Do you leave your dogs outside in the yard while you go to work all day?

[Nezzy]

[QUOTE=JanM;7933748]
At my previous house I had an inner fence of chain link, with an outer chain fence on the perimeter of the yard. The inner fence was totally secure, and the gate had a chain and padlock securing it, so the dog had a doggie door. In Colorado I had a privacy fence, with a very secure lock for the gate, after someone pried my gate open twice (I could never prove it was the gas meter guy, but he was dumb as a post). After the hasp and lock was installed, my dogs had total yard access, but preferred my bed or the couches.

When I lived in another state about 15 plus years ago, my dogs were inside unless I was home, because of the awful incidents with animals in yards there.[/QUOTE]

the only problem leaving them out in a fenced yard-is if the dog digs out. that does not take very long, either.

[mommy_peanut]

We currently have 4 dogs, 3 GSD’s & 1 senior Lab. All the dogs have their own secure dog runs with shade/roof, insulated dog house, & (heated)water. This is where they stay when we aren’t home & at night.
They also have free run of 5 acres when I’m home or someone is outside with them.
Well except for the Lab. Sometimes he prefers to stay in the house, sometimes he chooses to hangout in the workshop, mostly depends on the weather & how much his arthritis is bothering him.
The only times the GSD’s even ask to stay in(yes they get family time in the house) is if it’s SUPER hot & humid. They aren’t stupid, they love the AC in the summer
Right now I’m making them stay in during the night as it’s been in the -30’s with the windchill. Let me tell you they are NOT happy! They are constantly asking to go out & then when I open the door for them to come back in, they just stand there looking at me with this “please don’t make me” look.
I don’t live near a large city & our property is surrounded by woods & farm fields, so no close neighbors.

[JoZ]

My landlord’s late Australian Shepherd (RIP Sadie) was what I considered to be the perfect farm dog – she slept on the side porch or under the porch during the day, never wandering further than the (secluded) driveway or the grass patch out back of the house. When my landlord walked anywhere on this 110-acre farm, she was there. When he’d go in the house or go to work, she resumed her place on the porch. The stable where I kept my horse in Massachusetts had a similar set-up; the dogs lay in the barn or just outside it, and never… NEVER! ventured off the property. In neither case was the dog fenced OR trained to do this. In the case of the MA stable, it worked for a succession of dogs, each trained not by the BO but by the older dog! Then the younger would become the older and train HER successor (they were all spayed females).

I don’t know how you get a dog to do this so it remains my “dream” situation and my own dog is kept in a kennel when I’m not there. He follows me around with almost flawless reliability, but I won’t take the risk that he’d stick around if I weren’t there. I have never had a dog in a place that had a fenced yard, but I still think curiosity might come a-calling to occupy those unattended hours!

[kasjordan]

It depends. In a rural enough place, I would actually prefer to have a dog that stays outside when I’m gone…good deterrent. My GSD never even goes outside to do his business without me though lol and I would fret all day long if I knew he was outside by himself.

[LauraKY]

My last collie never left the property, but I never left her out all day either. She was happy to follow me or the cats around.

[walkinthewalk]

No, I do not. My stay in the house when I am gone or when I used to work.

We have 23 acres and I won’t even let them loose in the real world, unless I am outside and can watch them without getting side tracked.

They have a very nice 1/8th acre chain link back yard. For their own safety that suits them just fine, if I’m not around or I’m too busy to pay attention to them:)

[Preposterous_Ponies]

No. Even if my yard was fully fenced (we have electric in-ground fencing, but imo that isn’t enough) my dog does not want to be outside alone. She will wait by the door and cry. Springers are very people orientated and she wants to be in her house with her people. If her people aren’t there she would much rather be in her house with her toys and her beds and her “stuff”.

[hastyreply]

My 3 dogs have a fenced yard and doggie door access to a 10’ by 30’ enclosed back porch. They stay out there 90% of the time. They could all escape if they chose too. I’ve found the gate or the door open many times. There is usually someone home but dogs aren’t inside unless supervised and clean. We’ve gone out of town and added granddogs to the mix and left them all there with just my sister next door to check on them and feed them. I do live in a rural area on 88 acres but there are busy roads around. (which is why I reluctantly rehomed my Great Pyrenees because they were not containable inside a fence.)

[TrotTrotPumpkn]

No. I do not.

My ideal–A large indoor/outdoor kennel from a climate-controlled garage with concrete floors (no digging out), Kuranda bed, and outdoor shade, not visible from the road. It could open into a grass dog yard with shade trees and concrete under the fence line. I would feel comfortable using something like that while I was gone. Bigger/better than crating all day. I also want security cameras.

[Field_of_Dreams_Mini]

No, never in the place I live now. Too close to the road and they have no car sense. I would worry all day. I did accidentally leave the back door open once. My old Lab and JRT didn’t leave the house.

I would love to get a doggy door and fence in some land for them.

[RA12]

As with all things, it depends on the situation. But in a busy surburan area, I would never leave my dog(s) outside. Not because they would get out, because they wouldn’t, but because people are untrustworthy. Dog fighting seems to be on the rise, and that means more bait dogs needed. It’s horrible to think about, but they target family pets for bait dogs. I know some places though are secure enough to avoid a dog being stolen, but unless you are 100% sure that the dog is safe and secure, then I wouldn’t.

