i have noticed something... pls read and answer?

Question

i have noticed that HEAPS of people here seems to not recognize the fact that a dog is infact a dog. its ok if it stays outside and its ok if you arent home all day. they are animals and as such, theres no baby talk involved nor dressing them up. i have 2 dogs and me and hubby are both at work all day until 5.30pm. they are always inside when we are home but sometimes we just put them out to kinda "get rid of them" :)

wot do u think its appropriate with your dog?

NOTE ADDED: i do love my dogs as if they are my own kids. my point was that a dog should know where their place is. by "gettin rid of them" (and you poeple didnt even notice the smiley at the end...) was just to say that for example when we are eating they bother us by comin around for food so we put them out. trust me they have runs everyday for 30 min (its almost winter over here so its dark by 6pm...) and play play play with us & each other inside in the evening before going to sleep.

and also, im renting the place and the doggy door its out of the question. we do have a nice garden though with a big wooden house for them.

Answer 1

your very right about this......we've had outside dogs & indoor dogs throughout my life & all were happy healthy animals & not a single one of them was abused or neglected in ANY way. There are certain breeds that are not meant to stay outside thsi is true but your sporting breeds, herding dogs, workng breeds n such are all bred to work & live out of doors & as long as the owner is providing proper shelter, food, water & interaction w their pets there is NO reason they NEED to live indoors full time. I currently havea pug & she is an indoor dog full tiem of course excpet to go potty & for walks n such.....there in general just A LOT of people on here who think they know everything & that the way they are donig things is the ONLY way to do it. I mean come on now people dogs come from wolves which to my best kowledge are out door animals that sleep, eat, play & do everythign else OUT SIDE!!!!! With proper care & love there are many breeds that in fact are perfectly happy to stay outside for themost part.

Answer 2

In a way it's hard to not get some 'maternal' feelings toward your dog. I live by myself and she is what gets me into a good routine (a walk early morning and after her dinner).
She's seen my good times and bad times and is the only thing that has remained *really* consistent over the past 6+ years. I know that she is *just* a dog, some people may relate, we do communicate with each other...
I do find it amusing that people feel the need to dress their dogs up, ok maybe 1 jumper every now and again, but to collect a wardrobe seems over the top. My dog has her collar, her lead, her grooming things, a bed and a couple of toys (have jumpers etc. that have been given to me, but she HATES them).
But: My dog sleeps on my bed - terrible I know, but that will change if there's someone else to share it with! She has cuddle time or play time, depending on how we're both feeling. She also hates being outside for too long. She also travels with me and she is quite easy to move around, if i'm staying somewhere else overnight.
I like a balanced medium of pampering and also treating a dog like a dog.

Answer 3

Yes, we know our dogs are dogs.

We also know that not all dogs can live outside in any climate. I live in a northern climate, it's not unusual to get -40 degrees here in winter. Would you leave your dogs outside under those conditions? Didn't think so. Mine run out for a pee & run back inside right away, and they're not wusses. So if someone asks if it's OK to leave a dog outside all the time, I'll say it depends on the breed, the climate, and of course in what conditions it's left there.

And yes, you're right, most dogs do fine alone in the home all day. But puppies need more attention than that. I used to work in a shelter and we would never place a dog under six months of age in a home where there is no one there during the day. That only seems reasonable to me.

There are also plenty of dogs who display signs of anxiety when they are left alone all day, especially if there are no other pets to keep them company. If you come home to a destroyed house, you're not going to solve anything by telling your dog he's just a dog, and you're not going to help the owner out by telling him the same thing!

Re-read the answers carefully. You will notice, I think, that the majority of people who take the time to write a thoughtful answer aren't telling askers to treat their dogs like babies. They're usually trying to offer suggestions to solve a particular problem in a particular context.

Answer 4

It is not good for a dog to be treated like a pampered little kid. They are pack animals and need firm leadership and discipline, or they will get out of control due to their confusion about their role in the pack, and will sadly end up being handed in to the shelter.

But it still is not ideal to leave a dog alone all day, every day. Having said that, a lot of people do and if only people who were at home all day were allowed to have dogs, there would be millions more dogs euthanized every year. As long as you make the dog as happy and comfortable as you can. Outside is fine too, after all dogs were wild animals not so long ago and they didnt have heated houses and furry blankets on padded doggy beds to sleep in then.

