Get in it with him.

Dogs are pack animals;
they want to be with the leader of their pack.

Thank You, sylviatexas!! I have tried everything except for that. Dog houses are expensive so I am willing to try just about anything. I will let you know how it goes.

Sylvia, with all due respect, it does not always work like that.
Last May I adopted a dog who had been a working dog on a ranch, had some severe trauma, was taken by another rancher, who didn't have the patience to work with her and was going to just shoot her.
Gussie was underfed and terrified of everything, She's five years old, until I got her she never had been vetted, had not been spayed, no heartworm prevention.
She has come around very nicely, listens to me, has a job, is good in the house when I am around, her "crate" is under my desk. She still is very shy.
During the night and when I am off the premises, she began to gather stuff (books, cushions, cat's toys) and destroy them, so she spends nights and when I am not here in her 6x18 ft. pen, she has an igloo, a roof over half the pen, shavings on the ground, straw in her house (she had a nice bed and managed to destroy it after a couple of nights).
I put her in the pen when I retire, and she gets a Buster Cube with some chewies in it, a Kong with some nice surprise and a small treat in the bowl I keep in her pen.
I would love to keep her inside, but I do want to keep my furniture and my other stuff in one piece.

Well done Sylvia. Alas it may have been lost here...

Ummm Chris 1976, Sylvia meant that you are the leader of the pack, your dog wants to be with you.

A house only smells like dog if you are too lazy to house train or give it a bath. You don't like dog slobber or dog smells, then why do you have a dog?

Chaining your dog up outside is no life for the dog and if that is all you are willing to do, the kindest thing you can do is find another home for him.

I agree - some dogs LOVE IT OUSIDE , I hope that people that keep their dogs outside know it's okay.

I have to ask............. why did you choose to own a dog with these traits or do you not allow any dog to live in your home?

I can honestly say that my house does not smell like 'dog' since I own a breed that doesn't have a 'doggy' smell.

As for a tip on him using the dog house...........how close is it located to your home? The further away it is, the less they tend to use them.

I've been walking my Husky girls past a husky that has a very nice outdoor set up for almost a year now. He has a huge pen with a roof under lots of trees so he stays cool in the summer. The pen has a concrete floor with rubber mats, and they really keep it clean. He always has food and water. It's quite the pad for a dog.

I just have never had the nerve to ask the people why bother having him at all? He never goes indoors. I've never seen him out of the pen. He isn't a guard dog, or if he is he's terrible at it- rarely barks. It's not like he could prevent an intruder from entering the house anyway. So besides the feeding, watering, and cleaning, the people don't interact with him much. I'd love to ask them why are they bothering to pay for the dog's food and veterinary care and such when they clearly get little enjoyment out of the situation.

Maybe OP could help me understand that.

I would put a set up like that for my own Husky Tatya if I could (HOA wouldn't allow it). She's destructive in the house- likes to eat furniture, get into trash, dig up plants, all kinds of things that require I crate her when I am not home. I'm sure she'd love to be outside in a nice pen like that instead of in her little crate. I'd bring her inside when I am home because I got her to be my companion, after all. She's my exercise buddy, so the walks wouldn't stop either. I just think she'd prefer outdoors with a bit of space to play around in to her crate.

Now as far as getting a dog to use a doghouse, training is the answer for that. You give the dog a command such as "go in your house." Place a favorite treat in the front of the dog house. When he goes in, praise him. Let him come in and out as he wants at first. Put the treat further and further back into the doghouse each time. Once he is calm about being in the dog house long enough to get the treat from the back of the house, you can start with the stay command. Keep feeding him treats as long as he is staying calmly in the house at first. Once he seems comfortable being in there, try sitting down in front of the doghouse and ignoring him. He should stay calm. Try giving him the stay command and leaving. If he stays calm while you leave, he's probably fine. Basically it's the same way you train a dog for a crate.

If it's cold outside, the house should be nice and warm to encourage him to use it. A soft comfortable blanket helps too. Nobody wants to lay on the cold hard ground. If he's not comfortable, he's not going to use the dog house, no matter what you do.

If your dog won't behave in the house, it's your job to train him/her to. If you don't have time, maybe a dog isn't for you.

If your dog smells, it's your job to make sure that you clean them enough or to have gotten a poodle or something that won't smell as much. If you don't have time, maybe a dog isn't for you.

