In our area a lot of people keep their dogs outside, mainly because the weather isn't bad, and because since most people here are Asian they like clean houses. (Joking on the last one. Though I guess it could be true. xD)
And yes, it's going to be hard to convince them that the house isn't going to smell like someone planted a stink bomb inside and the walls aren't going to be covered in fur and pee.

 

Well if she is house trained then that should be easy to show them and with the fur part you could just try getting her groomed and having her smelling clean (like shampoo) when they are around and honestly I think that dogs who are bathed regularly or wiped down don't smell bad at all or you can even buy those doggy perfumes so she smells pretty. And I don't think it's just the Asian culture since my husbands family is from Mexico and they all keep their dogs outside 24/7 except for my brother and sister in law, who I think I have converted. LOL

 

Or you can just let her be an outside dog for now, since you still care about her and take care of her. Either way I think it's fine.

 

I'm going to keep trying to convince my parents, but I won't be completely bummed out if they say no.

 

Sounds good to me

 

I didn't read your original post until now, Plushie. It sounds like your dog is happy and well cared for.

 

Lol! It's okay, I wrote a handful. Tl;dr, girl gets fussy over people stereotyping all outside dog owners as abusive.

 

Just because you see a dog out chained doesn't mean its chained 24/7. People have outdoor dogs bc that's how it was in the old days and still is on some ranch properties. When the domestic dog was created they didn't live indoors and sleep in human beds. Its a lifestyle TBH just like people still raise cattle for food and milk. Its not bad. Just as many people have indoor dogs and don't treat them to your standards
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Just because you see a dog out chained doesn't mean its chained 24/7. People have outdoor dogs bc that's how it was in the old days and still is on some ranch properties. When the domestic dog was created they didn't live indoors and sleep in human beds. Its a lifestyle TBH just like people still raise cattle for food and milk. Its not bad. Just as many people have indoor dogs and don't treat them to your standards
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Problem with saying its how it was done in the old days, is its not the old days. And I bet majorit of people on this borad live in towns and cities. Not out near ranchs where dogs have space and work to do. Now as I said before I see nothing wrong with outside WELL TAKEN CARE OF dogs. but I HATE seeing out door dogs 24/7 that i KNOW dont get attention (other then being yelled at) or excersise. its cruel IMO. the back yards are little stamp sizes. I have many neighboors with outside/garage dogs. ALL have massive barking and agressive issues. all due to being stuck in a little measly back yard their whole lives.

2 of these peoples back yards back on to the chilrens school, with just chain link fencing blocking them from the kids. I fear a child will stick their hand in and get bit. one is a GSD and the other house has 2 golden retrievers. All 3 very very agressive. All becuase they live a crappy boring life.

 

Well said Pawz!.

I will admit, I love inside dogs but I do like my space with just me at times as well and I'll admit sometimes I don't want to have to put up with keeping an eye on my dogs while there inside so when I move out, if I need some alone time, they will go outside. Though, this would happen very rarely I reckon because I love the company of my dogs.

I was lucky enough to convince my mum to let my dogs sleep inside with me at night though it took 2 years after getting our dog. I am moving to the shed soon which means they'll get to spend as much time with me as they'd like as long as I'm in my new room. My dogs are my best friends so I'm glad I'm moving to the shed so they can spend as much time with me as they like.

 

