.

I do agree that if you are in an isolated, rural area, you know your neighbors, and you provide a secure, indoor/outdoor pen for your dogs, that is fine. However, urban-life or acreages that are literally placed right next to one another which are so common in Calgary are not safe to allow your pets of any kind to live outside 24/7.

Thanks again for this post too Gretchen, it is a good one.

Kristi

[Gunsey'sMom]

I am kind of with Bruce, we have a VERY secure dog run for Gunner and live in a rural area with no problems from nieghbors. If the weather permits, we leave him out. I am at home during the day until 3:00pm and get home at 9:00 pm. Lots of times we bring him in from that period of time as well though. I play it by ear usually-if it is too hot, or looks like it is going to be pouring rain, he comes in. Or if he has been inside with me all morning and afternoon, he goes back out (he gets a little wound up and bratty if he doesn't have his outside time)

Thanks for starting this thread though. I felt the need to thoroughtly secure Gunner's kennel outside so he could not be taken-because we live along a pretty main road. You cannot really see the kennel from the road, but anyways I feel better now that it is chained up , reinforced, and padlocked. We have never had any problems with the neighbors, and I ask the neighbors if GUnner bothers them, and take him in when they mow (because he is a nuisance around lawnmowers) I have been fortunate in that way.

[fostermom]

My dogs are NEVER outside if I am not home...and they are only left for brief periods outside alone if I am busy doing something in the house...but even then I am checking on them constantly and at a dead run if I hear so much as one bark.
One year we had problems with kids teasing the dogs...hitting the fence, jumping up and down in front of the fence to get the dogs excited....I even caught a couple of girls doing it! My neighbor's teenage son would shoot off some kind of air gun (also fireworks) when he would see my dogs outside...although I never caught him throwing/shooting anything at my dogs, I certainly wouldn't put it past him. The police finally talked to him after he threw a lit firecracker at my neighbor. When dogs are locked into a fenced in area, they have no way to protect themselves from people who wish to torment or harm them....it is my responsiblity to ensure their safety!!!
When I lived in MD, we had goldens. We lived in the country on a large lot and again, if they were outside without me, I was watching them from the windows. More than once, a car would stop on the other side of the fence from my dogs and someone would get out....when I would step outside, they would get back in their cars and drive off. Dog theft down there was rampant. And I lived in a very nice neighborhood with nice neighbors who would never harm my dogs....but what about the person driving by who sees them??? For everyone that feels comfortable leaving their dog outside while they are gone, I truely hope their ASSUMPTIONS that their dogs are safe is never proved wrong......personally, I never want to come home and find my dog lost or stolen or injured or worse.

[Bruce Lanthier]

For everyone that feels comfortable leaving their dog inside while they are gone, I truely hope their ASSUMPTIONS that their dogs are safe is never proved wrong......personally, I never want to come home and find my dog burned down with the house, killed by burglars OR crushed by a random meteor from outer space that came through the roof .

Sure something could happen to dogs while they are outside just as something can happen to them while they are inside. The well being of my dogs is extremely important to me but I try to keep my imagination in check LOL.

I DO live in MD and have yet to hear of this rampant dog theft .

[darren-uk]

I agree bruce. One of my biggest fears is that my house will burn down whilst i am out with both my cat and dog trapped inside.

On hot nights, my girl gets to sleep outside in her run. She has a kennel for shelter id she were to need it. I actually cant bare to see or hear her pacing around the house/room at night just because she cant sleep with the hot weather. Also, if i plan on being out of the the house for a great length of time during the day, i tend to leave her in her yard again. If the house is empty i see no reason to frustrate her by leaving her indoors where she can only sleep or chew on a bone. Her mind is too active for that and in the yard she has balls, ropes, frisbees.... plenty to keep her busy. She seems happy enough.
I do not understand though why people buy dogs and leave them permanantly outdoors.

[jakesfostermom]

Originally Posted by Bruce Lanthier

I DO live in MD and have yet to hear of this rampant dog theft .

Bruce - I think most of the posters are referring to someone harming your dog out of mean-ness or spite..........I think stealing is a secondary concern. I grew up with outside dogs - we lived in the country - nothing seemed happier than our old curr dog laying in the sun in a wallowed out hole he dug to get cool...... BUT - we live in the city now AND we own rottweilers - AND times they have changed........SO as a result, for their safety, the safety of my community and my peace of mind - all of my dogs are inside unless under supervision by myself or my husband. Mine are all couch potato extraordinares........so othey are pretty happy campers with things like they are

[JuneyB]

ny dogs have access during the day to their run...which is chainlink fenced and not accessible by strangers. But..as I did not wish any complaints from any neighbours (re barking, etc) I videotaped them for a few days.

Generally they went outside to do their business and then back inside. Once or twice the boy laid on the concrete pad and slept for an hour or 2. However, the couches are much more comfortable...and lots of rest during the day ensures that they are alive and awake and bouncing when I get home!!!!

When I am here...they follow me continuously...so we are inside/outside/whatever....

but with access to an outdoor run, I do not worry about what would happen if the house were to catch on fire or something horrible like that....assuming that it would wake them both up from their naps....

[Dugganmom]

Originally Posted by Bruce Lanthier

For everyone that feels comfortable leaving their dog inside while they are gone, I truely hope their ASSUMPTIONS that their dogs are safe is never proved wrong......personally, I never want to come home and find my dog burned down with the house, killed by burglars OR crushed by a random meteor from outer space that came through the roof .

Sure something could happen to dogs while they are outside just as something can happen to them while they are inside. The well being of my dogs is extremely important to me but I try to keep my imagination in check LOL.

I DO live in MD and have yet to hear of this rampant dog theft .

Actually i think about that all the time....glad to hear i am not the only one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[WessonsMom]

This post was soooo incredible to me. I have indoor Rotts. The have always been and if I leave for an extended period they are boarded. I dont know how people who live around me feel about my dogs and I fear that. I have a neighbor who has a very small dog, not sure what breed, just yippy. Barks all the time, chases my dogs who stay in my own yard. It comes in my yard chasing them and has even chased my kids. But because its a small dog the police dont seem to think its worth there time. But if someone called on my dogs you can bet they would be here in a second. Dont risk it, keep your pups safe and secure! The one time I did call on the dog chasing my kids I was asked what kind of dog it was by the police!!!!! Why should that matter???? I just dont understand.

[AlphaLeader]

I'm lucky enough to live in an area where no body is close enough to bother my dogs. However, When I am not at home, the rotts are inside because of the way the people in this are feel about rotts in general. For the others, there is a 5 foot fence with an electric wire and no gate. Also, someone would have to be in clear site of a neighbor on a hill above me to mess with my crew... he has his own crew so we watch out for each other. But, if I lived in the city or in a place with close neighbors... I would be hard pressed to leave anyone outside when i wasn't home.