Dogs have been domesticated, no longer are they happy, comfortable, or safe left outdoors all the time.

Did you have to attack the posters spelling....was that your defense...personally I also believe a dog should be kept indoors out of the elements.

If I spell a word wrong which I quite often do...I still think pets should be indoors.

Everyone has there option. That's what makes this country great

Everyone also has their own opinions. But I wouldn't think keeping a pet outdoors would be an option for most..most peoples heart doesn't work that way.

Ok, every body is " why are your dogs outside!" she clearly says they go in and out and sleep in at night, please read the full question before judging another person.

Shelties are working dogs and most of the dogs you get are still,(even some of your designer dogs) those instincts are not bred out, dogs need to go out side just like humans do, you leave a Sheltie in your house stuck inside with nothing to do and 95% of the time you will have destruction, health, and anxiety issues.

Talk to your veterinarian or a animal behavior specialist to make sure you get the right pet for your enviroment.

Judge me, but I have 3 large pit bulls that are full time outside dogs. They are happy and healthy. We built them a large house so all three could get in it to stay warm, with a nice layer of straw to help with the warmth. Our dogs are Hog Dogs. And in my own opinion, I believe it's better to have a dog live outside well taken care of rather than living in a shelter with no human interaction.

Im sorry but theres no such thing as'outdoor dogs' as if 'they' have made the choice to live like that: if you cant invite any animal into your home and be part of the family then you shouldent in my opinion have pets: you: are there whole world and they have no choice than to live un the world you create for them: (the origional question i asked about bedding and keeping an animal outdoors is for a neglected dog across the street from us who is kept in a shed with a hole in the front and surrounded by wire fence; iv been trying to rescue him since last feb: phoning rspca etc; he has no interaction or qaulity of life: my two dogs are very much loved and have never been left outside; if they go out the door is open till they are in: they are at this minute tucked up in bed with me.

Uhhh...what in the world??? My dog lives outside year round. We have an insulated doghouse and keep clean hay inside. We live on 200 acres and she hasn't ever liked being inside. Cried as a puppy until we let her out. Should I bring my cows, chickens, horses, and goats in too? Maybe I should invite the deer and coyotes too. Oh heck, the field mice can come in too ;) Animals are just fine outside. We would be fine too if we weren't so spoiled with our lifestyle of convenience.

Darn autocorrect lol.

ok saltidawg. You can leave me alone now. My comment was just in fun. It's the first time I've been on this site...was looking up some info on best type of hay to use in a doghouse. I think everyone should have the right to keep their dogs where they want, whether that is inside or outside. As long as they are loved and given what they need to thrive. I think though now I will never sign up for or comment on anything ever again. Sheesh. Can't do anything nowadays without someone making fun of you. I'm a mama with 4 kiddos. I have enough people judging me on a daily basis lol. Thanks.

I have lots of dogs. 6 pit bulls. One in particular was strictly an inside dog. A couple years ago,I noticed she was staggering and falling over, and all her hair was falling out. She also would crawl into her crate and stay there,all day all night. She wasnt confined. She just laid there all the time. Weekly vet visits , numerous tests,costly medications,and a year later,still no diagnosis. We recently moved into a new home that sits on a crawl space. Because of this, when I went to let her out,she would have to go down steps,and after she fell and rolled down them once,I had to carry her in and out. No small task considering shes 60 pounds and a squirmer. Finally,my vet suggested that we move her outside permanently,at least while the weather was still nice. So I did. I made no other changes to her life. I didnt change her diet,and stopped giving her endless rounds of antibiotics and other medicine months ago as they had no effect. 2 months later,her hair is grown back,she runs around with the other dogs without any trouble and is clearly happier. Now I can't get her to come in the house willingly. Apparently, the stress of being confined to the house all day was the problem. Only one of my outside dogs comes in the house willingly,and only when it rains or when the yokels that live behind our property start firing their guns. As soon as it's over,he is whining and pacing to go back out. My indoor dog loves to be outside with the others,but definitely likes to sleep inside. He stays inside with me most of the day and all night. It is perfectly fine to keep dogs outside,as long as they are provided good nutrition, clean water,a warm shelter, proper medical care,room to play,and lots of love. If an outdoor dog is unhappy,it's likely because they are lacking one or more of these things,not because they are outside.

