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The doghouse

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

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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:

MrsMaryMooFace · 05/07/2018 19:20

The implication of being kennelled 24/7 is that they aren't being walked either. That only makes the situation worse.
Alright vipers...
My dogs get walked and worked at least twice a day of not more, plus let out for cuddles and play time first thing, tea time and bedtime.
I meant they live outside.
But carry on.

TropicPlunder · 05/07/2018 20:39

Well....'24/7' does kind of give a permanent impression

MrsMaryMooFace · 05/07/2018 20:52

Well....'24/7' does kind of give a permanent impression No, you all just decided to misinterpret what I said. If I said I had dogs that live in 24/7 would you assume they were never EVER let out? No, because that would be ridiculous.
There are thousands of people in the UK with kennelled dogs. They're no less loved or cared for. Stop being so narrow minded

TropicPlunder · 05/07/2018 21:33

Sure ok....I'm glad your dogs are happy. Mine sleeps outside, I don't think I'm narrow minded about that. 'Kennelled 24/7' seemed to suggest 24 hours a day in a kennel, so I'm very sorry if I misunderstood that. I'm glad they're not though ey

DownAndUnder · 06/07/2018 14:47

MN is a funny place at times, it’s frowned upon to leave your dogs a few hours usually let alone them living in the garden or a kennel 24/7, what a miserable life. Dogs that live outside are an easy target for thieves, I wouldn’t risk it.

ADastardlyThing · 06/07/2018 14:53

I don't understand people who keep their dogs outside, or outside as much as possible, or kennelled. I mean, why have them at all?

The only person i know who does this doesn't see their dogs as pets at all, just 'things' they have hanging around. For me it just flies below the radar of neglect.

TropicPlunder · 06/07/2018 15:08

My dog has human company 24/7 .. ..And lives outside. We love her, she's family and has access to the house freely when we're home, which is most of the time. She loves roaming freely. There are many different ways to live

DownAndUnder · 06/07/2018 15:59

Tropic So someone’s outside with her 24/7? If she can come and go as she pleases then it isn’t comparable to being shut in a kennel anyway.

Thebluedog · 06/07/2018 16:03

My dogs prefer being outside in most weathers. I have a secure garden, food, water, shelter etc for them. I work from home and my office has a door to the garden and they are in that most of the day with access to the garden. I also leave them in the garden if I have to go out, but not at night.

Your set up sounds fine

TropicPlunder · 06/07/2018 16:07

Yes, she can always access people and is never shut in anywhere. Don't know why you think it's comparable to a kennel?

She also lies all over our furniture in the house. My point is generally, that living outside is not necessarily a bad thing. More important that needs are met. Mine loves roaming. All dogs need company and stimulation, wherever that is. As for the OP, we still don't know if all needs are met, but just because the dogs are outside, it doesn't automatically mean they are not

steppemum · 06/07/2018 16:14

I really think this depends OP.

Our house has big garden, cool shaded patio and big grassy area.
I work from home in the dining room with the doors to the outside open all day in this weather.

My dog is a rescue, been with us about 7 months.
He chooses to sleep right next to me most of the time. He will look fats asleep and I'll move to the kitchen and he will wander in and sleep on the kitchen floor instead

he does spend time sleeping outside, but as soon as I shut the door he comes up and sits next to it waiting for me to open it. He just likes to know he is near me

shouldwestayorshouldwego · 06/07/2018 16:19

Well in the wild or when dogs were first domesticated they would have spent all day in a house ... oh no, wait they would have spent most of the time outside hunting. Unless you have a particularly delicate dog or a breed which might be stolen I think being outside, in a secure garden with appropriate shade sounds just fine. They have each other for company and you are there if they need you.

smackbangwhollop · 06/07/2018 22:18

What we have to remember is that not ALL Mumsnet members are in the UK so the weather will vary. Us humans will all think dogs are okay but it doesn't mean they are, even if it's good for us. Ask a dog behaviourist what they think a dog prefers and you may get a more accurate answer.

