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I'm in full agreement with the sentiment expressed in the photo. The domestic dog has been bred to function in human society and within the human family. Confining him to a backyard where he is denied the human interaction he so craves is nothing short of abandonment. It is cruelty of the worst order - not to mention the nuisance barking that often results and torments the neighbors. We really need better screening and followup where dog adoptions are concerned, because too many people are ill equipped to handle the responsibility.
Location: Montreal -> CT -> MA -> Montreal -> Ottawa
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Driller1
Another view.....
We have hunting dogs.
Would it be right to let them get to hot inside just to take them out in the cold and expect them to work????
They should go from 72 degrees in the house to -0 outside or, worst in the dog boxes???? They they can't move around much in the dog boxes.
I think that you know how I feel about outside dogs: bring them inside and be part of the family.
BUT...
You also know that I know nothing about hunting dogs and so, even though I believe that dogs should be inside with their family, I also believe that you know what's best for your dog.
And I totally understand what you're saying about the temperature differential. I know that when I step outside in the winter, after being snug and cozy inside, that it feels colder out than it actually is because it was such a radical change.
When we moved to semi-rural Kansas from suburban Chicago, I was horrified to discover how many people have their dogs living outside all year round. Many bark incessantly all night long, making it impossible for us to sleep with the windows open. But in spite of it being annoying, I am always thinking of how uncomfortable these dogs are, and I wonder why their owners even bother having them. Just a different culture here, I guess, but I really dislike it.
I agree, and our grandson in law and granddaughter do this,but in all fairness, they do have a spectacular dog house, of course lots of warm bedding and the dogs are Great Pyrenees which are survivors of the cold. They also have a little terrior mix that has the run of the inside/outside. He actully enjoys being with the other dogs a lot of the time. As for why their owners have them, in this case they are really pet lovers, but our grandson in law was raised in a rural area and they live on 14 acres, so it is just second nature I guess. Now, for us, a dog belongs on the bed or he/she isn't worth having.
I know folks who own a Great Pyraneese, (spelling?), and he lives and loves it outside, but he also guards the farm animals. It is the ones who are left tied with no companionship and no exercise that make me sad. I couldn't imagine a chained dog not being able to escape a rabid raccoon, a spooked skunk or a hungry coyote. I've heard stories of chained dogs in Alaska being eaten by wolves. No escape. Just the thought of having to run circles in their own feces is bad enough.
I know folks who own a Great Pyraneese, (spelling?), and he lives and loves it outside, but he also guards the farm animals. It is the ones who are left tied with no companionship and no exercise that make me sad. I couldn't imagine a chained dog not being able to escape a rabid raccoon, a spooked skunk or a hungry coyote. I've heard stories of chained dogs in Alaska being eaten by wolves. No escape. Just the thought of having to run circles in their own feces is bad enough.
We have Great Pyrenees and you are right...they love it outside and they bond very strongly with the animals they guard.
Personally, I don't have a problem with working dogs not being allowed inside. They receive stimulation from their work and at night they rest.
I'm sure OP was referring more to the countless outdoor dogs who are not working dogs and are just left to rot in the yard. No mental stimulation, no exercise, no love, nothing but some lousy dog food and water.
My little doxies are cuddle bugs. They sit by the fire sometimes, but mostly, they sleep with me. They are not left in the Oklahoma cold or heat.
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