Do Labradors belong in the house or outside?

Question

Me and my husband are having a heated dicussion over keeping our new lab puppy in the house of outside. As long as the dog is small he says we can keep him in the house. He says once the dog gets grown he will be too large for the house. I am of course disagreeing with him on this. We do have three small kids and live in a medium sized home, but I still believe that a dog would be fine in the house. Do you have any suggestions? Should we just put him outside?

Answer 1

How funny, I am having the same exact fight with my husband about our Lab puppy. LOL We also have 3 kids but our house is on the larger side, he just doesn't want an inside dog. Too bad for him. Labs are very social and loving dogs, they do not do well being alone. They need interaction and attention, they are like kids themselves. Especially for the first 2 years of life, they are still in puppy phase until then. I have done TONS of research on Labs since our Kya was born, before she even came home, to get to know the breed. The one thing I have found across the board is that they don't make great outdoor dogs because of the need to socialize and cuddle. Also, not all Labs are large unless they come from championship blood then they tend to be more on the larger side but even at that, they aren't considered show quality if they are too large. (according to the AKC site) The average size for Labs is: Size--The height at the withers for a male is 22½ to 24½ inches; for a female is 21½ to 23½ inches. Any variance greater than ½ inch above or below these heights is a disqualification. Approximate weight of males and females in working condition: dogs 65 to 80 pounds; bitches 55 to 70 pounds.

Adding: Yes Labs shed, almost all animals do. (ones that don't mat and need way more gooming) They don't shed more than other dogs, they are considered moderate shedders. If they shed excessively it's because of improper nutrition and/or improper grooming. Brushing once every week or using a Furminator brush once every 3-4 months will control this issue GREATLY!

Answer 2

Dogs are a huge commitment and should be considered one of the family. I never understood the idea of leaving a pet outside, it's a living, breathing, thinking, feeling being. Especially labs, you will come to find will act just like it is one of the children, sometimes even a little more mischevious. They are very family oriented dogs and should be kept with the family. If your husband has trouble with the idea of pets of the furniture or on beds, make the dog a doggie bed and it's own space, where you keep it's toys, etc. Also formal training is really important!! Labs do not lose that puppy phase for at least 3-5 years, you will all be better off for it. It can be expensive but it's worth every penny in the end.
Check your local paper or www.craigslist.org for a local trainer that might be able to come to the house. Start training as early as possible. It also depends on where you live?

Answer 3

Well you should have dicussed this before getting the puppy. A dog should NEVER be left outside 24/7! A lab is a great pet and if trained properly you should not have a problem. I can belive some one would want to keep a new pup out side.If you are going to keep the puppy inside untill it gets big then put it out because of the size you should have got a smaller breed of dog!

Answer 4

well if he is still a puppy then you can keep in side but put him in a crate at night or when you go to work. he will be fine in a crate. i breed golden retrievers and the ones tha i kept i put in a crate and i use the crate for potty training also. i have 4 golden retrievers and 5 kids and i do live in a med sized home (3 bdrms& 1 bath) now with this many kids and this many dogs it does get pretty crowded but i do keep all my dogs inside. you don't want to keep him out when it is cold because he can freeze and that is not a good thing. he will be fine in the house. if i can do it with 5 kids and 4 golden retrievers you can do it with your 3 kids and your 1 lab. oh also i have a litter of nine puppies right now and they are all inside as well, so you figure that i have 13 dogs in my house and no it does not smell like dogs because i am constantly cleaning all day long. you can do it, it won't be that hard, just get a crate and use that for him while you are at work and at night. good luck

Answer 5

i just got a new puppy annie who is five months old and she is a lab. I had a pug named maggie which my parents kept when i left home and a new pug lola who is a year and half and ill tell you this much i would be a lot happier with the lab in the house then the pug. Because my lab puppy has been housebroken for months and she learned fast. Lola on the other hand didn't learn to go out till i got the lab puppy annie. I grew up in a household where our lab Sandy stayed indoors all year round and all she didn't was lay on her pillow in the living room. Honestly its preference but size shouldn't be a factor its the dogs destructiveness. Labs are better behaved . You just have to decide what you like but i like my dogs inside. (when they behave of course)

Answer 6

NO pet dog should EVER be an outdoor dog. It is cruel. If your husband doesn't want a dog in the house then why did he want a dog in the first place? How would he like to live outside? Stick with what YOU want and don't let him control it, dogs belong inside.

Answer 7

If you raise the dog in-doors through-out his puppy years, he's going to wonder what he did wrong it all of a sudden he's kicked out of the house. I think that if you raise him to be gentle and well-mannered (basic commands) then there shouldn't be any problem with having a Lab as an indoor dog. I would recommend adopting a dog from an animal shelter though... check out http://www.petfinder.com and please email at ~ [e-mail] and tell me how everything goes, and let me know if I can help with anything else. I know alot about training dogs to, so if you would like me to email you some of the best ways to train your dog without a trainer, I can do that step-by-step. Good luck~ Sierra

Answer 8

All dogs can be inside. They are much happier because they are pack animals and love to be around people.

I have a friend with 2 labs inside. As long as you make sure they are well behaved it isn't a problem. A doggie door to a fenced in yard helps them to get rid of excess energy if you can do that.

Answer 9

I believe all pets belong in the house just make sure you train him well. And always make sure he has a big chew toy or huge bone. Why have a pet if he's outside. Good luck with your husband. One other thing he might cry so much when you put him outside he'll drive the neighbours and your husband crazy.

Answer 10

If you plan on keeping him as an actual pet, then yes. Dogs are domesticated animals, there is nothing wrong with having a dog house for him for when he is out for a run in the back yard. Perhaps you did not do you homework on this particular breed of dog. They are very social and family oriented. The are energentic and need lots of exercise.