I have a German shepherd, part wolf dog who loves being outside. Some dogs are comfortable in cooler weather. If they are protected from wind and moisture they will do fine. Obviously if your dog doesn't have thick layers of hair they shouldn't be left outside. I never leave any dog outside over night. Buy a good dog house. Face it away from wind, rain and snow. Lift it off the ground. Place some straw in it and keep it clean. Will be fine. Buy a heated water bowl. No need to be judgmental.

Judgmental..... ...when a question comes up how to keep a doghouse warm in the winter...how do you suppose people that have dogs...dogs they adopted and made part of their family with companionship, toys, food, bedding all under a heated home with their family are going to react to people that adopt a dog and leave it outdoors away from the family without the comforts of a real home...why in the world do people take in pets..yes pets and leave them outside...never mind I'm sure there's a lot of way to justify actions like this. But the fact is these people have an animal not a loved pet.

So what is your diagnosis and solution to the dog I discussed above? She is clearly happier outside. Should I drag her back in and force her to spend her life inside,bald and falling over so some overly dramatic, sanctimonious,holier than thou, super pet expert judge of character won't think that I don't love her? Should I let my pets,yes pets,roam freely in the fenced in acres I have for them, strewn with dozens of toys,btw, as.well as warm dog houses, tons of food and treats (during their daily training/play sessions with us), fresh water daily (ice water in the summer) or should I drag them inside, where they have to mind their manners, can't play like they want because there is not enough room (certainly not acres worth), and are generally bored and frustrated? For the record,my dogs DO have a choice. Every one of them is housebroken,as they were all raised inside,and know that if they want in,they just come to the door and bark. Only one ever does,and he doesn't stay in long. The one that wants to live inside does. The rest stopped coming inside on their own. If letting my pets live where and how they want makes them just animals in your eyes, then those eyes are firmly shut. But that's okay. They ARE my much loved pets. And as long as they know it,which they do,it doesnt matter what the judges say. Get off the high horse. (Do you bring him inside with you too?)

Let's be reminded again that the OP was from 2008. She was asking for real advice and never EVER said the dogs live outside. What you do with your animals needs no explanation. Please read the last post from the OP who has left the thread. Maybe now the peanut gallery can let sleeping dogs lie!

christie_sw_mo

Sorry to take so long to get back to this thread and thank you for your suggestions. It was 15 degrees this morning so that made me think of it again. My nine year old Sheltie has VERY thick fur. The puppy's fur is getting thicker but I don't think she'll have a heavy coat until next winter.
I don't think I could trust the puppy not to chew on the heated pad. Otherwise that thing sounds wonderful. I will at least put some straw in their doghouse and we have an old pallet we can use too. I want it to be warm enough so that they wouldn't freeze if they accidentally got left outside for some reason.
Thanks again. : )

Like Bookmark November 21, 2008 at 10:20AM

If ur of the opposition of "outside pets" why bother with further interest after reading the question? seriously too much wasted time....why do people just HAVE to negatively stray from the topic on hand???

Amylou321, you nailed it, I couldn't of written it better.

So what is your diagnosis and solution to the dog I discussed above? She is clearly happier outside. Should I drag her back in and force her to spend her life inside,bald and falling over so some overly dramatic, sanctimonious,holier than thou, super pet expert judge of character won't think that I don't love her? Should I let my pets,yes pets,roam freely in the fenced in acres I have for them, strewn with dozens of toys,btw, as.well as warm dog houses, tons of food and treats (during their daily training/play sessions with us), fresh water daily (ice water in the summer) or should I drag them inside, where they have to mind their manners, can't play like they want because there is not enough room (certainly not acres worth), and are generally bored and frustrated? For the record,my dogs DO have a choice. Every one of them is housebroken,as they were all raised inside,and know that if they want in,they just come to the door and bark. Only one ever does,and he doesn't stay in long. The one that wants to live inside does. The rest stopped coming inside on their own. If letting my pets live where and how they want makes them just animals in your eyes, then those eyes are firmly shut. But that's okay. They ARE my much loved pets. And as long as they know it,which they do,it doesnt matter what the judges say. Get off the high horse. (Do you bring him inside with you too?)