Why get a dog if you don't desire their company in the house with you?

I feel that a fenced in yard with a dog house maybe be okay if it's nice outside, what dog wouln't like hanging out in breezy 70 degree weather? I understand that you'd keep the dog outside when you're not around to supervise and his indoor training isn't complete.

But I don't feel that it's fair to lock your dog outside. Dogs can be couped up in the house, they can also be couped up outside away from the pack.

I have always wondered why some people get animals. Over the yrs I have seen people that have no interaction at all with them. Some leave them outside in all sorts of weather, then some do let them come inside, but still do not interact with them. Just makes no sense to me. I have a dog and a cat, in 9 days will be 2 cats, and my house smells clean. I normally vacuum every second day, and ensure the dog is wiped down properly after he comes in from a walk. Yes it takes a bit of effort to keep the house clean, but not that big of deal. I know my dog would hate to be outside by himself, I can't even goto the bathroom and be myself, lot of times I have a dog at my feet and a cat on my lap,lol

there is not a soul out there that has a dog in their house that can honestly say that your house does not smell like dog all the time

I have two Golden Retrievers who live inside the house. They sleep (on their own beds) in the master bedroom. The only time my house smells doggy is just after their baths when they are still damp. I've asked several very honest friends and they say they cannot smell anything. They are brushed daily and bathed monthly. The dogs, not the friends). After they've been outside, I wipe their feet with a damp washcloth. I vacumn about every other day.

I can leave them alone in the house for hours if necessary - they have their woobies and bones and leave everything else alone. I spent a fair amount of time training them as to what was theirs and to leave everything else alone.

If you enjoy dogs, than you put up with the smells, slobber, barking and messes that come with them. I have 3 and my house doesn't smell like dogs.

"Get in it with him.
Dogs are pack animals;
they want to be with the leader of their pack."

Kudos Sylvia!!

Maybe it's just ignorance but I really don't understand why people keep their dogs in a dog house when they have the means to keep them inside. My dogs smell, have bad breath, fart and burb and shed like mad and yet I want them near me all the time. That's why I got a dog in the first place, for the companionship. With active two male dogs in this place it's like a frat house and party all the time. I wouldn't want to keep them in the yard because I would get lonely. So if this is some farm dog or something maybe that's ok but it sounds like a total breed mismatch. If you don't want a dog that smells or sheds and isn't that big, a toy or miniature poodle would be a better match.

I think telling this person to get in the dog house with their dogs is a typical mean comment from that poster and rudeness is seldom persuasive.

Having a dog live in a dog house is not in itself all that bad in my opinion, the problem I have is that most people that have their dogs live in the dog house around here only visit the dog to feed them and that's if they're lucky dogs and get fed. A dog house in the yard is usually an indication that the pet owner doesn't care.

You may not think your house smells like dog, but I bet it does. I used to think my house didn't smell, but when I can back from a week away, I could smell it the minute I walked in. Who cares though. I love my dog, smells and all.

I don't have a dog smell in the house either. Two small terriers who are not that clean but they don't drool or have that doggy odor, must be all that good food they eat!

Dust bunnies....another story.

I can understand why you want to keep your dog outside ( I wouldn't have a drooling dog) but how and when will you be with him every single day?

I think this post is just another to piss off well meaning people. At first I didn't think it deserved a response, but I'm snowed in and board.

Poster needs to get a grip. Leaving a dog outside for any reason, is just not acceptable. It's cruel. If the drooling can't be tolerated indoors, find the dog a new home.

BTW. I've got three dogs, big, bigger, and biggest. All toll, about 220 pounds of dog. AND my house does not smell like dog, because I keep them and their areas clean. Guests always comment that my house smells nice, unless one of them does something funny,,,,,,,

This is the last time I look at this stupid post.

SG

For those of you who claim your house doesn't smell like dog, unless you have a poodle or that type breed you're just kidding yourself. Basically you're just used to the smell. Kind of like those people who say their farts don't smell. Dog smells permeate couches and beds and carpets etc. You can mask the smell with fabrese, flowers and candles but you can't get rid of it. And before you tear off my head, I've always had a dog.