Our dogs are my best friends too. I prefer them to live inside with me too. I think there are some outside dogs that are treated good and are loved. But there is a big percentage that aren't. A lot of them are ignored mistreated or abused. But there are inside dogs that are ignored or mistreated and abused too. But I think the biggest percent are outside dogs. I have seen it a lot. I have asked people why have a dog if you are going to ignore it. Dogs are pack animals. They want interaction with humans. I once had a friend that had 4 dogs. She kept those dogs in the house most of the time. She had a very small house. She kept those dogs in a small porch that was built off her kitchen. Her dogs were medium to large size. They were kept in crates in the house most of the time. She had runs that took up 1/8 of her back yard. So they didn't get much exercise outside either. She fed them and made sure they had water. But she never played with them or interacted with them. They just were there.They weren't allowed in any other part of the house. They were so frustrated that when they went outside they just barked all of the time. And she would get after them. She also had 2 cats that lived in a very large cage on the back porch with the dogs. she made sure they had food and water and cleaned their litter boxes. But she never held them or talked to them. She is no longer my friend because I finally asked her, "why do you have the dogs and cats". She got mad at me. She also had 2 little Dwarf rabbits. She would let them run around her house and play with them. She lets her grandson play with the rabbits but not the cats or the dogs. So to me that is neglect and they are inside dogs. But most indoor dogs that I know of are treated good and they are happy and content and are spoiled like mine are. And if our boy had been outside when we had our stove was leaking propane we probably would not be here now. He woke us up at 2am barking and running from our bedroom to the kitchen to let us know something was wrong. And our Dakota was under my feet at the computer when she alerted me that something was wrong on our property in the back where our son lives. He was the victim of a home invasion . And if she hadn't alerted us he might have been killed because the men had guns on him and had his head covered with thick pillows. The police said they probably planned on shooting him. But we got out there and scared them because of our Dakota girl. I'll keep my dogs inside.

 

I have six dogs, four live outside. My backyard is an acre, fenced, they all have houses, beds, under the deck so have a huge dry place even in bad weather. I am outside from sunup to sundown except for a lunch break when not at work. I work three days a week. They get great food, great vet care, good exercise, good shelter. The reason they are out? They choose to be. The coon dog has no desire to come inside. The rott mix will for minutes and is at the door. The male malinois will come in for minutes and is back at the door. He will destroy a house if left inside. The female malinois wants to come in for a little while and she is allowed to. The malinois pup stays in, basically because the coon dog would have eaten her when she was small, and she is accustomed to staying in. Though now she wants to be out alot, she doesn't like to be left with the big dogs. The shih tzu lives in because she can't handle weather outdoors all the time. LOL, but the shih tzu is right there on those walks everyday through the woods, fields, and swamp!

 

My girl is an outside dog.
We have a fenced in yard she stays in most of the time.
But, on some occasions she stays on her chain spot.
Like now, we are taking down the fence and and moving it and making her a pen away from the house.
So, she stays on her chain unless we go for our walks.
Without that chain spot, she's be gone in an instant.
Moving objects, such as squirrels, are her weakness. Lol.
And if I were to keep her inside, wow....
It would look like a tornado hit it!

 

There is nothing wrong with having an outside dog at all as long as it is given the proper care which it sounds like you do. Outside dogs and chains get a very bad rep because people see dogs on Animal Cops that are abused and living outside or on a chain or both. My dogs live outside as well as on a chian. The chains are 6ft connected to a wodden post with a swivel so they can go 360 degrees around the post. They each have their own house, food bowl, water bucket. I clean up after them 2 times a day, everyday if not more. This whole yard is fenced in also.
As long as the dogs are well taken care of then I see nothing wrong with outside dogs or dogs on chains.

 

so what if its not the old days? Its how some people were raised is what I mean because their parents were raised that way because their parents were raised that way and so on and so on....upbringing has a lot to do with dog ownership IMO, much like many other things in life and some people dont choose to explore the indoor livestyle of dogs. I am not saying its ok to have an indoor dog or outdoor dog with no training/socialization, I actually see many indoor dogs with tons of issues and horrible manners and vice versa.

 

I am not saying its ok to have an indoor dog or outdoor dog with no training/socialization, I actually see many indoor dogs with tons of issues and horrible manners and vice versa.

Oh I agree. Majority of dogs, indoors or outdoors have issues. I hardly ever see any good dogs around here. there is a small handful of people I know in the neighboorhood with GOOD/AMAZING dogs. all the rest are just lunitics lunging at the end of their leashs.

I was walking the boys today, both (well solo trying he is only 11ish weeks old lol) at heel. as we pass a schnauzer LUNGING at us. I say "Solo dont get any ideas (as he is a puppy and does want to meet every one) that dog is mean. The guy hears me and says "this is how most dogs are" like its acceptable that his dog is so horried. I just said "oh really, thank god my dogs are not most dogs and are trained" and kept walking.

Most dogs IMO are very undertrained and socialized.

