Is it ok to have "outside dogs"?

Question

Personally I don't believe in it, but I hear so many people argue for it and am really curious. Why would it be ok to leave a dog outside all the time, or even just bring it in when it's really cold. This just bothers me. My dogs want to be by me all the time, I am the alpha and when seperated they are sad and anxious. Is this just something that people believe like they believe that they are "Just" dogs??

I'd like to add, I am not talking about "working" dogs. Though I do not consider owning a dog to run around a junk yard as security a "working dog" they are usually neglected severely

Well I've concluded from the answers that "true" dog lovers wouln't do this. I did not receive one response giving a good reason why dogs should be left outside. My girls have a doggy door, they have access to inside or outside anytime they want and if they go outside without me at all it's for less than a minute. They get plenty of exercise, they were trained from the time they were pups as to correct behaviour and I haven't ever had an issue. I do agree that humans impose many health issues on our dogs that they would not have in the wild, but they also keep them healthier than they could ever be in the wild if they are properly cared for and loved as you would love your child. Then again we have seen how some people treat their children, I can imagine these are the same people that treat their dogs this way. I have absoloutly no issue with dogs that like to be outside, as long as they have the option of coming in but to kennel your dog for it's entire life is cruel.

Answer 1

I am not sure why someone would want to have a dog then keep it outside. Most people wnat to have one so they have companionship. How much companionship is there if the dog lives outside?
I think it is wrong to isolate a dog out in a kennel all the time. If you want a pet it belongs inside with the family.
All of my working hunters live inside with us and are loved cared for family members.

Answer 2

I know - I feel the same way - my dog is a big lovie-dovie and loves being around people all the time.

However some dogs would rather be outside - wolf mixes, chows, (longer haired dogs get so much hotter and prefer the cooler temp) and others. Also, in many parts of the country people NEED guard dogs for saftey of livestock and the property. Also many people enjoy going out in their yards to garden and spend a lot of time playing ball or going for walks and spending time with their outdoor dogs - so not all outdoor dogs are neglected.

What it seems to be is that many people throw a dog out when they can't get it housetrained (because they don't use appropriate techniques) and it becomes an issue of frustration - that's why the dog is then neglected and left outdoors. People want a loving and cuddly indoor dog, but then they give up when the dog does frustrating things.

Answer 3

One of the pluses of leaving your dog inside is that it cannot get out and get lost, but if you leave your dog inside it might become anxious and start acting up or chewing furniture. It also means your dog will get less exercise, which might become a problem when you come home to an uncontrollable, jumpy dog. It is also a problem when you are unable to take your dog to "do his business".
However, keeping your dog outside also has its faults. Your dog will probably start barking at passing
cars, people, bikes, etc. which may cause people to become afraid of your dog even if he is super sweet. Your dog also may become too hot/cold, which may affect their health. They also usually only have a limited supply of water, which may be a problem in hot climates. And lastly, your dog may be able to escape your yard, which is unfortunate because your dog may get hurt, and some people will just keep your dog as their own pet.
My personal opinion is you should have a doggie door or something of that sort and always keep a large bucket of water inside. You should also check your fence/gate often for holes. If you do find injuries in your fence, repair them as soon as possible.
Dogs are not "just dogs". They have feelings and needs, too. If anyone tells you otherwise, I advise you ignore them.

Answer 4

Personally I would not leave my dogs outside all the time, even working dogs. If dogs are to be kept outside, they must have adequate warm and dry shelter, especially in the winter. Unless you're going to build them a special doggy barn, it is a lot easier just to allow them in the house.

In my experience, even sheepdogs, hunting dogs and so on generally live in the house with their owners. Of course, it is reasonable to keep them out of some areas of the house, especially if you have very small children around, etc. I know a lot of people who have farm dogs which are only allowed in the outhouse, downstairs hall, kitchen and living room, for instance.

For most people, part of the point of having a dog is company, so I think it would be really odd to leave them outside all the time.

Answer 5

Dogs are a domesticated animal this means that they are to be treated like a child in a sense. Sadly dogs are still considered property but it does not make it right to leave a domesticated animal out side all the time. This can lead to aggression.

Answer 6

I have 4 large dogs and 1 medium dog, all, bar 1 large dog, are outside dogs and are perfectly content that way. Even in the wild, wolf packs have a heirarchy that dictates where a dog sleeps. The higher in the ranks you are, the closer you sleep to the alpha. All of my dogs have their kennels near the back door, so they still sleep as close as they can to the alpha(me). I actually spend about 80% of my daylight hours outside with them, playing and just spending time. One of my dogs refuse to come inside no matter how much we coax him, and the rest dont like or want to come inside during the day, even the inside dog spends all day outside and only wants to come in after dark. I dont believe they are 'just dogs', but i do believe they have their place and for mine its outside. When dogs were nothing more than useful tools to help man, i am fairly sure they didnt sleep on masters bed, and this emotional attachment we have with them only came when they were no longer a necessity but a luxury. I think some people take the pack mentality too far to the detriment of the dogs, they are supposed to sleep out side, wolves dont have a cozy house to curl up in do they. Dogs are now getting problems and diseases i relate directly to human involvement, asthma is never present in the wild but it does occur in dogs kept inside, i have never owned a dog with asthma and all my dogs have lived outside. Diabetes is only a recent thing with dogs due to the change in diet to more processed foods(100 years ago there was no such thing as canned dog food). Eczema is i believe due to the amount of chemicals and other synthetic materials that people have exposed them to. There are many problems affecting dogs now that are only because of human intervention, so i intend on keeping my dogs in as natural environment as i can.

Answer 7

Many people have dogs for reasons other than as pets. Guard dogs, burglar alarms, etc.

Also, even some folks that have dogs as pets believe that the dogs should always be outside, because that way their house stays cleaner.

I agree with you though, why have a dog and then leave them outside all the time?

Answer 8

so dogs can take the weather, some dogs for example some small or skinny dogs cant. trust me, my grandmother had a German shepherd, a Spitz, and a monkey terrier and they all were just fine in the yard and taken in when nessiary, like on too hot or cold days or to sleep at night.

Answer 9

My two dogs a rottie and an akita mix prefer to be outside simply because there is more room for them to play and they enjoy each others company. Yes there are times they like to be inside when its to hot or cold but they are very playful and arent very happy as inside dogs. We do spend alot of time with them playing and taking them for walks. Our dogs have a very large fenced in backyard.

Answer 10

it is ok to have outside dogs, they dont mind i dont think my dogs actually kinda like to be outside they need to run around and be dogs and not always inside! they can do it! so dont worry, mabey try putting them out for a few hours at a time and then for a day and see how they react you never know both you and your dogs could love it!