We just had to give one of our dogs to a new home--which leaves us with a huge suck-up of a Boxer :). Before we have always had outside dogs, but there has always been two of them to give each other warmth in the doghouse. Last night I felt sorry for our Boxer, and let him sleep in the house--( on the couch no less!! ). Made me wonder what do the rest of you do--do your dogs stay outside all the time, do you let them in at night, or what?? Thanks, Lynn

-- Lynn Royal (homesteadmama@yahoo.com), November 08, 2000

Answers

Hey, Lynn, at our house, we have two LARGE choc. labs (mother and daughter, 95 and 92 lbs, resp.), and both think the sun sets and rises on my husband. Those two spend more time in his lap than I could EVER hope to!! :-)... To answer your question, both girls spend their time at night in the house. The "old lady" usually sleeps on the couch and her young'un sleeps with my youngest son (on the foot of the bed). HOWEVER - if I get up in the morning first, to shower and such, by the time I return to our room, both ladies are sleeping on either side of him! Such a life...

-- Judi (ddecaro@snet.net), November 08, 2000.

Outside dogs only!

-- Carol in Tx (cwaldrop@peoplescom.net), November 08, 2000.

We have 5 dogs all in the house, they are all real members of the family. All are housebroken and very well behaved in the house. They dont get on the furniture and are not barkers. Icant imaigine them living outside, they are one of the pleasures of my life. Roxanne

-- Roxanne (hmstdlady@webtv.net), November 08, 2000.

We breed Basset Hounds. I have two bitches now and a spayed beagle. They spend most of the day outside(their choice).They come inside at night. The 4y Basset sleeps on a dog bed on the floor at my side of the bed. (This is were she has whelped two times.)The 1y Basset sleeps on the sofa and the beagle sleeps behing the recliner. During the summer they rarely want to come in at night. They also spend most of the cold days during the winter inside. Hair is no problem. Hubby is a neat freak and vaccums the floor and the furniture daily. He is also allergic to dogs and the two cats that come and go as they please. 12/22/99 we had a litter of 12 pups. They slept on a heating pad beside the bed for 10 days. They slept, we didn't. We then put them in a kiddie pool in the room were the wood stove is. Imagine having 15 dogs in your house! Thank God for cedar chips changed daily. My dad is against animals in the house and even was impressed by the lack of "perfume". Love my animals and bring ANYTHING inside. That is kinda hard to do with a man who is allergic and had never even had a pet before me. If they are clean, let them in. You will receive love you have never received from your outside pet.

-- Terri Perry (stuperry@stargate.net), November 08, 2000.

Very spoiled and pampered poochies here. We have 4 and all live in the house with us.

-- Bernice (geminigoats@yahoo.com), November 08, 2000.

I have four dogs. Two Border Collies and two dog dogs. I bring a dog du jour with me to work and three stay home outside in the yard during the day. At night they all come inside and they sleep in the kitchen usually unless the house is already super messy or it's storming. I don't like them on the couch, and they are only allowed on the bed when I ask them up. I just have a very messy bunch of pups as they like to go for a swim at sundown and that ruins their chances of roaming the whole house. I love them like crazy, though!

-- Doreen (animalwaitress@excite.com), November 08, 2000.

The question begs to be asked,"WHY did you have to give one of your dogs away?"...we have 3...our 90 pound Black Lab,our 98 pound Kuvasz, and our 45 pound wonderful Mutt dog.As soon as we can afford a new fence, all the darlings will patrol the area outside during the day and come inside at night, weather permitting. We've never left our animals outside in very hot or cold weather....don't care much for the dog house set up...Mutt sleeps under our bed, Lab sleeps on the floor next to the bed, and Kuvasz sleeps in the bedroom doorway..We feel quite secure (I think they do as well). God bless.

-- Lesley (martchas@gateway.net), November 08, 2000.

