Is an outdoor kennel mean?

[Twoshoesnewshoes]

We have a really lovely rescue street dog, she has been with us for six months and we’re all very happy.
there is one of us at home probably nine working days out of ten.
im wondering about that odd day - she lives to be in the garden and the back garden is secure.
i could get an outdoor kennel for that day? Or is that mean?
I can get a dog walker in but doggie doesn’t really like walking with other people!
we have a cat flap which our old dog used to use but I haven’t been able to persuade doggie to use it so far.

You know your own dog. Advice is not to leave them for more than 4 hours. I don’t know how hot or cold it gets where you are, how secure your garden is and what the risks of injury/escape/dog-napping are. Personally I would be uncomfortable with leaving a dog in a garden unsupervised.

Yes it’s mean! You can get a dog walker to visit and play and let out for a wee if you don’t want a walk but I’m sure after a few days your dog would walk fine with a dog walker and look forward to them coming through the door. It can get really cold in the winter and extremely hot in the summer. I really don’t understand why you think your dog wouldn’t like a walk with a dog walker? Obviously they’d have to get to know each other.

Okay, thank you
yes probably I need to engage with a dog walker then

I think an outside run could work with a sleeping area and a run/move about area. Insulated or heated sleeping area for winter. Cool/shaded area for summer.
Dog walker could come to let her out and spend time with her in garden and feed her if need be.
It might work better for her than being in the house on her own seeing as she's an ex street dog.

I have working sheepdogs that live outside in kennels, they are totally happy with this, all they've known. They are on the go all day and wonder around the farm, will come into the utility/boot room occasionally but no further in the house (not because they're not allowed they just never want to) so only really in their kennel over night. They have a great life and I don't feel it's "mean"
However I think it's a little different having a proper house dog and just shutting it outside for a day 😬I would try to find a dog walker you're comfortable with and try to build a relationship with them so the dog comes to trust them and is happy going on walks with them.

I think it's fine. It's often the norm with working dogs, and also normal for pets in some countries. They need a shelter to get out of wind and rain. If they use the dog flap obviously that's not an issue but if not you will need a shed or good sized kennel.

It can obviously get very hot or cold but presumably you would make other arrangements on these days if your dog isn't designed for weather extremes so I don't think that's an issue.

The only other thing to consider is barking, but again you know your dog.

I couldn't do it, but my boy is a skinny softy with 3 beds in different rooms

My in laws have working gun dogs who are kenneled but they aren’t left all day in them, even out of season they get two/three really long walks/training sessions a day. What you’re describing I don’t think would be appropriate and might be very stressful for the dog

If your dog ok with being left? Some dogs aren’t bothered by it - none of mine ever have been, although it happens infrequently as there’s usually someone here.

I wouldn’t leave mine in the garden as he likes his creature comforts too much but I know people whose dogs are much happier outside than in. As PP mentioned, you know your dog better than anyone.

If you put her in a kennel when you go away on holiday she'd be living in an outdoor kennel for days at a time.

Provided she has exercise and enrichment before / after, has shelter and the temperature is ok, she has enough space for a sleeping area and outside space to toilet and move about, a kennel in a familiar garden isn't any worse than using a kennel for holidays/ day care.

The main issue might be noise if she barks all day while outside especially if you have neighbours who wfh.

Just to clarify, the kennel door would be open with access to a large garden.
she doesn’t really bark but my neighbour can let me know!
hmmmmm
will have a think

It really depends on the breed of dog as well. I have a giant breed with a double coat and he prefers to be outside even in the pouring rain, wind and hail - it is more of a struggle to get him to stay inside. He is also a placid pastoral breed who is lazy so your plan would suit him down to the ground (although the kennel would probably go completely unused). It would also work with my border collies who, again, love to be outside, and would be perfectly happy as long as they had decent walks first thing and in the evening except they are real barkers - a falling leaf sets them off - and that would annoy the neighbours very quickly.

This is sound advice , some dogs are fine outside, as long as your dog has shelter and water, what is the difference between inside or out ?

My Dc neighbours has large fluffy dogs, they are always lying around outside and have shelters if it rains, they go out and leave them in the secure garden .

thats good to know
yes she was a street dog - she loves her sofas but also really loves being outside and just sniffing the air 😂

If you get her a really big kennel, windproof, waterproof etc with a very comfy bed in it, and have someone call in during the day to talk to her and play with her she will likely be fine.

I wouldn't feel safe leaving a dog outdoors - a stressed dog, especially a street dog, can get out of gardens that most people would be absolutely sure were secure. We were warned about this very specifically when we looked into adopting a Romanian rescue dog. I would very gradually introduce a competent and experienced dog walker for those days.

As long as you know she will be safe and not bother anybody outside then i honestly don't see the issue. You know your own dog.

We know she can’t get out of the garden - if we are ever both out for a few hours we just leave the back door open for her and she comes and goes, but I don’t want to do that in the colder weather as the house will get cold

As long as the garden is secure and there is a place to go out of the rain, the dog will be fine unless it starts barking.
Why not have a chat with your neighbours and say you are going to try it and you would appreciate them being honest and telling you about any noise issues prior to it becoming a regular thing?
When I did this my neighbours said they actually appreciated the rare occasions when our two barked, because it told them there was someone hanging about. However, I can see that this might be a problem depending on the individual dog, it's level of aggression, the location and your neighbours.

@CurlyKoalie yes i can do that, thanks

In principle I think this could be fine. I've had a former street dog before who 100% preferred to be outside, laying on the hard floor etc. I wouldn't feel comfortable with leaving them in the garden, an enclosed (fully enclosed with roof) mesh secure run with access to a climate controlled kennel and lockable door yes, but garden, no matter how secure you think it is, I wouldn't. The dog may not have escaped yet, but knowing street dogs and how much they channel Houdini when they want to, nope. Mine scaled a 7ft fence when the neighbours had a BBQ to get some free meat.

ETA: cameras with sound too to monitor barking or if the dog is in distress.

I wouldn't hesitate.
So long as you know she isn't distressed by being alone, this sounds like an excellent solution.

I know plenty of dogs who are part-kennelled and they're happy, balanced dogs.

Sounds like your dog has a loving caring family, dogs are not children and an outdoor kennel in a large garden with a nice home and lot's of cuddles from all of you is not mean in my opinion. All dogs are different as are families. Everyone will have different opinions but I wanted to post to say you clearly care about your dog, and your idea isn't mean.

I know you said the dog doesn’t really bark but if you haven’t left it outside for prolonged periods of time before then you might not know for sure. A dog that’s left outside for a prolonged time that starts barking will not be at all welcomed by neighbours so I would seriously think about whether this is a considerate thing to do.