To think this shelter was a bit too quick to turn us down?

[PrincessTeacake]

Myself and my Dad have been looking to adopt a dog since the one we had for fifteen years finally passed away two years ago. We're in the perfect position to adopt now, he's semi-retired and my days at work have been reduced so I can do more work at home. In the meantime, I'm learning how to drive and setting up my own part-time business. There's rarely an hour when there's not one or both of us in the house.

We made inquiries about a German Shepherd in dire need of a good home, we definitely have the space and the time to devote to a big dog and I have a history of taking on special needs animals. I filled out the paperwork, and we were turned down because we suggested building a large secure dog run in the garden with a purpose built shed for the dog to sleep in at night. We also said that during bad weather he'd be sleeping in the kitchen but that was overlooked.

I'm disappointed but more upset on behalf of the dog really. It has health problems and it's a big dog, it'll be very hard to rehome him and I feel like the shelter are leaving him stuck to a life in kennels.

[LEMmingaround]

These dogs that live outside, do they have heated living quarters? because anyone who says that they don't need it need to look at my two JRTs currently roasting themselves infront of the fire! They couldnt get any closer without actually climbing in it

[MalcolmTuckersMistress]

Erm....where exactly do dogs live when they are AT the shelter?

I really don't like dog rehoming centres. Many of them have ridiculous requirements and standards and turn away many decent homes for utterly ridiculous reasons. This is why so many of them are so full! Of course there are good ones as there are bad ones but in my experience so many of them really do not help theirselves.

[Triliteral]

because anyone who says that they don't need it need to look at my two JRTs currently roasting themselves infront of the fire! They couldnt get any closer without actually climbing in it

I expect they'd eat chocolate biscuits all day too if you let them. Doesn't mean they need them.

[pickles184]

I actually don't see any distinction between and outdoor living area for a dog to sleep in - providing it was warm, well ventilated and comfortable - and a dog that is locked up in a downstairs room by itself. Having more than one dog is the better in both scenarios as they would have some of their 'pack' with them.
Having spent a number of years training dogs of a variety of shapes and sizes I don't think that what the OP is suggesting would be a problem to a dog that has been reared living outside and preferably with a companion of it's own as well. I wouldn't do it myself because in my life dogs are pets and live in the house with everyone else. As others have said many working dogs lead a very happy and fulfilling life sleeping in kennels outside.
OP in answer to one of your questions I think that in order to rescue this particular dog you would need to make provisions for it to sleep in the house. Out of interest is there a reason why you would be unable to do so?
If you really must keep any dog you have outdoors then my suggestion would be to approach a number of rescue centres and ask whether they have any dogs that are used to outdoor life that you could adopt. It would be unfair to expect a dog that has spent its life living inside with its people to adjust to being kept outside on its own, however plush the surroundings.

[tabulahrasa]

GSDs tend to not like being away from their people and rescue dogs in general are more prone to seperation anxiety - so a rescue GSD is very likely to be stressed and unhappy at being outside overnight.

Add in the fact that with a breed often used as a guard dog the rescue will have to weed out anyone they think might be after a cheap guard dog.

Then add in the medical issues and I think they were quite right to say no TBH.

[ClaudiusGalen]

Malcolm All the shelters I have adopted from have the dogs in a indoor kennel with access to an outside run.

I think shelters should be extremely careful about where they rehome dogs to. The dogs they are rehoming have often been mistreated, thrown out, neglected, starved or just chucked out because someone couldn't be bothered. My last rescue dog was 7 months old when I got him and had been kept in a filthy backyard for all of his life, with a degenerative health condition. He had been starved. I was glad that the shelter came to check my home was suitable for him.

[ShowMeYourTARDIS]

YABU, OP. Pet dogs should be inside. I have a 35kg/75cm dog (so about the same weight, but taller than a German Shepherd) and he sleeps inside. Occasionally he sleeps outside during summer. He'd put up a fuss if he had to sleep outside! He loves being inside and in everyone's business. He has plenty of time outside to run and play.

[ClaudiusGalen]

Well Triliteral as a vet you know chocolate is a killer of dogs, so of course a dog having access to warmth is not the same as feeding it chocolate biscuits all day. I have to say I have luckily never encountered a vet with such a hostile attitude to keeping a family pet in the family home.

[YoureBeingASillyBilly]

Why on earth would you get a dog just to leave it outside? dogs are companion pets. They need company and thats the whole point of getting one- for company. My dog only gets in the garden when im in it. Otherwise he is with me in the house or out walking.