THIS!!!!! nailed it!!

i have 3 great danes. danes are "inside" dogs. they don't do well in heat and they don't do well in cold. but give them moderate temps on a bright, sunny day and they will spend hours outside, just sleeping in the sun, chasing squirrels, chasing each other, and JUST BEING DOGS! they have a dog door and 10 acres and they make good use of both.

i once had 2 siberian huskies. they had a large fenced yard and a lovely custom-made dog house. getting them inside in the dead of winter was like pulling teeth. they would lay out in the snow until they were covered in it and i swear, you could see them smiling! i wanted them inside with me to cuddle on the couch but those times were few and far between because they simply LOVED the outdoors!

I absolutely love it when all the cute little field mice find their way into my home--seeking warmth and shelter. Oh oh and I especially feel all warm and fuzzy when they set up house under my dishwasher and start a family-- the smell is heavenly!! I leave them there because I am a caring citizen....

I absolutely love it when 'humans' think they rule the entire earth and everything in it: for gods sake i only started this thread because i wanted advice on how to help a neglected dog; who does not get anything: he has no comfort: attention or enough food: and i have tried to help get him rescued for a year now: so i just wish people (i use that word loosley) would NOT get dogs if they are going to completley ignore them and there needs!!

The kind who are severely allergic.to animals even withmeds and don't much like them and think ewww gross to having one indoors yet moved to 100 acres and have a young son who would like a dog and want to keep them warm as possible and protected at night with a dog house because there is no garage. WhT kind of people Can stand those gross things in their homes? He can have an outside dog and get an inside dog when he gets his own house and typing in an iPad is a pain in the ass so correct my punctuation spelling all you want IDC. In your bed ? That is gross

The answer is that the OP should use straw and/or cedar shavings, make sure the house is properly sized (too big is less warm), keep the house off the ground a little (for warmth and dryness), AmyLou is legend, and Karyn needs to shut up and get her own blog because nothing she has said in this thread is relevant. Dogs are animals. Mine eat raw chickens in the backyard like real dogs. They figure a few things out on their own, too. I just wish they could figure out that they're not supposed to use my grass as a bathroom.

I think some breeds do fine outside provided they have a some kind of shelter, a way to stay warm, and they're confined to your property.

Other breeds, like my bulldogs, would not survive so they're indoor dogs.

Each breed is different, and as long as they're well taken care of, I don't think leaving your dog outdoors is a big deal.

Very true some breeds are designed by nature to be outside.

Know your breed.

Coarse now with generation "snowflake" they're all concerned about feelings and what other people are doing.

Go back to your bed or couch that smells like dog, and cry your self to sleep because humanity is not sensitive enough for you...

Why have a dog as a pet and then keep it outside?

Yes Karen, the dog has made a choice to be outside. She pants and drinks too much water inside during the winter. Go put on a fur coat and sit next to heater and see what happens. Short haired dogs choose to be indoors. Hence, refusing to go out when door is opened.

You too 4thumbs...lol

I stay inside all winter! Getting too old for this, but I know what you mean. I once owned a Husky so know they do not mind the cold.

My suggestion would be to keep the doghouse off the ground by placing it on a pallet or something similar. The floor should be made of a solid material.

The main objective is to keep the floor dry by using a variety of methods:

1. Get a sheet of that styrofoam insulation. Wrap it in plastic if to keep it dry and place on floor. You can also line the sides of the doghouse for extra protection if needed. If there's a tendency for the foam to get dented by the weight of the dog you could always place a heavy piece of cardboard, or a small piece of plywood, over the foam.

