Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Flip

Original poster

Am I being soft here? Dog + garage = not very nice?

11 replies

wobblyweeble82 · 03/10/2011 11:49

My sis has a 7 month Beagle pup. He's lovely and has lived in the family home with her, her DH and DC since they got him in the Spring. He's crate trained (in a fashion) too. My sis is moving house and her and DH have decided that pup will be going to sleep in the garage in the new house. Now I don't like this one bit. In my mind, he is used to being in thr family home with them and used to hearing them pottering about. Surely he's going to feel isolated and it will become a completely negative experience? They've bought a heater and a radio 'for company' but it's just really upset me that he's been used to living in the family home and now, new house means he's shoved in the garage. It's a detatched garage too so not even attached to the house. My and my sis have had a volatile relationship over the years and we're in a nice place at the moment. Do I speak up about this? Or is it fine and I'm just over-reacting?

OP posts:

DorisVinyard · 03/10/2011 13:15

Is it just to sleep at night or during the day?

Vallhala · 03/10/2011 13:31

You're not over-reacting in the least. A radio isn't company, it's noise. I'd suggest that she puts her DC in the garage, if she has any, see how she likes that suggestion!

3cutedarlings · 03/10/2011 13:34

As a lone dog i would say no its not a nice thing to do at all :( 2plus dogs together i dont have a problem with (so long as it was just at night) but a dog so young on its own!!i think he would be very lonely tbh :(

Crosshair · 03/10/2011 14:14

People or another dog are company, a radio isnt. I dont think its right to dump him in a detatched garage.

Original poster

wobblyweeble82 · 03/10/2011 14:15

He is a lone dog, and its at night time. But I don't know what constitutes as night time IYSWIM. Midnight to 6am is very diff from 9pm to 8am ... DO I just come out and say its cruel? Glad its just not me who thinks this isn#'t good ... How to handle it now please folks!

OP posts:

Ephiny · 03/10/2011 21:22

What is the reason for it? I know some people don't want dogs in the house at all, but it seems strange to have him indoors during the day and then put him in the garage at night. Is it to do with toilet training, or does he bark or whine at night?

I wouldn't accuse her of cruelty, especially if the garage is heated and he has a comfortable bed, bowl of water etc. But I don't think it's a nice thing to do, and definitely wouldn't do it myself. Maybe ask why she doesn't want him in the house, and see if there's another solution to the problem?

Scuttlebutter · 04/10/2011 13:43

Even with a small heater it will be cold, especially in the winter, since a garage does not have an insulated roof or walls. Could also be potentially damp. He will also be vulnerable to theft. If you are concerned about raising the cruelty issue, perhaps stressing the theft issue would be a better way of tackling it. Most garage locks are not resistant, and if he's not neutered he could be very valuable to a puppy farmer, or he could be used for fighting. There is also a profitable line in people stealing dogs and then geting them back for "ransoms".

I'd tackle the theft thing first and then if still no movement it's arguable that she will be breaching the Animal Welfare Act. There is also the issue of noise - if beagle starts baying, she could be facing noise nuisance proceedings, andit's not a good way to make a start with new neighbours. If you did report her to either local Council or to RSPCA, then this would be anonymous and would be not be traceable to you.

wildfig · 04/10/2011 18:55

All the above, plus it's even more cruel to leave a beagle on its own - he's a pack hound and will hate being separated from his human company. As Scuttle says, chances are he'll howl and howl and howl, trying to make them come and find him, and that's a noise designed to carry over fields, let alone through walls.

diddl · 04/10/2011 19:10

Seems odd after he has been sleeping in the house at night.

Couldn´t he sleep in his crate?

Or is it too many hrs?

I think the garage would be cold/lonely.

I assume that they won´t be using it for a car as that would be too smelly/fumy.

smartyparts · 04/10/2011 19:12

I think it's very mean! Poor little dog - why can't she have him in her new house, OP?

Original poster

wobblyweeble82 · 05/10/2011 11:07

Hey folks,

Apparently its a space issue why he can't sleep in the house. They put him in the biggest crate imaginable and are downsizing. There is ample room however in their conservatory IMO but what do I know ... Good idea to mention the theft issue - he hasn't been castrated yet. I'm also going to mention the lack of companionship. Like you say, beagles are used to being part of a pack. Her reasoning is that our cousin kept his dogs in the garage. But their garage was attached to the house AND he had more than one dog! And they had free reign
! Oooh I don't know. I just don't like it. Thanks for the tips though folks :)

OP posts:

Flip