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The doghouse

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Original poster

Keeping dogs in the garden when at home

50 replies

SnailsEverywhere · 04/07/2018 20:20

I recently moved into a small house, and my secure back garden is bigger than the whole house layout. When I am home I put my 2 dogs in the garden together, they have a kennel and water, and I also have a patio roof that covers a good size portion of the garden so that they have shade. I can see the dogs all the time as I am in the living room and sit with the (closed or partially open with a fly net) patio doors facing me which open directly to the garden where the dogs are.

The dogs can obviously see me inside too, and sometimes they hang by the door wanting to come back in. One of the dogs is very big and doesn't have much room when he is in the house, he also can't have chews in the house as he growls at the cats, but when he is in the garden I do give him a chew, he has toys out there too and just more space in general to chill and sniff around and go to the toilet when he wants to.

I ONLY leave the dogs in the garden if I'm home to supervise (3 ish days a week), I would never leave the house with them outdoors and I bring them in when it gets dark. I think it's a pretty nice set up but I told a friend who said it is horrible for the dogs to be in the garden and not able to come to me if they want to, she worries that they're feeling ignored or neglected. I'm unsure if they prefer it outside or not but wondered if this would be seen as okay?

OP posts:
Bananarama12 · 04/07/2018 20:24

Why can't you leave the doors open so they can come and go as they please? It is mean if they don't actually want to be out there. They like company.

Icklepup · 04/07/2018 20:25

It's fine!

MrsMaryMooFace · 04/07/2018 20:27

God's sake. I have several dogs who are kennelled 24/7 and they are absolutely fine! Your friend is being ridiculous

UrsulaPandress · 04/07/2018 20:27

My dog likes to be with me. Always.

Original poster
SnailsEverywhere · 04/07/2018 20:28

I'm not sure if they want to be out there or not, the majority of the time they are fine but sometimes they hang out near the door, they never do anything other than that to indicate if they'd want to come in or not.

I can't leave the door open as I have 2 disabled cats who cannot go outdoors

OP posts:
DownAndUnder · 04/07/2018 23:02

If they’re not used to it and they’re hanging round the back door to come in then it is horrible. My house is tiny with a massive garden but my dogs like being inside, especially in hot/cold weather.

bzzbeebzz · 04/07/2018 23:05

What is the issue with dogs being outdoors? I don’t get it. I grew up with a dog and it was out in the garden during the day, not a problem. So what exactly is the downside?

DramaAlpaca · 04/07/2018 23:07

My dogs always want to be in the same room as me.

Your set up sounds OK though.

Fucksgiven · 04/07/2018 23:09

Why on earth would a dog be in your house? I thought they live in kennel in the garden

UrsulaPandress · 04/07/2018 23:26

Ha

Ha

Ha

Fucksgiven · 04/07/2018 23:38

What?

adaline · 05/07/2018 07:23

You're not serious @Fucksgiven?!

TropicPlunder · 05/07/2018 07:34

If they were barking and scratching to come in, or reluctant to go out, then it would be more of a concern. Outside is great for dogs, if they're happy there. Do you spend time with them out there? What about winter? I'm all for dogs being outside in the right circumstance. Mine is very much an independent free range dog! She mostly likes to hang around with us though.

TropicPlunder · 05/07/2018 07:37

I think you can get chip activated pet doors, that the dogs could activate but not the cats. ...I guess you might not want an enormous dog door though, as you said your dogs are big

SinceWhenDid · 05/07/2018 08:07

Could you put a low barrier across the door that the dogs can get over but the cats can't?

AvocadosBeforeMortgages · 05/07/2018 08:49

Can't let DDog out in my garden unsupervised, unfortunately, but when he stays with family he has free access to the garden in nice weather. While he goes down the garden frequently, he still chooses to spend 90% of his time indoors.

Perhaps your dog feels that proximity to you / indoor comforts or similar are more important to him than chews and toys outside? I'd allow the dog to make that choice.

@fucksgiven I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you don't live in the UK. Keeping a pet dog outside permanently isn't considered acceptable (especially in the winter). My dog sleeps on my bed, and this isn't unusual.

MasonJar · 05/07/2018 08:59

They won't come to any harm being in the garden 3 days a week, but given the choice I think most dogs would prefer to be with their human.
Mine have got the run of the house and garden but spend most of the day lying on my feet snoozing while I'm sat at my desk.

TropicPlunder · 05/07/2018 09:19

I don't think there's any problem with dogs being in a kennel in the garden, including in the uk. I don't think they should be shut in a small space or without company (Yeah, I don't like closed crates in houses either). Security, company, stimulation, shelter, shade, warmth......every case is different, whether inside or outside. Some kennels are great, and some dogs are used to being outside and prefer it

lynmilne65 · 05/07/2018 09:24

Keep dogs in kennel 24/7? Cruel

TropicPlunder · 05/07/2018 09:25

Yes, 24/7 would be cruel, I agree. But nobody mentioned keeping a dog in a kennel 24/7

AvocadosBeforeMortgages · 05/07/2018 09:31

MrsMaryMooFace said she keeps her dogs in a kennel 24/7. Yes, I think that's cruel.

Keeping a dog in a kennel all the time is no better than someone who is out the house 20 hours a day and leaves the dog to its own devices - there would be uproar on MN if you suggested it. Unless the owner is living in the kennel with them. Dogs need contact with their humans - I'm not coming at this as someone with a strict 4 hour rule either. I often work from home, but if I have a full day meeting... DDog is left for a full day.

The implication of being kennelled 24/7 is that they aren't being walked either. That only makes the situation worse.

TropicPlunder · 05/07/2018 09:34

Ah yes, i see the comment now. Why would you have a dog if it's kennelled literally 24/7 anyway. It's a welfare concern

TheVanguardSix · 05/07/2018 09:40

You have to take the well-being of the cats into consideration, which I think you do.
If your dog growls or threatens the cat when indoors, then I'm not so sure leaving the doors open so they can come and go is a great idea. It depends though. How's the cat around the dogs? Does the growler push the boundaries beyond a snarl?
I'd be leaving the patio door open to give them free access. Just because there's something sad about dogs sitting at a back door. But the growling at the cats is a problem, so... I'm not sure.
Do you walk them quite a bit?

Tinkobell · 05/07/2018 09:42

Rubbish. Sounds like a perfect doggy set up in good weather. Patios where many dogs given the choice naturally gravitate too....they are naturally territory animals. The garden is their territory.

Keeping dogs in the garden when at home
Turmericky · 05/07/2018 09:51

My dogs spend most of their time in the garden in this weather. They have various areas of shade, various 'refreshment' stops and trundle around as and when the mood takes them. I have a friend who used to sleep on her sofa in the summer with the patio doors open so that her dogs could sleep outside where they were cooler!
However, my dogs have an open door so they can come in whenever they want.
Sometimes companion dogs just want to be near. It would be better if they could come in and out.
Would it be possible to give the disabled cats a safe area elsewhere in the house, upstairs or another room, with a babygate so the dogs can't disturb. A few of my friends have upstairs cats and downstairs dogs.

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