Answer 5

Hi there,

To begin with, I would have to honestly answer that I do not agree with your statement that a dog is just a dog. You have to understand the intrinsic value of the relationship between the owner and the dog. Some people do not really care for their dogs as much as others, while others overly pamper their dogs to the point that they become spoilt.

I personally have 6 Shih Tzus ( 2 Kids, 4 Grandkids) and I love them as if they were my children. I do not have kids of my own so I shower my affection on them as if they were my own human kids and grandkids. They are my pride and joy.

As with human kids, there will be times when they will frustrate you or anger you to the point where you want to be rid of them for some personal space (I know because this happens to me too) but to me this is few and far between (unless you are a bad owner and overly pamper them).

This distinction that most people on the Yahoo! Answers forum is trying to place, that a dog is a dog and everybody should follow this, is plain absurd as this is very subjective. Why should there be only one way and that is, (Whomever), has an opinions way? Would it be absurd then for me to say that you do not love your dog as much as I do because you do not do this and that which I do.

Thus, to conclude my point, and to answer your question, there is no appropriate way to treat your dog. Just love them and care for them as you see best, because although you may not need them, and please remember this:

YOU ARE ALL THEY HAVE!

Answer 6

Honey, you are the LAST person on earth who should be lecturing ANYONE about animals. You are a BYB who is breeding your Pit bull with some other bulldog. You insult those who tell you it's a bad idea. You insult anyone who proves you wrong. You insult anyone who goes against your little tiny brain of thoughts. You refuse to read links or even have a ounce of conscience. You are shameful.

Yes, a dog is a dog. Duh.

But, why even have a dog if you are going to dump them outside all day? Oh wait, for you its so you can breed them over and over and make more crappy puppies that will just end up getting killed in shelters.

What do *I* think is appropriate for *my* dog? To be a part of my family. I wouldn't dump my family members outside, so I wouldn't dump my dog.

But, this is coming from an ethical person - something completely new to someone like you.

Answer 7

Dogs are not lawn ornaments. Dogs have been bred as companion animals for the longest time. We no longer use them for their original purposes. Dogs have been bred to live in the house, just as cats have been bred to live in the house. Also dogs are pack animals and need companionship. Dogs are very social animals and should not be left alone more than 6 hours a day. You shouldnt own a dog if you cannot give it the attention it needs to live a happy life.

Answer 8

I work and have to crate my youngest dog for his own safety when I'm gone. If I am home, my youngest dog is out of the crate. I also come home for lunch so I can spend time with my dogs and let the youngest out to go potty, eat, drink and play. If I can't make it home, I ask my neighbor to walk my dog. I LOVE to spend time with my dogs. I can't put them outside all day. I live in Arizona where the temperatures are typically 105 or higher in the summer. I'm not sure why you have dogs? It doesn't sound like you enjoy them much. My dogs are family members. I know they are animals but I also know they need my love, affection and attention. They give it back to me ten fold. No offense meant to you here but it really sounds like you are judging the rest of us.

Answer 9

My personal opinion is that if nobody's home with the dog all day long, and then you "get rid of them" in the evening when you ARE home, you shouldn't have dogs. Simple as that.

You're right in the fact that dogs ARE dogs, but they aren't the same wild beasts of burden from thousands of years ago. They are domesticated. WE domesticated them for our companionship... thus making them OUR responsibility.

I *personally* don't think it's right to keep a dog outside to live, but to each their own. My dog (an American Pit Bull Terrier named Saydee) is an inside dog. She gets walked 3 miles a day, she gets plenty of attention and exercise, the only time she's confined is at bedtime.. she goes in her crate. I don't care if she's a dog -- she's MY responsibility. She's trained in advanced OB, and is getting ready to start other activities like weight pulling and agility.

But I don't own a chihuahua or a jack russel terrier.. I own a pit bull. Those of us who are owners of bully breeds KNOW what our responsibilities to our dogs are. :)

Answer 10

I'm not a dog specialist in any way, but I have dealt with a number of dogs and have come to realize that each dog has its own personality. My boyfriend's dog is very independent, and while he loves getting attention, he also appreciates his space and will spend hours lying outside by himself. One of my dogs (I have three) is extremely needy and never likes to be alone.
I think the level of appropiateness depends on the personality of your dog. However, you have to also remember that dogs are by nature a pack animal. If a dog is going to spend a lot of time home alone, it could be a good idea to get a companion for him/her. Many dogs are much happier when they have a companion, especially if they spend a lot of time alone.