« Build a Firepit on Concrete? | Home | Backyard Wrestling has Change!? »
Backyard Dogs?
By admin | May 5, 2008
chocoboryo asked:
Sorry if I sound ignorant, but here’s the thing. It appears that many people from the US seem to be against keeping dogs in backyards, some even labeling it as animal cruelty? Can someone please explain to me why this is?
Here in Australia, keeping dogs inside is almost unheard of (with the exception of small dogs – but I’m talking about medium-large breeds). They all live in the backyard.
I can see that keeping a dog inside is a big advantage for their social need, as they are pack animals. And I’ve noticed that backyard dogs can tend to be more hyperactive which isn’t very good. But how can a dog run around, smell things, etc inside a house? What does the dog do when you aren’t at home? Don’t they get bored?
We own a large breed of dog who lives mostly outside. We do let her inside quite a bit, but after a few minutes, half an hour at the most, she is at the backdoor, begging us to let her out so that she can patrol the yard, chase insects and birds, and experience all the smells of outside. Even though she spends most of her time outside, rarely does she even want to come inside, she enjoys our company but would much rather be outside!
Honestly if I had my own house and dog, I wouldn’t want to keep it outside all the time, but I wouldn’t want to keep it inside most of the time either.
I’m not disputing keeping dogs inside; I would just like people to explain to me why it is animal cruelty. And also explain the advantages and disadvantages of either way. Thank you. 
By the way, is dogs getting poisoned so common in the US that it’s really a reason to keep them indoors?
Thanks again.
Topics: Outdoor Fireplace |
May 5th, 2008 at 7:36 pm
I’m Canadian, and our climate is such that we can’t leave our dogs out all winter or they’d freeze to death. I have a medium-large breed (Dalmation) which is a short haired dog. There are only a few months out of the year that it is warm enough for him to be outside 24 hours a day. The US is warmer in places, but not all of them..
My dog does get bored at home all day, but as soon as we are home we let him out into the yard to run around. He goes on regular walks around the neighborhood, and trips to the off-leash park where he can run and play with other dogs. He’s happy.
The cruelty part I don’t know about.. But yes, animal poisonings in North America are frightening. There were a lot of unscrupulous breeders selling Rottweilers and Pit Bulls with mixed heritage that were creating a bad name for the breeds and breeders. People have become fearful of big dogs and poisonings have become more and more common. Maybe that’s where the cruelty part comes from? If you leave your dog outside he may be poisoned?
May 6th, 2008 at 8:59 am
Most people now a days view their dogs as children or close companions so many keep them in the house. I don’t see them staying outside as such a big deal, as long as they have a safe yard and a nice place to sleep…but I guess everyone has their own opinion. I guess it depends on what type of climate you’re in too, like if it’s too hot or too cold for them they should be indoors.
May 9th, 2008 at 2:37 pm
There is nothing wrong with keeping a dog in the back yard, as long as the dog is fed, has water, and is not alone all the time. In america people are crazy for pets, they begin to forget that they are animals and have different needs than people. Next door to me there are 3 dogs living in horrible conditions in the yard. One is chained to his dog house on a big chain with only about 6 feet to move around. He is inundated with flies and rats, not fed on a regular basis, and no one pets him or lets him loose to run. There are 2 more in the yard just like that. Now, that is abuse. So there are different circumstances where a dog in a yard can be happy, or unhappy.
May 11th, 2008 at 12:50 pm
Mine apparently do the same thing when I’m gone as they do when I am at home. They eat, drink, and sleep. They are much more content and fun to be with when kept indoors. The problem I see with keeping dogs outdoors at all times is they often don’t get the social contact that the house dog usually does. Dogs are such social creatures that keeping them away from their family seems to make them less friendly and happy. In my experience, they can get down right dangerous if not part of their “pack”. All the shelties I have had to euthanize in my rescue endeavors due to aggression have been outdoor dogs. Every single one.
May 11th, 2008 at 5:36 pm
I can completely respect where you’re coming from, with this question.
The thing is, that between lawsuits, varying weather conditions, noise pollution laws, dog theft…most owners are better off keeping their dogs indoors.
Also, a dog gets bored regardless to where it is, inside or out, when left alone. I’ve seen a number of hunting dogs kept outside, on chains. Some people don’t even take the time to adjust the chains as the dog grows, and the dog ends up with an embedded collar.
BTW, you did not sound ignorant. Your question was a valid one and I found it interesting to see how a dog’s life is different in Australia.
May 12th, 2008 at 3:08 pm
some people steal dogs from your backyard in usa, thats why i walk my chihuahua then put her back in the house both of my aunts keep thier big dogs in the house the other makes hers stay outsinde only if its a nice day.
May 13th, 2008 at 11:12 pm
when I was little all my big dogs were outside dogs.. and our smaller breeds stayed inside.. but now that I have my own place and ( 2 pit bulls ) they live inside with me.. I HATE all the dog hair.. but having them inside makes us closer….. and I feel safer knowing their inside with me.. they probably wouldnt bite anyone that came in to rob or harm me.. but the robber doesnt know that..
May 15th, 2008 at 2:05 am
I’m Canadian, I’m from northern Manitoba. Our climate can be pretty cold, but there are a lot of dogs that live outside where I live, medium sized ones, big ones, ones with dalmatian like hair, and others with thick husky like fur, so not ALL Canadians keep their dogs inside like other Canadians suggest.
I would say about 87% of people in the town that I live in keep their dogs outside. A lot of these dogs don’t like being inside.
When a dog is outside all the time, they get used to the cold weather, and can cope with it better than dogs that stay inside all the time, so keeping a dog outside 24-7 in Canadian weather isn’t cruel.
There are many diffrent breeds of dogs where I live just like in the city, and I haven’t heard of one that actually froze to death. Dogs are smart, if it gets too cold for them, they seek shelter and find a place to sleep thats warm. My Wolf Hybrids and German Shepherds have insulated dog houses with straw in them. Other dog owners in my town don’t provide dog houses for their dogs, their dogs just sleep under their patio when its cold. I’m not saying not providing a dog house is OK; I’m just saying that none of those dogs freeze to death just because this is northern Canada.
The only dogs that stay inside where I live are small toy like dogs, but I should also mention that I know one lady who owns a Jack Russell who hates being in the house (even in the winter) and lives outside.