Do you leave your dog(s) in your yard when no one is home?

[GermanPrinceHero]

In my opinion, the media putting fear into people over isolated incidents is exactly why we don't see many kids playing outside anymore. I live in a nice neighborhood full of kids and don't see many outside. They are all stuck on the couch in the A/C playing their video games. I encourage my kids to ride their bikes, go to freinds houses, take the dog for a walk. I take them fishing and camping every chance I get, always bringing the dog along.
Our GSD is a house dog. He goes out a few times a day, 10 or 15 minutes a day in the back yard. He likes to go out when we go out, but prefers to be in the house with us if we are in. He is a house dog by our choice. We have someone at home all the time and have never had to make a decision to put him half the day.
I do not have a problem and am not going to pass judgement on someone that wants to leave their animal outside half of the day. I see no problem with it at all as long as protective measures are taken. If it is a safe and secure environment, such as a securely fenced in back yard, I think it is more humane than leaving them crated up all day long. No, I would not let my toddler roam free in the backyard all day, but let's get real. Dogs are not humans, they are dogs and are made for outside conditions. I would not lock my toddler in a crate all day either. Just my opinion

[dogless]

I have not read this whole thread, but here's my two cents:

I think it depends on where you live, how close you are to your neighbors, how quiet (or noisy) your dog is.

I personnally wouldn't leave my dog out, because there have been to many dog thefts in my neighborhood (the suspicion is they are stolen as dog fighting bait, there couldn't be a worse way to lose your dog!!!). Many of these from "securely" fenced yards.

Plus, after finally getting rid of an annoying neighbor (they were evicted) who let their yappy dog bark at me non-stop, I would be worried about my dog making noise and annoying the neighbors.

I also know that my dog would probably bark and be annoying herself.

So, no I would not do it. Even if I moved to a better neighborhood, I probably wouldn't change my mind.

[TiffanyK]

We never let Daisy outside alone at all actually. LOL. A friend of mine told me a story about her GSD jumping a 6 ft. privacy fence and I knew that there was no way I would risk it. When I was little I remember our beagle being stolen from our backyard. So yeah, just too many risks. Our backyard backs up to woods and I'd be afraid of snakes or something. When we leave the house, Daisy went into a crate. I knew she wouldn't chew anything up or make a mess but I always worried that she would get into something she shouldn't - like eating something in the trash (we never gave her people food) or getting stuck behind something or eating a kids toy or something and choking. LOL. Maybe I just think way out there but I'm paranoid and like it that way. lol

[KZoppa]

Originally Posted by shadow mum

Shadow is NEVER left outside if we're not home. I remember when we had dogs when I was growing up, my Dad was paranoid about them being outside. A neighbor had left his dog outside and someone poisoned it when the owner was at work. I trust no-one with my kids or my animals.

i'm exactly the same way. I wont even kennel my dogs when we go on vacation. if they cant come with us or stay with a very trusted friend who we know for a fact can handle our dogs, i wont go. I wont let recommended babysitters watch my kids unless i've known them for years and trust them and have seen how they interact with other kids they watch.

[KZoppa]

Originally Posted by Syaoransbear

Yup, he's out there right now. His crate is too dangerous, and right now I can't afford one of those heavy duty $1000 crates made out of steel. For some reason, he's absolutely fine being alone in the backyard. He doesn't try to escape and he doesn't bark/whine/dig/whatever. But in his crate, he tries to escape and injures himself. Last time he tried to get out he was rubbing his face on the bars of the crate so badly that it rubbed the skin and fur off of places on his face. The time before that, he was trying to escape and he got his head stuck with the bars pressing down on his throat. If someone wouldn't have came home in time, he could have suffocated and died.

He's no better inside the house either. He smashes windows to escape and poops everywhere. But for some reason he's totally at peace in the backyard. He was raised as a 100% outdoor dog until I got him at 4 months old, so that might have something to do with it.

see i have the same issue with Shelby only we cant even trust her outside. if she isn't with me she freaks. Her previous "owners" conditioned her to think it was the end of the world if she wasnt constantly with someone. I've found a few escape proof kennels, the steel ones you're talking about, online and as soon as we're able to afford it ($400) i fully intend on getting one. Sadly the only way we've been able to contain her when we leave so she cant destroy the house is to muzzle her and stick her in a crate and use 550 cord to tie across the door so she cant muscle her way loose. She's not happy about it but no damage to her or our rented house and we can go out to dinner or some place as a family and not be stressing about what damage we're gonna come home to. I know people will say its cruel but sometimes you do what you gotta do. And where we live, leaving dogs out unsupervised at all times will get the dog taken away and not returned "due to negligence".

[windwalker718]

Nope.... even a short run to the corner store means dogs inside, or if they get to vote in the car. As one wise breeder told me years ago..... IT ONLY TAKES ONCE....

[VitaBene]

Originally Posted by Rusty_212

Boy, so many of you say you crate or kennel your dogs when your not home. Anyone have their dogs live inside your house with you?
All of our dogs havelived in our house from the moment we got them. Of couse we crate train them as pups, until their house broken. We've had a few instances of chewing and a few accidents, but that's what carpet shampooers are made for.

When we are all out, Steeler stays in the house with his 2 cats. We rescued him 8 months ago when he was a bit shy of 2. We ran out the night we picked him up and bought a big crate because we did not know if he was housebroken (he lived in a barn with 32 other dogs at the rescue). He slept in the crate for 1 night, never to use it again.

We live on 6 1/2 acres in NH so when we are home he usually hangs around outside. We do not have a fence but he does not wander off our property, he knows the boundary and will not cross it.

[Smithie86]

No.

But, I think the question should also be, based on where you live, can you leave your dog(s) out unattended? Many locations and/or homeowner associations restrict that and that will also affect the response.

We have a breeder that states that dogs are not left out; but where they live, they can not do that. And states that their dogs are house dogs; neglects to mention that the dogs are in crates all day when they are at work, commuting. So, dogs live in crates the majority of the time.

[frillint1]

I don't leave my dog unattended. He is a smart butt and taught himself how to unlock the gate. Or he will just dig. Silly husky in him.

[Jessiewessie99]

Originally Posted by frillint1

I don't leave my dog unattended. He is a smart butt and taught himself how to unlock the gate. Or he will just dig. Silly husky in him.

Huskies are known for being escape artists!lol