 

It sounds like your dog is well taken care of... Personally, I don't know why someone would have a pet dog and not allow them in the house. PET being the operative word. Not judging, just sayin'

I also believe in preparing for emergencies. I do have a plan in place in case someting happened to me. If my dog was not a well behaved inside dog, I don't know that I would be able to place them, in an emergency. An emergency could also include natural catastrophic events like flooding or fire.

 

I am completely against dogs being chained unless it is for very short periods,like potty breaks. I feel dogs deserve better than to live their lives on chains. It has been shown that dogs that live on chains get bored and a lot of them become aggressive. But the main thing, I think one of the cruelest thing to do to dogs is chain them all of their lives. And this isn't because of what I have seen on Animal Cops. That is bad enough. But I have seen with my own eyes what dogs that live on chains go through. Dogs are living, feeling creatures just like humans. Maybe some humans need to live their lives on chains and see how it feels. I'm sure they wouldn't be happy at all.

 

I am completely against dogs being chained unless it is for very short periods,like potty breaks. I feel dogs deserve better than to live their lives on chains. It has been shown that dogs that live on chains get bored and a lot of them become aggressive. But the main thing, I think one of the cruelest thing to do to dogs is chain them all of their lives. And this isn't because of what I have seen on Animal Cops. That is bad enough. But I have seen with my own eyes what dogs that live on chains go through. Dogs are living, feeling creatures just like humans. Maybe some humans need to live their lives on chains and see how it feels. I'm sure they wouldn't be happy at all.

Not all dogs who are chained are agressive. As long as they have the proper care and attention and stimulation, they can be very happy and well socialized dogs. I have actually seen dogs who are inside dogs and in kennels way less socialized and friendly than the ones on chains.
This kind of a thing is extremely situation spesific.
Like natenqen said about the mushers who chain their dogs to a post with a house, I use this form of containment. My dogs and sled dogs who are kept this way are more socialized and friendly than most pets dogs that I know.
I have to keep my dogs this way for their own safety and their own good. There is no way I can keep them in the house because they would tear it up. In kennels, well when I think about it I think kennels, for me and my situation, would be more of a hassel than a benefit for the dogs. Here where I live we get lots of snow in the winter and if my dogs were in kennels then that would mean that I would have 7 doors to dig out of the ice and snow and 7 locks to unfreeze everytime I went to open a door. If I can't get to the dogs to feed, water, and clean up after them or in an emergency then what good are kennels?? I am at a much better peace of mind knowing that if there was a snowstorm, I could get to my dogs quickely if there were any problems, because of the set up that I have.
Here is a pic of my dog yard earlier this fall. There is a 8ft fence around the whole perimiter of the yard to keep stray animals, wild animals, and small children out of the yard.
Dog yard
Here is a link to a website dedicated to the care and keeing of sled dogs. I have followed these guidelines almost exactly. Mush With Pride

 

All I have to say is that my dirty, stinky, lovable outside-preferring farm mutts have better manners/training/socialization than almost ALL of the indoor dogs I've yet met. would I rather them be kept inside? actually, no, because I know that that is NOT what they'd want. They come in for an hour or two around supper to relax and nap, then BAM! they're ready to go back outside and romp around the farm, rolling in horse poo, swimming, chasing critters, etc. Now, they aren't "abused" in any way, shape or form. They both have their own well built and insulated dog house on one of the porches. Both are fed well. They get their shots and go for regular check ups. Even if one of them has a slight limp in their step, they go to the vet. They get stimulation EVERYDAY; granted, it may not be 2-3 hours of human-canine interaction, but its fine: by the time anyone is home to play, they're conked out in the yard from running around the farm. If I'm headed somewhere where they're welcomed, you better believe they're coming with me! and if its cold (<20F or so), or hot (>90F), there is no hesitation to let them in. My outside dogs are very much taken care of.

I do, however, see a lot of dogs left outside either chained to a dog house or stuck in a kennel in the farthest spot away from the house where they are lucky to get a daily meal. It saddens me greatly.

I would rather have indoor dogs, but since my two pooches prefer it outside, then that's where they will be. I'm not going to force them to live inside.