2. Or get a hunk of carpet. Most stores have those small carpet samples that would fit perfectly on the floor.

3. Buy a cheap $5 pillow. These usually contain a filling of fluffy polyester that doesn't hold moisture. Or use straw or whatever the dogs prefer.

The main thing is to keep the bedding off the ground and as dry as possible.

Good luck!

Ppl like me. Something simple and sad thou. My dogs are inside dogs except the hound but I bring him in at night. However I came here looking for help to because I got a foster dog who was infested with worms and I took him to vet and got him dewormed but the worms are just flowing out. I can't have that with my toddler and foster pets.

Purchasing a self-warming pad can help your dog stay warm. PetTherapeutics offers self-warming pads w/o cords.

If dog has been treated for worms, ask vet if worms that dog is excreting are dead, or if children can still get infested from these. Cannot find any info on web about this particular situation. Only info that states that humans can become infested if worms and/or eggs are still alive and untreated, I assume.

The consensus on this thread appears to be straw. Your local farm store should be able to supply a bale and they are huge so you will have a more than adequate supply for the floor of the dog house. When time to change, simply use the old straw as a mulch in your garden.

Thank you 4thumbs, I did check with vet was told to give it 3 weeks to work. Yes they were still alive, they were crawling all over even just in her fur, found out the dose given was not strong enough and the vet was worried it was not enough but because of the condition of the foster dog he wanted to go under. It gets -15 here most nights only because of wind factor, I had straw all around, down, and above the dog house but that wind was still a killer. Tarped around and put up like a pallet wind block all around but the door, couldn't put a heating lamp since she was so hyper but things worked out slowly.

This may have been first posted in 2008 but it's a topic that interests people, so it doesn't hurt to keep it updated.

i knew there would be people who would give her grief about her dogs being outside. But dogs do not like to be in all the time. I have a husky. My husband feeds her and lets her out in the a.m. I get up 3-4 hours later. If it starts raining during that time period, I want outside shelter for her. After that, she is inside all day if it's raining. I work at home so I bring her in/let her out all day.

when I have appointments where I can't take her, I let her out if it's not raining. She likes to sniff around, get a drink, do her jobs, play with toys, watch the many animals. She would not be happy inside.

everyone is in a different situation and it's not fair to judge. Just be happy that people are caring enough to find out how to keep their doggies warm outside in the winter.

I forgot to say, they DO make self-warming pads that are chew-proof. These work pretty well.

Woah woah woah! No need for judging when you don't know someones situation. We have three outdoor dogs, and all of them were taken in by us for various reasons. Two of them - their previous owner couldn't keep them any longer and so they were spared from going to a shelter. One was a stray that we took in. They all are pretty happy! They think they're guard dogs and it gives them a feeling of purpose lol. Also, they get fed very well, even get leftovers sometimes! We use cedar chips to put in the dog houses.

It started to upset me in recent years that they were outside all the time, but that's my parents decision because it's their house.

Also, they would not know what to do being inside. Two of them are huge and have thick fur, so there is no room for all of them to run around and live a full life in a small house. They seem to be happy and content with their lives. They get lovin' and treats and have a lot of room to roam.

kasey80- Sorry I do not agree with you. I also have taken in dogs who were kept outside and two of them were starved. It was quite a transition for them to learn how to adapt to an inside environment. It took time and patience. But they not only adapted they thrived and each lived past 16 years. One had a double coat that groomers refused to groom after the first time (even though I paid $150). So I learned to groom and cut his fur myself. And BTW- one of them was sent to live outside because their keeper didn't have room. That problem was solved by someone (us) who did have room and also a dedication to making his life a good one. I think occasionally there is a dog who prefers to live outside. But most dogs seem to live long, healthy and fulfilling lives with people who take the time to make their lives comfortable, make them part of the family, have them live indoors and exercise them daily.