I don't notice the dog smell anymore. But I am also very conscious to minimize the smell. I don't have carpeting and I don't let the pets on certain pieces of furniture. We have don't have drapes, but rather blinds. I also have a cleaning service that comes every two weeks and hand mops all of the floors and baseboards. My dog crates and bedding are washed once per week. And my dogs are bathed at least four times a year (or more depending upon how dirty they get). I brush their coats, their teeth, clean their ears almost weekly. (I think ear smell is that dog smell that permeates a home.)

We are not clean freaks, but border liners with allergy issues. My dogs have picked up on my habits and they groom each other like cats.

I don't think my house smells like dog, but I wouldn't bet any money on it either! :-)

We've hijacked the post, but I'll add my 2 cents - my house absolutely does not smell like dog. Neither do any of my friends homes (who have dogs). It can be done. I usually DO smell if someone has cats, birds and rodents however. (I know - different thread)!

Let's face it, dog ownership has changed drastically in the last 2-3 generations. "Normal" used to mean dogs almost always stayed outside and had dog houses. "Normal" used to mean dogs got table scraps, not store-bought pet foods.
"Normal" used to mean dogs ran loose in the neighborhood all the live-long day.

Now what's considered "normal" has completely changed, for a variety of reasons. (Flea meds, less children, leash laws, population density, etc...)

So I'm not going to prejudiciously jump all over someone who wants, for their own reasons, to keep their dog outside.

Well my dogs do smell sometimes and I think its the breed.They are hounds.I clean it seems constantly to try to stay ahead of their odor(I'm losing to!)They are bathed once a week.We have carpet only in the bedrooms and it is vacumned daily.The dogs covers are changed out and washed daily to.I sweep several times a day and mop every other day.The furniture is leather so the odor doesn't linger on it.One dog smells more than the other and if you were to sniff either one of them they don't smell bad at all.The larger one smells like frito chips and thats the odor her cover will smell like.By the way I'm told how clean my house alway smells so I don't know if its just me smelling them or not. Debbie

My parents made sure to get a poodle because they didn't want to deal with shedding or doggy odor.

You have to do your homework before getting an animal.

I don't really have a problem with people keeping a dog outside. As long as they are walking it and/or interacting with it daily, besides just dumping food and water. And as long as the dog can tolerate being outdoors in that climate. And as long as they have the proper shelter for it, like a kennel with a roof and a floor...

Hi all,

I think how people raise their dogs either inside or out is a personal matter. I wouldn't have a dog if weren't going to have it in the house. My dogs are such a big part of my entertainment that I couldn't have it any other way. One is 80 pounds and the other 85 and they sleep with my wife and I in our king sized bed all winter. It gets too hot in the summer to spend that much time outside, so I feel that I would be just taking in a border that wasn't earning their keep. Everyone has their own reasons for getting a dog, so as long as that dog is getting enough food and water I don't usually say anything. We have a neighbor's dog come to our house nearly all day for a bite to eat and some attention since the owners can't be bothered. They are nice people but have 5 kids, so I try to my best for the poor dog. he likes to play with my dogs anyway. He goes home at night to sleep in the doghouse I built for him and comes down in the morning for breakfast and to play with the dogs.

Gina, I'll highjack it back :0)!

Why keep a dog outside? I can see absolutely no reason to keep a dog outside. My golden used to slobber after she drank water, I tought her "lick your lips" she did/no slobber. I now have 2 bassets (plus 3 other dogs) and they "slime". I find it amusing to see a string of slime across their noses. "Oh Jack! You slimed yourself!"

I guess it's all in what you can tolerate. If you can't tolerate an American Bulldog in your house, you should not own an American Bulldog.

I hate to point out the obvious, but you asked a bunch of pet lovers... you're not going to get very many folks on this forum to agree with you.

Oh yeah, my house smells like dog.

Judging by the OP's other post they are apparently new to pet ownership as they were also asking about clipping toe nails.

It's ok to not know when you're first getting started, but now you do... Chris, dogs are not like they latest gadget like an IPOD you can't just put them away when you are done playing with them. They are indeed social animals or at least they should be encouraged and trained to be and they require a commitment for the remainder of their life. Leaving them to their own devices in the back yard in a dog house because of the mess they make is selfish since dog ownership is a huge responsibility and part of the responsibility is ensuring that your giant dog doesn't turn into a mean junkyard dog not just for safety reasons but because they aren't much fun to be around. That concludes this lecture and I hope you will start to look at your new dog a bit differently, not as a source of messes and odors but instead a source of many years of wonderful experiences , a source of laughter and a source of good times. Too many dogs are turned in to animal shelters because of selfish reasons I don't think that's a good option. Rent the old kids movie "Turner & Hooch" and you'll begin to see the light I think.