 

I hope you guys who don't approve of dogs living outside don't come to any villages here in Alaska. Many dog mushers chain their dogs to a post with a dog house. (In some villages, some of the mushing dogs don't have houses.) Not all are this way, I know many mushers who are actually very active with their dogs. One is a retired musher I know and she still runs her dogs, holds a full time job, care for her house, has cancer and still manages to take care of her huskies.

Of course in the villages, because people are greedy for money, the only reasons they race is in hopes to get the prize winning money. Thank goodness a few of my good freind mushers don't do that.

 

I've had both kinds of dogs. I grew up with indoor dogs. When I got married we started with an indoor/outdoor dog, a Samoyed/Shepherd mix. Then we got him a companion, a German Shepherd who for some reason -- maybe because he was so big -- absolutely hated to be indoors. I'm not sure exactly how it happened, but soon they both were living outside 24/7, eating their weight in birds. (We live on a fenced acre with a lot of trees.) The only time the Shepherd would come inside would be to sneak in, steal one of my daughter's dolls, and race back out! Then we rescued a Norwegian Elkhound who had been an indoor dog, but was happy to live outside with the others, with one exception: I think he missed TV!

There were good things about having three big dogs live outdoors, but I did miss having a dog hanging out with me inside the house.

They all grew old and died, and now we are about to get a completely different kind of dog, a Cavalier King Charles, who will be an indoor dog.

 

My dogs are outdoor dogs. I'd have them inside, but it's my parents decision, and they said maybe when we move. Anyway, they have a nice yard to live in. I'm constantly playing with Sparky (Deedee doesn't play much) and I can't function properly if I don't give them their daily walk. I'm constantly outside petting them, and I do let them inside a lot.

I think it depends on the owner, not where they are kept. Some people just completly ignore their dogs. Give it some food and water and that's it. Where as I have to spend almost all my time with them, or I simply can't function. I love them.

 

Uh...you let your dogs that many birds? That's real unfortunate...
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Uh...you let your dogs that many birds? That's real unfortunate...
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Not literally.

 

I think it's a good thing if The weather was mild

 

All our dogs are outdoor. They love it. They get free roam of 70 acres of farm land. They have a pond and creek to play in, horses, cows, ducks and other critters to chase, mud and poop to roll in, bones to dig up, it's the best life a dog can have. They get excersize, DD will chase me while I ride my horse for hours, she will race the four wheeler, winning most of the time. They have never been tied up. In bad weather they have a barn to escape to, in extreme weather they do come inside. they all get cared for and loved on properly. Just because they're not going to pet stores and getting dressed up in little outfits doesn't mean they aren't loved.

They're working dogs too, DD and Ruger are herding dogs. Ringo and Boo are hunting dogs. They get used for what they're bred for. They herd up the cattle and fetch up the dove and duck.

I think that if I forced them inside they wouldnt be as happy. If a dog is bred to be a companion animal specifically then making them live outside could be cruel to them, as they seek human contact all the time. As for the working type dogs they are bred to be more independent and can live outside without any problems. As long as they get the care and socialization they need.

 

^ Sounds like your dogs live the life dogs used to live... free on the farm or ranch. I have often thought that so many of the behavior problems we have now with the "modern/suburban" dog are a result of their lifestyles that usually involve a lot of isolation from other dogs and confinement to houses and small yards.

For example, modern dogs may not be well socialized with other dogs, and always walked on leashes that adds the stress leading to leash aggression and problems getting along with other dogs. They don't get to run and chase and dig and explore, so they are bored and tear up the couch and house.

You have very lucky dogs!

 

That makes me think that maybe that's why our dogs were always happy and easy to train and got along with other dogs. They always had a huge yard plus we went camping a ton and since my grandparents own like half the mountain we would let them run and explore and play with other family members dogs all they wanted plus they had a 100% recall. They got to do all the things dogs love to do so that would make sense, at least to me. I have really been surprised to be quite honest at all the training and behavior issues people have brought up on here and I never realized that there were so many dogs with these issues. IDK just made me think about that.

 

Esme, I think you might very much enjoy this book.
Amazon.com: Merle's Door: Lessons from a Freethinking Dog (9780156034500): Ted Kerasote: Books
So would lonestar... actually most everyone here might love it!