Our 78 lb. malamute/shepherd mix doesn't want inside! We've tried it. He comes in if it is extremely wet to stretch out/ or extremely cold (5 below freezing) for a brief time to dry out. Then he pants and begs to go back out, after a treat of course. He occ. uses his doghouse, but hasn't seriously since we built on the two decks. He likes being under them. If there is a big thunderstorm or during gun season (deer) he asks to come in as he sees fit. I like having him inside, he just begs to go back out. I am stuck with the cats until I can find an inside dog.

-- Anne (HT@HM.com), November 08, 2000.

We have 2 dogs that sleep inside. One is a pound puppy that sleeps beside my sons bed. My baby is 160 lb. mastiff. She would love to sleep with me but the bed isn't big enough, so she sleeps in front of the woodcook stove.

-- Lena (breezex4@go.com), November 08, 2000.

We've got 5 dogs. Smallest is around 40lb. and the biggest is 110lb. They and our cats are family and all live in the house. The dogs have large fenced areas to run in when they're out, and crates to sleep in at night. They love their crates, half the time we don't even close the doors. A couple of our cats are allowed out (the ferals that came with the property) during the day, but we always round them up before dark.

-- Jorja Hernandez (jorja@color-country.net), November 09, 2000.

In answer to why we needed to find another home for our one dog--he was Houdini on four legs when it came to getting out of the fence! We have 10 acres here but he always chose to go to the neighbors and create mischief there. It became a real issue between the neighbors and me--I decided that if we could find him another place to live it would be better for him and us in the long run. Was not an easy decision for me or especially for my 11 year old son, but necessary under the circumstances.

-- Lynn Royal (homesteadmama@yahoo.com), November 09, 2000.

Three female dogs, all inside. Two pitbull mix and a collie mix. All three sleep inside, two in bed with me, and the hairy collie on her blanket beside the bed. I have a very large fenced yard, they go out several times during the day. I do not leave them out unless I'm here to keep an eye on them. About a year ago, we had a serious problem with dogs being stolen right out of their yards (and being sold to labs? the police think). Also, my little Daisy is a barker. My dogs mean the world to me, they are my babies.

-- Cathy Horn (hrnofplnty@webtv.net), November 09, 2000.

There are 13 Border Collies at present inside. 5 adult, 1 6 month old, and 7 pups, 4 weeks. They all don't have to stay inside, but it has been raining hard for a couple of days. The dogs like to be outside the best but they do like to come in at night. I built a 25 x 25 'house' for them with separate yards off each side. And we have a huge fenced yard all around the house, 1 in back, 1 in front.

The pups are always in the house untill they turn 5 or 6 weeks. In the summer they can go out to the house. Usually don't have pups in winter. My dogs get on the sofa if I let them, if they are muddy they stay in the laundry room till they dry off. I have all wood floors so it dosen't matter much. Just mop allot.

I would rather some stay outside at night to keep an eye on the place but if it is below 30 I bring them in. It really isn't good for them to get used to the heat in the house too much. They would never leave the yard even if the gate was open. Only when we leave are they are locked in their house/yard area. They want in when the storms come, and they go in the bathroom by themselves and lay down. Mostly they just like to be where I am.

-- Cindy in Ky (solidrockranch@msn.com), November 09, 2000.

Have two border collies, male and female. The female was here first and stays in the house at night and sometimes most of the day. She's my shadow, goes in the truck with me whenever possible. Last weekend spent 9 hours on the road and was so good.

The male I got because I wanted a dog on the farm to keep track of things at night so he stays outside with my mom's old black lab. I've got to fix a place for them in the shop to stay in during winter. He had hip surgery when he was a year old and got to stay inside (had to keep him quiet for 2 weeks). He would really like to stay in the house at night but he seems to think my kitchen cupboards are his private potty! Every night that my husband sneaks him in I get to clean up the puddles in the morning. Tried lots of stuff to stop it but he got in the habit and now I'm afraid it permenent so he's permenantly outside (unless husband can let him in without me knowing). He does a fine job of letting us know when things are not right outside and I like that. I think having a dog barking at night tends to deter coyotes, gas thiefs, etc. I know he's safe outside, he doesn't leave the porch all night during this good weather.