are there really people here that cant find one reason that someone would have a dog that lived outside.

i came here to find suggestions for keeping my dogs warm in cold temperatures but it kind of seems like some people must go through these comments looking for a reason to argue.

i work at an animal shelter and it is not abnormal to have a dog that lives outside for whatever reason in fact 3 of my dogs refuse to go inside at night and when i first started working here i tried to put them inside and 2 of them absolutely destroyed their kennel and broke their way out i found both of them their assigned outdoor kennel so you can keep your pet locked up inside but what is good for one animal may be torture for another so you should think twice before you tell people that you know whats best for their animal.

also what part of his statement do you not agree with cus it doesnt really seem like the type of thing you can disagree with i mean are you trying to tell him his dogs are unhappy or that the parents house is actually big enough.

its crazy how some people know whats best for everyone you should be president

I believe the question was how to keep the dog house warm? The following link applies to houses to keep feral cats warm in the winter, but the same principles can be applied to dog houses as well:

https://www.worldsbestcatlitter.com/clearing-the-air/2016/02/10-awesome-winter-shelters-for-feral-cats/

Did any of you read the original post? Did you?? Let me clarify it for you, since your comprehension levels seem to be limited.

The OP stated that the dogs sleep inside but spend a lot of time outside. Sounds like they were treated like loved pets.

I left a link above about a site that shows you how to make winter shelters for feral cats. Just follow the general directions for insulating and make it bigger. That's all. You just need to search on the net and you'll get plenty of ideas.

I hope some of these people on here are not allowed to mate! Some of the comments on here must come from Millennials , because they have no intelligence to them! Such as, "there is no such thing as an outside dog", PLEASE! All dogs were meant for out side living!!! Another, "People that keep dogs outside should not be allowed to have them"! Until just the last few years, I did not know anyone that kept a dog in the house! Must be a city thing!

There are plenty of breeds that can't be kept outside in the heat/and or cold.
Greyhounds can't handle very cold temperatures, and brachycephalic breeds (bulldogs, pugs, frenchbullsdogs, boston terriers) can't handle heat. You leave these dogs outside in certain temps and you'll get a dead dog.

And what do you mean by "must be a city thing"? What's wrong with people who live in cities owning dogs?? Obviously they're going to keep them inside if they live in an apartment.

Mmm , I am on here looking to learn the best way to keep My adopted pets outdoor room warm , he will be living inside with free access to outside the dog I am adopting is A grey hound , and when I go out during the day , he will be outside as I have an outdoor storage room I am converting for him , it’s dry and insulated and Gives him access to the toilet and he can choose To go inside the room or stay outside , its a great safe room for him if he is napping during the day and to protect him from the weather and make him feel snug and i have cameras I can put up so I can check on him , I have found animals are all different depending on the breed and our family are animal lovers and all have dogs and cats of different varieties and every animal has very different preferences , I live in a warm climate most of the year and we find our dogs choose to sleep where we sleep and choose to snuggle when we are watching tv , and I use electric blankets on our beds , so thats their choice all day in winter even if no one is in the room and we are home , but in summer we find the bigger dogs choose to stay outside and just wander in flop down say hi and go back out to their perfect spot , the staffies in the family as they mature have all built their own lair in a hiding spot regardless of quality man made bedding and our beds and couch on offer , and it’s their retreat and stash spot , the little dogs in the family have doggie doors , and indoor and outdoor beds , i will keep my dog indoors at night , if I am not home in winter but he will be outdoors with his own indoor room during the day , i Will be using cameras to watch him to see how he adapts , now if you have a few dogs together their is no reason to have them all inside at all , in my experience people with multiple dogs who live outside are happy healthy cared for dogs who get the best of both worlds and dont need to live inside , a single dog is different and every dog is different , I know people with a little dog and they say he wants to stay outside and doesnt sleep indoors , they would like him too , but he wont , we live in a great climate here and with the fresh night air and breezes , I personally used to sleep out on my kids trampoline some nights before I got air con in the house and love camping and being outside , i think the single dog locked out and tied up isolated and forgotten about who ends up with behavioural problems is abuse and should be reported , I don’t think the posters here are doing that to their outdoor dogs , I think dogs locked inside all day , day after day would not be right for some of the family dogs at all , the staffies In particular opted to build lairs outside and would go to their outdoor lair instead of being left inside while I went to work but would come inside and chill out when I got home in winter they would be in bed with the electric blanket on , but in summer at bed time they would opt to go out to their lair that they built with household things they stole , and they had a range of dog beds we tried for them to pull apart and chew up to use to build it , summer is too hot here for body heat especially if you are stuck with a fur coat , i see nothing wrong with dogs outside of they are happy and well adjusted animals

