Pet dogs outdoors

chocbisc

Do any pet dog breeds do well living outside the family home in a warm weather proofed kennel with plenty of socialisation with family and walks/exercise but not allowed into the family home? (countryside, very large garden and space, neighbours not close by). Or is this a complete no go?

headtheball14

Dogs are pack animals they really aren't built to be alone. Some will get more or less upset.

There are some dogs because of the way they are raised will never be really happy inside but I suspect you don't want them.

Why would they not be allowed inside , someone with allergies or just don't want them messing the house up?

Why would you bother getting a dog if they are not going to be part of the family?

Cherry Blossom

Many years ago now, my family had a yellow lab that came from a puppy farm. He would only come in the house if the door was left open for him to escape. He got extremely stressed at being shut in the house. We lived on a working farm though. My dad started his working day at 6am and often worked till 12am, year round. If he was doing tractor work the dog went with him, if he was in the sheds the dog hung around the sheds or followed me around while I saw to the horses or checked fencing etc. He slept in the stables with the horses at night. He had as much human interaction as any house pet. IMO that’s the only situation that keeping a dog outdoors works and is fair to the dog. Keeping a dog outdoors alone with only 3 or 4 hours interaction with his/her family everyday is animal cruelty. You may have good intentions but the reality is that there are thousands of dogs in this country that have been dumped outside with nowhere near enough interaction, especially in the colder darker months. Please don’t do it to yet another poor defenceless animal.

OP, be honest with yourself on how much time you and your family members will spend with the dog if it is constantly outside, excluding time spent on walks. This isn't something that I say as a way of questioning your integrity and your intentions with your dog, just something that everyone needs to think through when getting a dog. Pounds and rescues are already seeing dogs bought at ridiculous money during lockdown being handed in because people are now able to go on holiday, never mind actually returning to work.

My other half works with dogs for a living as a warden and sees what damage can be done when a dog is gotten and basically left outside with no real interest shown to them once past being a puppy, even if they have another dog for company.

This isn't to say a dog cannot spend the majority of their time outside, during the day, but only really with you and your family being out with them a lot, not just an hour or two and that's outside time spent on walks, which isn't easy in winter.

Also regardless of how secure your garden is, a bored dog is more likely to try and stray, which if they do can result in a whole load of trouble. Some dogs and breeds seem to be escape artists, and no a electric boundary fence and shock collar don't stop them, also things happen like, people visiting leaving gates open and a bored dog is out it as soon as they realise it's open. The county where my other half works, and outside the towns, most incidents with stray dogs usually turn out to be with non-working farm dogs of various breeds just left to wander or got out somehow, usually at night or at least that's the story given when the owner can be traced.

In my case, I work from home and have done for years. We've four dogs all rescues from different situations. We like having them in with us, but two of ours actually prefer to be outdoors more in the (secure) garden, to the extent that they will open the door themselves if not locked to go outside to play together and with some of the cats and come and go until bed time, and then sleep in the house. They do get time with us for playing, training, walks etc and this is outside the times I go out to check on them regularly just for a quick pet, make sure their water is topped up, and some quick sit, stay, come routine.

The other two are older (over 10) and only go outside to go to the toilet and spend a bit of time playing with the other two. One was an actual street dog, who had been running around for at least eight months before he was caught and the other was handed in after spending most of their life in a back garden with no interest shown to them. Both required a lot of time and patience, as well as gentle training to get to where they didn't freak out at sudden movements etc, never mind being able to go for a walk on a lead.

Again I am not mentioning any of this as any questioning of your integrity etc, just simply taking from experience and some of the questions anyone getting a dog should be thinking of.

Zak Flaps

Don't get a dog if you're not going to let him into your house at all.

chocbisc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117922113#Comment_117922113

Thanks, we live on a working farm too, so there are people around all the time. Living on a working farm our animals are well cared for but we don’t keep animals in the home at present, so that is why I am wondering if this appropriate or not for a pet dog and doing my research in advance, and why we consciously have not jumped on the “lockdown pet” bandwagon. I am not doing anything cruel or intending to do anything cruel to a poor defenceless animal.

Thanks to all for the constructive responses

motley

I am from rural area and have always had dogs around the home. We never had dogs allowed inside the house. They have always been outdoors. You don't have to let dogs into the home to be a good dog owner. Socialising, training, play can all be done outside.

To answer your question, most large breeds would be fine outdoors.

Obviously if you have them from pup, it's easier train them this way.

micah537

A Border Collie should be considered. Such an underrated dog in Ireland, intelligent, loyal, robust, never seem to have health issues, not too strong on the lead and incredibly easy to train.

While I don't agree with dogs living outside in a small housing estate garden, as the novelty of a dog can go pretty quickly and then a bored dogs becomes loud and destructive, but they'll be grand in a big area . Since your on the farm, you'll probably be bringing the dog off with you around the farm so you'll bond and get plenty exercise.

mary 2021

I have a big dog she lived outdoors for her life before i rescued her and now her love of warmth & heat is palpable she barely wants to go out to wee &pooh in case she is locked out again. So her memory and life outside represent misery. She is 12 and a very large dog breed with a double coat. She adores the home and even during the sunny weather she still likes to lie on the wooden floor rather than be out side says it all really . They want to be near us, dont get a dog to live out side especially in these times when dog theft is rampant and ther is nothing like wondering what happened to your dog and the guilt you will feell cos you could have prevented it.

chocbisc

Thank you all for your responses, I have lots to consider here taking your viewpoints into account. A balance of outdoor and indoor without complete free reign in either setting seems like a workable goal if we are to get a pet.

sillysmiles

I think what puts people on a working farm off allowing the dog/s indoors is the dirt - it's not just normal muddy park dirt.

Growing up, our dogs were allowed inside during the day but slept outside - 1980s/90.

On my brother's farm his working dogs are not allowed inside at all (see point about shitte and muck) and the difference I notice compared to my indoor lab is that my dog is much more chilled out - where as the farm dogs love attention and want to jump up on you and lean into you.

You really need to look at what will the dog get from this and remember they don't care about open space and love company!

I think working dogs are fine not in the house, but an actual pet, is a pet, I don't understand how it could really be a pet and be left outside.

I don't mean to be rude, but if the dog is outside, then how much time does it really spend with the family? A dog on a farm where there are people outside all day, and the dog sleeps out somewhere is fair enough.

People next door to my mam got a lovely little pup a few months ago. He is in the back garden constantly, he did spend about 3 months crying, but now seems to have given up. Just lies there looking depressed. The daughters visit home every now and again, the dog gets loads of attention. Then he is left out the back again when they leave. It's actually heartbreaking watching him. Not that I'm suggesting you would do that OP!