how did dogs back in the day live outside with out dog houses in the cold weather?

Question

Even small dogs lived outside right?

Answer 1

When dogs live outside they become adaptive to the environment so for example they grow thicker hair and eat more....in dog shelters they are protected from the wind and the cold does not bother them its more the wind....but the key word is ADAPTATION

Answer 2

Most dogs need and have always needed some kind of shelter from the harshest elements. Shelter doesn't have to be something fancy. Farm dogs can often seek shelter in the barn. Junkyard dogs might seek out a wrecked car or a pile of trash. And then of course, many northern breeds can simply tolerate very cold conditions that toy breeds would never be able to handle. And most toy breeds have historically been house dogs.

Answer 3

Often times dogs will use whatever is around them for shelter from cold or heat. They often huddled in dens, as mentioned, and found refuge in tall grass. This is why dogs 'dig' and 'circle' around before plopping down for a rest/sleep.

It's hard to believe dogs ever lived outdoors, fending for themselves under such harsh conditions. Fast forward to today where dogs are completely domesticated and treated like royalty. I swear if my little pug/boston was left out in the backyard for more than a few minutes he'd probably keel over from exposure to the elements (a blustery wind, no ready access to food, grass that hasn't been cut or mowed in a while, bugs and other creepy crawly things), lol.

Answer 4

My dog stays outside with its small newborn baby that it gave yesterday . The reason why dogs can stay outside is because of its fur. The first time i kept the puppy in the blanket the dog started barking so i kept the puppy out and left the door open . Next morning the dog and pup were both sleeping out. I realized that the fur keeps them warm.

Answer 5

Back "in the day" (before domestication) dogs lived in dens that they tunnelled themselves. They huddled together for warmth.
There were no small dogs, either. Small dogs are a products of thousands of years worth of domestication.

Now that we have domesticated dogs, it is our responsibility to take care of them. We need to provide them with food, water, shelter, and vet care. Small dogs could never survive out in the cold if made to live like dogs did before domestication.

Hope this helps!

Answer 6

I would assume that dogs would have been a lot more resilient to cold weather then than they are now. Because of the conversion of dogs to household pets, they have become less able to tolerate the cold.

Answer 7

back in the day..... there were really no small dogs. that has happened due to selective breeding done on purpose.. .. back in the day... dogs were not domesticated, they were wolves. even a toy poodle was bred down from wolves. Wolves lived and worked in packs. they had dens for birthing and had coats that would have more than one layer during the winter. they would shelter in dens or under trees.

Answer 8

They're animals. Just like raccoons, squirrels, birds, they are designed (by God, by nature, by whatever) to live as animals. They don't need Science Diet dog food, cute sweaters, and diamond studded collars. They're dogs. They can stay out all night without any problem.

Answer 9

dogs adapt to their surroundings like cold weather in winter and hot in summer. that's why most animals have winter and summer coats like humans wear jeans and jackets in winter and shorts and tank tops in summer. if you have a larger dog like a lab you will notice that in spring they lose alot of fur that is because they are preparing for summer so they don't need the winter coat to make them hot.

Answer 10

they lived outside just like we did with more fur (and hair); time evolve both when the dog became domesticated and when we moved indoors with better sources of heat and clothing.