What other exercise do the dogs get?
How much time do they spend with you? This will make a difference. Seeing you is not being with you.

ApolloandDaphne · 06/07/2018 22:22

My dog prefers to be in the garden. I mostly leave the door open but she only comes in to drink water or be fed. Even in the depths of winter she will lie outside. Not all dogs like to be indoors.

AvocadosBeforeMortgages · 06/07/2018 22:55

There's a massive difference between a village dog, like Tropic's, which can wander and make its own entertainment, and one that is shut in a garden and cannot exercise choice.

Having spent time in SE Asia (though I appreciate that isn't where Tropic is) I've occasionally mused that the semi owned village dogs there have a great life on a day to day basis (ie ignoring things like lack of veterinary care) - there's always something going on, the dog can take itself for walks, people and other dogs are around. Basically there's always some form of company and / or entertainment. I can't help but feel that they have a more enjoyable life than many UK dogs that are pampered materially but are left alone / shut away for significant periods of time.

mydogisthebest · 06/07/2018 23:03

When the weather is warm I leave the back door open so my dogs can go in and out as they want. At the moment they only go outside to pee and poo.

There are shady spots in the garden but they prefer to be inside

tabulahrasa · 07/07/2018 06:43

“No, you all just decided to misinterpret what I said“

24/7 means 24 hours a day, 7 days a week - so always, you can’t really accuse people of misinterpreting it when they took it to mean what it does in fact mean.

MrsMaryMooFace · 07/07/2018 07:38

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

MrsMaryMooFace · 07/07/2018 07:47

What annoys me here is that not one of you thought to ASK me what I meant by 24/7, instead leaping in calling 'cruelty', 'neglect', 'welfare concern'. Not one of you thought so say "hang on @mrs what do you mean" before throwing accusationary remarks around.
I notice this a lot on mumsnet now, and it's such a shame.

Bananarama12 · 07/07/2018 07:52

It's perfectly normal for working dogs to live outside. This is what they are used to and they are worked so probably only in kennels half of that '24/7'.

BiteyShark · 07/07/2018 08:00

I don't get the issue with dogs having kennels outside. I think it's because lots of people associate kennels to mean small wooden shelters whereas the ones I know of are large secure areas with indoor and outdoor areas so effectively a better set up that most people have when leaving their dog inside contained in one room when they go out.

If the dog is happy and content does it matter where they reside a lot of the time? Going back to the OP, maybe your dogs do want to come in and see you but if the majority of the time they are happy and get your company later than I don't see the issue. My dog can't have everything when he demands including me.

MrsMaryMooFace · 07/07/2018 08:08

Thank you @banana and @bitey

ADastardlyThing · 07/07/2018 08:44

Threads on MN would be ridiculous if people had to check everything someone had said Mrs!

Fair enough if it's not clear, but "my dogs are kennelled 24/7" is pretty clear tbh. It's no one else's fault if you didn't actually mean that.

Giovanna75 · 07/07/2018 09:02

We leave our black door open in this good weather ( there is always someone at home now with the school break.) Our dog comes and goes as she pleases but in truth spends a lot of time indoors snoozing. With the hot weather recently all she wants is a cool place to lie. You are the only person who knows how they feel about it. Sounds like you feel a bit guilty !!

Honeyroar · 11/07/2018 20:57

When we're home, our dogs have the run of the house and the garden. One likes to sunbathe, another stays inside, the third wanders in and out. They ALL frequently come up to me or my husband for a pat or to play. In the house at night they choose to be in the same room as us, on the sofa with us if given a chance. So personally I don't think a dog shut away in a run and kennels somewhere is quite as loved and cared for as a household pet, even if they can adequately live out in a run. It's a kind of a no frills care, in my opinion. (And yeah I know wild dogs live outside bla bla, but domesticated dogs are a tad different).

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