-I agree..what's the point of owning a dog if it's penned outside?? Same with cats, I will add. A person should do research on the breed before deciding an inside dog, which all dogs should be. I don't presently have a dog but have had hounds..grey and afghan and their smell was neglible unless they got wet. On the other hand, some dogs smell so bad, I could not stand to have them indoors...Probably why I'm a cat person who has one on my lap now and he smells so sweet...

All dogs should be inside dogs? You see, I just don't like generalizations like that I guess. I have to think about it. I have friends who own all large dogs - I mean large - Great Pyrenees. They love to stay outside and they prefer to be out guarding the premises. Why should they be indoors for example? (Ever get slimed by a giant dog - LOL!)

What about "indoor" dogs who don't get any attention? I've seen this especially in homes where mom and dad gets a dog for the children, but the children don't pay any attention to it, and ends up noone does. Does the dog care whether its indoors or outdoors? It's still not getting any attention.

I own one beloved dog who is an indoor dog, and comes to work with me - so I have a dog who I'm with pretty much 24 hours a day - just so you know.

Oops I've hijacked it again...

I think it is exspecially cruel to leave a dog outside...at least when it is this cold outside (depends on location) Fur and dog houses dont do all that much to keep them warm. I have heard stories of dogs being froze to death in their dog houses.
I also agree with the posters that said the animal needs more interaction that keeping them outside all the time deprives them of.
I also agree why get a dog like this if you dont like it's traits (drooling,slobbering)
It remind me of this sad commercial I saw as a kid that always made me cry.It shows this dog outside in very cold weather.The owners are inside where it is nice and warm. A guest asks,"whatever happend to that cute puppy of yours?"
And the owner replys,"AW,him,we keep him outside now"
And the voice over says something about how this is cruelity to animals.
If you love your pet,you wont mind sharing your home with them...which to me,is the reason to get them in the first place.Just my two cents...

It's ironic that questions like these come from posters the very same day they register to Garden Web. It's very hard to take posts like this serious and in my opinion someone is just trying to stir the pot.

I LIKE the way dogs smell. They smell *almost* as nice as horses do. Both of 'em smell nicer than nasty humans do.

Sure some dogs can do ok outside, maybe a St. Bernhard, but the fundamental problem with that living outside as I see it:
1.) Out of sight, out of mind
2.) Not secure, predators, thieves, wandering dog, dog in heat

The cheaper the food you feed them, the more smelly they become, and the more they shed. When I fed my dogs totally raw they did not smell at all. Now they eat partially raw and smell a little. The house doesn't smell bad, but there are times when it does.

I have no problem with keeping certain kinds of dogs outside, as long as they ARENT out of site, out of mind. Some dogs absolutely love to be outside more often than not, and would prefer the outdoors to being inside all day. However only certain dogs can tolerate the weather changes. My two couldnt stay outside for long. A lot of that probably has to do with the fact that they are indoor and have always been indoors. But with their short coats, they start to shiver and raise their paws after about 10 mins. Same with the heat. Our whether here changes drastically from season to season. From -30 C in winter to +30 C in summer. It almost always too cold, or too hot for them to be out for too long. Plus they hate to be out alone.

I just dont like when dogs are left outside, alone all day everyday. Even if my dogs were outdoors, they would still come inside at night, and in bad rain/thunderstorms. Just because they could handle the elements, doesn't mean I should make them. And I don't mind the dog smell, it smells better than my boyfriend after work somedays! lol

Chris - so you are telling us that you did not know that the dog drooled before you got him? My husband wanted a mastiff some time back, and that is the reason I did not want one. Getting a dog and keeping it outside 24/7 is like getting a car and not driving it.

Oh, and by the way we have to dogs (one 55lbs., on 80 lbs.) and my house in no way smells like dog. Although I am admittidly a clean freak. My sister has dog large dogs and a cat, and her house does not smell either. When my husband and I sold our last house 5 years ago, a couple actually told our agent that they were "intimidated by the cleanliness". My agent said in the 10 years he'd been selling homes, he had never heard a comment like that!