long story short , ok so straw on top of the concrete floor of the out door room should be good insulation to put under the soft bedding for my new mate Mack , the retired grey hound ( and I am adopting him and we are trying to get grey hound racing abolished) he will be encouraged to live inside aNd hangout out with me and hog the electric blanket in winter

I get so tired of people having such a snobby attitude about people (like me) who have pets outdoors. Right now, I have two puppies who are LOVING the country life!!! They are free to run and play and explore like DOGS WANT to do. It is neither preferable nor healthy for a dog to live like a human 100% of the time. People who think that the only way for their dogs to be happy is to live indoors are not only incorrect but also pretty snobby to those of us who are providing wonderful, safe, and loving homes for them outdoors. Our puppies come out of their very well-built warm dog house each morning stretching and content, ready for another day of adventure OUTDOORS. Please! If you want your pets to spend their lives on the couch, I don't judge you. Please don't judge those of us who are providing a different environment---which our animals love! Of course, there are people who are not taking good care of their outdoor animals, leaving to be cold or on a chain, etc. BUT WE ARE NOT THOSE PEOPLE! Please don't assume that we are.

My dogs have always been outside dogs my entire life. You city folk don't know what the world you're talking about. Build you a dog house and throw some straw in it. They will be fine.

Keeping your dog pent up inside for the majority of its life is cruel. Unfortunately, urban dwellers don't understand nature or how to let any creature - animal or human - be in its natural state. Do you know why you have to walk your dog for an hour every day? Because your dog is an animal and a normal, happy life for an animal is lived outdoors where it can run around in the fresh air as it pleases. But because you keep yours cooped up inside all day, you have to set aside time to specifically take it for a walk. Don't kid yourself, humans are animals too and would be much happier if they spent most of their time outdoors. The reason half of humanity is on anti-depressants is from sitting around indoors breathing recirculated air getting no vitamin D. If you have the wrong breed of dog for your climate then you have no choice but to be cruel and keep it inside. Single coat, short-haired dogs need temperate climates and double coated dogs need cooler/cold climates. My dog will come in to visit -play with some toys and cuddle- but it's impossible to keep him inside for much more than an hour before he's whining to go back out. He's a Norwegian Elkhound cross -bred for hunting which means spending many days outside in the cold- and during a recent cold snap (-42C) I forced him to come inside more often for my own peace of mind, but he preferred to be outside digging in the snowbanks and chasing foxes. If you live in a city with your pet chihuahua, by all means keep it inside, but these people forcing their multiple medium sized dogs to live indoors with them are cruel and should have their dogs taken away from them.

Although this website is intended for cats, the principles of keeping an animal warm outside are the same. If for a dog, just make them larger.

Feral Cat Shelter Info

The most economical way to keep your doghouse warm is with simple long stem grass hay. Multiple layers of hay on the dog house floor will help keep your pooch warm when the temperatures drop outside. If using hay for heat, it should be changed out every two days or so, to keep your dogs healthy and clean.

"Keeping your dog pent up inside for the majority of its life is cruel."

My eleven year old Greyhound would probably not agree with you as she lies here on the floor next to me with her head on my lap getting her ears and neck rubbed.