[andreab]

I would never leave my dogs outside if I was not home, and I also don’t have them in the yard unless I am with them. In my opinion, there is just too much risk. They could get out, they could have someone come into the yard and steal them or hurt them, another animal could get into the yard (one reason I would never use an electric fence), the weather could turn horrid, etc. They stay in the house–one in a large crate and the other shut in the same room. They have comfy memory-foam beds and fresh water, and they get a visit from the dog walker if I will be gone for the day. I have cameras on them also, so I can check on them throughout the day.

[Bombproof]

My American Pitbull Terrier stays outside while I’m at work and often chooses to be outside when I’m home. He has about 3/4 acre fenced and the bottom is buried 12 inches so he can’t dig out, although he has shown no inclination to do so. He has clean water and a doghouse which is heated in the winter (I live in Alaska). My gates to the back yard are padlocked. There’s always a little risk that the dog may escape or be stolen, but I think it’s pretty minimal. He also isn’t prone to bark, unlike the hound I used to have. He’ll give one or two “woofs” when he wants to go in or out to get your attention, but otherwise doesn’t bark, so the neighbors never even know whether he’s in or out.

[Bicoastal]

Think of your neighbors, if you have em

A newish neighbor moved in. The house has a 4’ chainlink fenced back yard. Two mini Schnauzers have a dog door to the yard. The family is gone all day. Those d@mn dogs bark at the front door then race out the dog door to lunge and bark at every leaf that falls and person that passes. Any time I step outside of my house, I am ambushed with their racket. Multiple neighbors have talked to me about it. I hope they have also talked to the responsible party!

For that reason, even if I had one of the great setups described in this thread, I wouldn’t let the dogs have free unsupervised access to the yard.

[cbv]

As with many debates on these forums there is such an urban/rural divide. Yes my dogs stay out in my fenced yard while we are at work. Been that way since buying our first home 30 plus years ago. No tragedies to report.

In my rural county there are no leash laws and most pet dogs are outside without fences. The many deer hounds live in kennels year round and are turned loose to hunt at will during deer season.

Growing up the same was true for suburban dogs. The only real concern I would have in a suburban/urban area (where I work) would be my dogs bothering the neighbor’s. Certainly not a concern where I live since several neighbors have packs of hounds and the sound of distant baying is a norm.

[Sswor]

[QUOTE=Bicoastal;7955167]
A newish neighbor moved in. The house has a 4’ chainlink fenced back yard. Two mini Schnauzers have a dog door to the yard. The family is gone all day. Those d@mn dogs bark at the front door then race out the dog door to lunge and bark at every leaf that falls and person that passes. Any time I step outside of my house, I am ambushed with their racket. Multiple neighbors have talked to me about it. I hope they have also talked to the responsible party!

For that reason, even if I had one of the great setups described in this thread, I wouldn’t let the dogs have free unsupervised access to the yard.[/QUOTE]

I’d expect the novelty will eventually wear off and the dogs will settle in when they get used to the sights/sounds/smells/activity of their new environment.

[Bicoastal]

[QUOTE=Sswor;7958780]
I’d expect the novelty will eventually wear off and the dogs will settle in when they get used to the sights/sounds/smells/activity of their new environment.[/QUOTE]

I thought so too, so I never said anything. Now it’s been maybe 6months and the noise is the same. Since so many months have gone by, I feel foolish complaining now. What do I do? It grates on my nerves and scares my poor dogs -every time we step out of our door.

I can hear them bark in their yard when I’m walking two streets over!:eek: They are also leash aggressive. So annoying.

[Sswor]

Wow! Well, clearly your neighbors need to tweak their dog management practices somehow. If these were my dogs, I would want someone to tell me. Maybe leave a nice, anonymous note in their mailbox? If you’re too timid to say something directly, this is.

Sounds like those dogs need a daily walk or something. Sheesh.

[TrotTrotPumpkn]

Send them a picture of different types of bark collars. Seriously, if you figure something out let me know.

My neighbors got a lab puppy and it is outside all the time. It cries. I can hear it in my house (they are across the highway–sound carries so well from their direction, I can hear what they say when they are on the front steps–it’s really weird and a little creepy). I now have to turn a fan on so I can sleep over the puppy. Obviously we need better windows.

I never had a problem with barking dogs when I lived in town. Now in the country it is becoming a huge issue. I don’t want to create a problem with these people, and we do some dog training during the day that involves barking (like once a week in the summer), but this nighttime bark-crying is terrible. Plus it’s really cold out and I feel bad for the dog. I fear it lives outside in their shed, as an outdoor “hunting” dog, and this is just the beginning. I can’t wait for it’s mature bark…

Why get a dog if you never bring it inside?

[Mao]

[QUOTE=cbv;7958632]
As with many debates on these forums there is such an urban/rural divide. Yes my dogs stay out in my fenced yard while we are at work. Been that way since buying our first home 30 plus years ago. No tragedies to report.

In my rural county there are no leash laws and most pet dogs are outside without fences. The many deer hounds live in kennels year round and are turned loose to hunt at will during deer season.

Growing up the same was true for suburban dogs. The only real concern I would have in a suburban/urban area (where I work) would be my dogs bothering the neighbor’s. Certainly not a concern where I live since several neighbors have packs of hounds and the sound of distant baying is a norm.[/QUOTE]

cbv - I am positively eaten up with curiosity! Where are you located that has Deerhound kennels??? Do tell!

(I own/show/breed Scottish Deerhounds).