Is there anything wrong with a dog being an outdoor dog?

I am a DS regular, and I have noticed a major increase of people asking "will my dogs be okay outside" Will they freeze" etc. From the answers I have given I have had people telling me its cruel you leave your dogs outside over night, or all the time.…

    Is there anything wrong with a dog being an outdoor dog?

    I am a DS regular, and I have noticed a major increase of people asking "will my dogs be okay outside" Will they freeze" etc. From the answers I have given I have had people telling me its cruel you leave your dogs outside over night, or all the time.…...
    Dog Breed Discussions : Is there anything wrong with a dog being an outdoor dog?...

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    • Is there anything wrong with a dog being an outdoor dog?

      Is there anything wrong with a dog being an outdoor dog? Dog Breed Discussions
      I am a DS regular, and I have noticed a major increase of people asking "will my dogs be okay outside" Will they freeze" etc. From the answers I have given I have had people telling me its cruel you leave your dogs outside over night, or all the time. And you don't give them the attention you would give your "pet" dog. I have 5 "indoor" dogs. They are allowed in certain areas of the house (kitchen, hallways, main floor living room, and the porch (kennel room). Only one of my dogs has free reign of the house and she is a 13 year old well behaved staffy. She is a retired dog now, she gets more freedom. She sleeps in my bed room etc. The other 4 dogs are a 3 year old APBT, a 5 year old ACD, a 2 year old border collie, and a 9 month old border collie. They are true working dogs (the pitty is new and is in training for dog sports, and "work"). These dogs I am more aloof with, they don't get babied, they don't get "treats" or spoiled. They get brushed, and are well taken care of, have all training. These are my WORKING dogs. They are not my pets in my opinion, they are my partners/workers. Then for my livestock (150 head of sheep, and two rams) I keep 2 LGD in with them. They are outdoors year rouond (shaved in summer) I don't really have a bond with them, although they do know leash manners, and basics. They are a spayed female, and a intact male. They have a really nice barn shelter, and the sheep for company and do the job well. I have been told by multiple people in my area, as well as gotten personal emails from people on here.Is it mean that I don't let the other 4 "indoor" dogs have free reign in the house, when they see my old dog have free reign? The akbash and the maremma are outdoors year round, but they were bred for it right? Its warm enough with the sheep, and the coat they have? I am starting to doubt my practices with my dogs, and wondering if I am being to strict.

      Is there anything wrong with a dog being an outdoor dog?

      Is there anything wrong with a dog being an outdoor dog? Dog Breed Discussions
    • Dogs that are equipped to live in cold weather (thick coat, heavy built frame, bred for cold weather) I don't worry about as long as they have proper shelter, food, water in supply and are not chained up and have human contact frequently. What bothers me is when someone thinks they can put a chihuahua outside 24/7 in 30 to 40 degree weather with a only a dinky little sweater, or they chain the dog outside with a crappy dog house that has no insulation or bedding and they think that's the perfect life for the dog when in reality they are just too lazy and stupid to actually train the dog to live indoors.

    • As long as the dog has shelter, a warm bed, food, water, and the right vaccinations I don't see anything wrong with a dog being an outdoor dog. Yeah, if it's an outdoor dog, it is less likely to get a lack of attention and more likely to get sick from tick and mosquito bites as well as bites and stings from other insects as well as other animals. But as long as you take care of it and make sure it's healthy, I don't see anything wrong with making a dog an outdoor dog.

    • Honestly those people are over reacting. In the dog world there is a pecking order, the owner is always first (alpha). When they see your other dog have free reign of the house they perceive him as number two in the pecking order (or beta). You have dogs as working dogs, like you said. They are not house pets. They are fine outside, I'm sure they are perfectly comfortable. You own livestock. If people are going to play the inhumane card with you about your dogs then the same can be said about your sheep. Next time ask them if they think your sheep should have free reign of the house. I am a dog owner and lover, but they are hardy animals. You are not abusing them, just utilizing them for the purposes they were bred for.

    • Well you shoudl bring the dog in at night if its snowing but i would keep it in because dogs are very clever. They can learn how to get out of the gate or bust through their shock collar. I have a next door neighbor though and they keep the dogs in the garage and they are very-unsocial one will jump on you and knock you over almost and the other will be scared and puff her hair up and crawls away it sad too because they are both a bit under weight i can lift the husky and they are supposed to be over 50 pounds and i can barly lift my dog Chelsea becuase shes a 40 pound beagle. So I am not quit sure. You could keep it ouside if you awake at home and let in in at night time. But if its snowing the dog could get sick or die becuase they are kind of like humans but with built in coats. So i suggest that if your cold with a coat on they are cold too. Also keep your 9 month old one inside till it grows older because it may cause her damage. So mybe half the day outside and the other half inside 8D. But i am not a vet i would ask them.

    • Your situation is unique. There is a great deal of difference between having several out door dogs, all set up with good living conditions, and a single dog living outside.As you know, dogs are a social animal, they want nothing more in life then to be a pack member. In the wild, the worst possible punishment a dog can face, worse then death, is banishment from the pack.So those people who have a single dog, and they have the dog living outside, to the dog, this is nearly equal to being banished from the pack.But, when you have several dogs, they keep each other company, from the dogs point of view, it is not being "banished" from the pack.I mean when I was younger, our dogs (3 of them) lived in a big dog pen. Big enough you could park six trucks in there with no problem. Their pen encompassed 3 or 4 big trees, so there was plenty of shade. They had a heated dog house, with plenty of room. And they were taken inside often for family events, or if it got really cold. Also, the pen was open up during the day, and they had free reign of the place until night time.Much different set up then a single dog, isolated and left out regardless of the weather.

    • depends on so muchif knowledgeable about dogs and needs, okif ignorant dogs may die.if family pet why not live in house with family?not if they are cared for, all my dogs are trained and have free reign of house.

    • I don't think it's cruel to leave a dog outside. After all, they did before they came to live with humans. The only problem I see is that you all aren't living as a pack. Obviously you know that dogs are pack animals. To live as a pack, you should all live together. And, your dogs can actually become jealous that don't have free reign of the house. Not because they think it's unfair, but dogs in the same pack should live by the same rules. By you not having the same rules and expectations for each dog, they divide and make little packs of their own. Right now, there are three: You and the Staffy, You and the 4 indoor dogs, and the two outdoor dogs. Since there are basically two separate packs inside the house, one may be jealous of the other because you are with one dog, and not the others. Get what I'm saying? The outdoor dogs live together and, as I took it, don't get much contact. I'm not saying that you have to bring your outdoor dogs inside, but you can if you want. I'm just saying that you should treat each dog equally.I'm not being mean with what I'm about to say, but I can tell that they aren't equal to you in your mind. You favor the Staffy, then the 4 indoor dogs, and then the outside dogs. You introduce them all separately instead of saying "I have 7 dogs, 5 who live indoors and 2 who live outdoors". They are separated in your mind. If you can change that so each dog receives equal rules, boundaries, limitations, and expectations, they will all be much happier.Just another thought, but why don't you train your other 4 indoor dogs to be more well behaved (I can understand wanting to contain the puppy to supervise and train it) so they can also be anywhere in the house? It's just not fair to allow one dog to do whatever it wants while the others are stuck in a room. Just a thought, though.