[MothershipG]

An outside run sends up red flags that what you are after is a guard dog or yard dog rather than a family pet. They don't know you and can't be expected to presume you are truthful about the dog coming in so they had to be cautious and turn you down.

Malcolm I can't believe you just blamed shelters for the number of dogs in rescue! I think you'll find that's down to irresponsible breeding, feckless owners and a few cases of genuine hardship. They are trying to make sure that the next home the dog has will be it's forever home, not take chances on potentially unsuitable homes.

[YoureBeingASillyBilly]

And mine is a huge GR in a tiny terrace.

[Viviennemary]

I'm not a dog person so would't have a dog. But if you have a dog it's a family pet. It shouldn't be kept in a shed and given a dog run. Get a hamster instead.

[WelshMaenad]

Yes, large dogs should be inside, just as small dogs should. I fail to see why there should be a distinction. My friend has several Newfoundlands and a St Bernard, they live indoors. They are family pets, they live in the family home.

[LEMmingaround]

So it seems I am being unreasonable. So, what can I do to remedy this so we can give another dog a good home? Oh, thats easy - KEEP IT INSIDE!

[Triliteral]

I have to say I have luckily never encountered a vet with such a hostile attitude to keeping a family pet in the family home.

I don't at all have a hostile attitude to keeping a family pet in a family home. All the dogs I've ever had have been kept inside. I just feel there has been a great deal of hostility in this thread to the OP, and I don't necessarily feel that her proposal of allowing the dog to sleep in a shed is necessarily bad, health-wise or in any other way. The suggestion that dogs need warmth because one dog owner has witnessed hers lying by the fire just seemed inappropriate to me, therefore I commented as I did. Dogs are not always the best judges of what is best for them was all I meant.

I likes pickles' suggestion, which seems to me a good compromise.:

If you really must keep any dog you have outdoors then my suggestion would be to approach a number of rescue centres and ask whether they have any dogs that are used to outdoor life that you could adopt.

[soundevenfruity]

In DH's family when MIL couldn't look after their labrador SIL took him in or rather out - put him in a shed in the garden. Now, he was a pet, always lived inside and in a much more mild climate than UK. The poor thing got so distressed and ill that they had him adopted out and he was so despondent he was returned back to them. They eventually put him down because he simply couldn't get used to been banished to the outside. As far as I am concerned they killed the poor thing.

[ClaudiusGalen]

My German/Belgian Cross needs to sleep on a memory foam mattress for his hips. Not in a shed. Thankfully my vet is wonderful and gives me good advice and doesn't liken giving a dog access to warmth to poisoning him with chocolate.

[SeaSickSal]

I don't understand why people bother getting dogs when they keep them outside alone all the time.

This dog is not wanted as a companion or a member of the family. I wonder if the attraction is simply that it would be scary looking.

[WelshMaenad]

Dogs don't need warmth?

[Susyb30]

We have a (gorgeous) german shepherd and wouldn't dream of having him outside, I dont care if you have double glazing and central heating in your shed! As a vet nurse iv taken in many dogs over the years mostly with behavioral probs and or medical problems, they need to feel like part of the family and loved. All the vets and nurses in my practice that have dogs, I know wouldn't keep them outside. ( in fact we're all a bit soppy when it comes to our animals).that aside you certainly sound like an animal lover, so thats good for me..but please think about keeping your pet inside..they will love you for it!

[ADishBestEatenCold]

"I'm from a rural area, all the dogs around here are outside dogs, I'd be of the opinion it's not healthy for a large dog to be cooped up in the house."

I am from a rural area, too, PrincessTeacake. My dogs sleep in the house. I know dozens and dozens of people whose dogs sleep in the house. I only know one single person whose dogs sleep outside and he is a shepherd whose three collie's live in the byre (but are always 'sneaking' into the house ). But I realised that might just be my rural area, so I phoned two of my siblings who also live in rural areas (albeit hundred's of miles apart) and asked them how many of their rural living friends had dogs who slept in some sort of building or structure that wasn't the house. You've guessed it. None.

"Didn't the fact your old dog tore up the sofa, tell you anything?" Good point WorraLiberty.

I think the rescue organisation probably made the right decision, PrincessTeacake.
Can you say why you don't want a pet dog to live inside your house?

[Susyb30]

Oh and of course dogs need warmth! They feel the cold just as we do..id rather see dogs that are cosy and sleepy at night knowing their owners are upstairs/ next door or whatever. .rather than a lonely shivering one outside in the shed by himself.

[Caitlin17]

I grew up on a farm with working collie sheep dogs. They either were in the utility room at night or indoors in a hay loft in the barn. They never slept outside.