Anyway, I think a house that smelle like smoke is much worse that one that smells of dog.

Why bother if the dog uses the doghouse? Seriously. If you keep it outside, and it prefers something other than the dog house, it LIKES that other place better.

I do agree with some of the other posters who think it may not be the right animal for you. It has characteristics you dislike intensely. Perhaps another would be more satisfying for you.

I have noticed that certain breeds smell doggier than others. Like the retriever breeds, I suspect it is the oil on their coats. I have gone to numerous houses of lab owners and lots smell kinda doggie. My dachsie does not have a doggie smell. When I was growing up, we had a border collie. Not doggie. German shorthaired pointer, definitely doggie.

Scented candles are the dog owners best friend by the way.

And I am a firm believe in getting the right breed for your lifestyle. Too many people own labs that should really own a mini-poodle.

I really do not agree with leaving a dog in an outdoor cage ALL the time. But there are certain instances IF you cannot trust your dog, that you should not leave a dog alone in your house. If you have a well set up outdoor kennel and make sure he is well protected against possible thieves, cold weather and hot weather, I think it is OK, to leave him in there when you are not home (making sure of course that he does not howl all day long and irritate your neighbors) ... IF you ARE home, you should let them out and into the yard to run around and then into your house overnight. And also make sure they are the appropriate breed to handle the elements.

How are they going to get socialized properly if they don't have contact with their owners and /or other dogs? That is how dogs turn vicious!

Why is it so hard to believe that someone who just signed up at GW would ask questions like the OP asked? Maybe he/she was desperately looking for answers to the dilema,started surfing the web,found GW and this forum and actually thought they would get an honest answer to an honest question.Why does that make them a troll "stirring the pot"? Sometimes I just don't understand you people.LOL
I don't have any answers to the OP's question,but I have 3 Chihuahuas that live in the back yard in a two story condo so I'm sure my comments wouldn't matter anyway.
I do have a question for Meghane.You said you walk your dogs past this yard with the Husky and you have never seen any interaction with the dog and humans.Could it be possible the dog's people could be interacting with it when you aren't there or maybe at night? How can you say there is "never" anyone around and the dog is "always" in the pen when you aren't there 24/7? Who knows,maybe he is brought inside at night? Obviously the owners do care about the dog since you say he has shade and food and water and the pen is always clean.How can you pass that kind of judgement on the owners of the dog when you really don't know anything for sure except that the dog is "always" there when you are walking your dogs? My brother had a Husky and I do know she liked to be outdoors.She would come inside a lot but preferred to be outdoors.They were origianlly used as sled dogs and I'm sure stayed outside in the elements.Some dogs DO prefer the outdoors!
OK,I'll go crawl back in my hole now.....Lillie

Yes, I agree, there are dogs that prefer to be outdoors. But most would like to be inside at least sometimes. I am sure that working animals likely do not live in homes many times. Like hunting dogs. My uncle kept his in a heated kennel all the time just cause they were too darn large for their house.

But if it is not a working animal, why have it as a pet then? Hopefully this OP does interact with her animal and takes it out and plays with it. If not, lots of expense for nothing I say.

I have one dog who prefers to live outdoors for most of the year especially when we aren't home, but we live in southern California. The other three are indoor dogs. They have a dog door, so it's up to them. The are baby-gaited out of part of the house when we aren't home. One reason we do that is that dogs that can go indoors during the day are a lot less likely to bother the neighbors with excessive barking.

Some dogs smell doggier than others, but it shouldn't be a bad smell. I like the smell of a clean young dog although they do seem to get a bit riper as they get older. I used to have German shorthairs too and they were much doggier than the poodles we have now. In fact, since I use a vanilla scented shampoo, my dogs usually smell like freshly baked cookies.

If your dog is smelly, there are a couple of things that you can do. If he's a "he" and not neutered, lop those gonads off!! He'll be healthier and less stinky. Make sure that his ears are clean and pink. A lot of dog stink is really dog ear odor and your dog may have a low grade yeast, mite, or bacterial infection. Your vet can help you set up a regular program of ear care. I really liky the Zymox products. Also, once he gets used to regular baths, he won't fight it and it will get easier for you. Fill his ears with ear cleaner, stop them up with cotton, and pop him in the tub every two weeks and you may find that he's a lot more tolerable indoors.

Some dogs are slobbery, but maybe you should have your vet check your dog's teeth too just to make sure that he isn't having dental problems.

It doesn't make much sense to me to have a dog and keep him outdoors, however, if you spend a substantial part of the day outdoors too, it might work for you. If you just slap a pan of food out there once a day and kind of remember to refill his water now and then, it would probably be better for both of you, if you found the big guy a new home.

Chris, sorry, I don't have an outdoor dog so I don't know about doghouses. However, I hope you take precautions against the harm people can do. I have seen many kids, etc. tease, torment, and torture a dog (poke a stick at him to get his eyes) when they thought nobody was looking. Your dog's size (115 lbs) and outdoor location mean he is also a prime target for thieves who are looking for dogs to use in the dogfight circuits and people who steal dogs and sell them to laboratories. I understand that the prime source of dogs for both these no-goods is dogs left outside alone. So unless you are going to move outdoors and guard him 24/7 with a loaded shotgun, he is vulnerable.

The smallest dog I have is 130 lbs, and in my experience, obedience training a dog to obey commands only if it's your voice, or the voice of someone you okay commanding him, to sit down and not move so he can't be dragged away (one way to possibly foil dog thieves), and to keep his distance from and not respond to people who try and torment him requires a huge investment of time and energy. Seems to me that keeping a dog outdoors would make that task even harder because he may not get to interact with you as much as he wants/needs and will therefore want human interaction even more.

Don't mean to be negative here but I have seen too many terrible things done to outdoor dogs to ever consider keeping a dog outside. For his own safety and so his disposition isn't permanently ruined by people who are willing to abuse him, perhaps you might consider finding him a good home and getting another fellow you would be willing to keep indoors....

Just my $.02, no offense meant.

Lillie- I have been walking by this house every single day, many days twice at different times, for almost a year, at any time between 4:30 am and 11:30 pm and NOT EVER ONCE has the dog NOT been in the pen, and NOT EVER ONCE has the owner ever been out with the dog except to quickly feed and water him, and a short pat on the head.

I'm not disagreeing that the dog has a nice set up and that he seems to like it outside. I even mentioned that I am rather jealous that my dogs can't have the same thing (at least Tatya, my youngest husky) instead of staying in the crate. I did NOT make any judgements about the dog's life or the care he's received. He looks pretty good.

I'm just asking if you aren't going to do anything with the dog, why bother owning it? That is NOT a judgement, it's an honest question that so far, nobody has been able to answer.

And in case you didn't finish reading my post, I did offer the ONLY suggestions for OP to get the dog to use his doghouse.

I've noticed a lot of the people responding with "why even have a dog" are assuming the dog is left alone all day. Just because it lives outside does not mean it's neglected. As someone pointed out earlier, an animal can be ignored inside just as easily. I re-read the OP and missed where it says he doesn't spend time with the dog.

I have two outdoor dogs who live in a 1 acre fenced yard surrounding the house (so yes, they can guard it without living in it). They have their own site built kennels which are quite comfy. One uses his, the other prefers to lay out in the rain. Both are well socialized and the male is agility trained and competes. The female is a chow and though obedience trained and smart as whip... extra running is not her cup of tea :) Why do I have them? Because I love dogs in general and them in particular. We spend most of our free time outdoors so there is plenty of interaction. They have a good life and enjoy their freedom in the yard. We also rescue several strays every year since living in the country means our share of dumped pets. Almost all of them have been placed to live indoors so far. I wouldn't not home one to live outside though, it really depends on the individual situation.

I wouldn't agree than an indoor dog can be ignored just as easily. No way. They will not let you ignore them.

I've also wondered if many of the dogs I see kept in yards or chained to trees are like that for part of the day and then the owners bring them in and spend time with them sort of like the question asked to meghane.
The fact is you can just tell. If someone has the dog chained to a tree in the farthest corner of the yard with no fence, it's a pretty reasonable to assume they just don't care about the dog. If you walk your dog every day possible for years or months and only come across the same people (or no people as in my case LOL) then it's also pretty safe to bet the reason is because nobody else is walking their dogs and therefor they don't care or are not responsible.

As far as I'm concerned, there's no better demonstration that one doesn't care about their dogs than to keep them out in the yard where they won't be a bother. Then again we all know how some poeople don't give a flying crap about their kids so why it's so hard to believe they don't care about their dogs is beyond me.