-- (betsyk@pathwaynet.com), November 09, 2000.

We are great dane breeders and currently have eight adult danes. All of them are house dogs. We have a large fenced backyard and my husband is home all day to let them in and out as needed. They are never outside if we are not home. They do not attempt to jump the fence so we don't have issues with them escaping. Our dogs are our pets first and breeding/show dogs second. They are allowed on the furniture which we cover with blankets and sheets. Each night several spend the night in the master bedroom, one is in the guest bedroom, two are in the computer room and two more are in the living room. We have two queen size beds bolted together in our master bedroom which allows plenty of space for all of us. This is a bit crazy for some people but we happen to view our dogs as part of the family.

-- Colleen (pyramidgreatdanes@erol.com), November 09, 2000.

We have 2 Australian Shepherds(male and female). They both out during the day and inside at night. The female sleeps on her bed in our room and the male sleeps in the kids room. I dont let them on the furniture very often. They know it's by invitation only. We also do rescue and do the same with them only a crate at night because we dont know them or what they'll do while we're sleeping.

-- Denise (jphammock@msn.com), November 09, 2000.

We have 3 dogs. Rufos is an outside dog through and through. If I do bring him inside, he's good for 15 minutes tops, then he's pawing at the door to get out. Dog house?! forget, he doesn't use it. So I have a bed of hay out in the shed (it's 3 sided so he can get in whenever he wants) and even then he doesn't use that too often. Many a morning I wake up to find him sleeping on the ground out in the open. Go figure.

The 2 ankle biters (Kady and Millie) are another story. They're not outdoor dogs per se, and they're not indoor dogs either. I try to keep them inside as much as possible when I can, since one is 1/2 Feist and the other is 1/4, and they both LOVE to chase the Guinea hens. Plus Millie is just a lump of suger and will sit in my lap all day if she could. At night, I have a small indoor kennel in my office that they can sleep in, or we have one of those dog beds in there too, although they seem to prefer just a blanket heaped into the corner.

-- Eric in TN (ems@nac.net), November 09, 2000.

I have 4 dogs and 3 cats; all are other people's throwaways. Dogs all come in to eat. One is a chihuahua mix that is mostly inside. The half-Lab pup is supposed to be outside, but thinks he's a lap dog. He needs to be out, because he's the most territorial. One cur mix (?), stays with me constantly, even though I don't like her (I've tried, really). Has to be forced out at night or she sleeps on the floor by my bed. Last dog is definitely outside by his choice, except for eating, gunshots or thunder. We have no neighbors within a mile, and the dogs are not fenced. No traffic except the mailman. Three of them are excellent at keeping strays and coyotes away. One cat stays inside by her own choice, but she's a good mouser. Other two were picked up as kittens and have never been inside. Poor babies--I penned them up with the chickens when they were small, so now they know for sure that the chickens are bigger than they are, and they never bother any of the poultry.

-- Teresa in TN (otgonz@bellsouth.net), November 09, 2000.

Dogs, cats? We thought they were just fuzzy children. We got our first dog because the cat wanted a pet. Seriously, all four of our animals are cast offs. They have a 40 square foot pen with a 40 x 15 shade roof and sleep inside in our bedroom and sun porch. My one hound dog and my wife are jealous of each other.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), November 09, 2000.

We have 2 Australian Shepherds and another dog. Once in awhile one gets to spend the night in but they have beds under the house. \One of the reasons we have dogs is to keep the deer, elk, coyotes, cougar,coons and other critters away from the garden, chickens, pigs and so on. they would be of little good in by the fire at night. They do come in in the morning for an hours or two, then it is a treat and back out the door.

When I lived in western NY my dogs stayed out until the temperature got down to -0- then they were allowed in.

-- Hendo (OR) (redgate@echoweg.netm), November 09, 2000.

When we have dogs(right now our border collie is getting bred),they stay outside. If you let them in now and then when it gets cold, they have a harder time adjusting to the cold again when you put them back out. So it's either out all the time, or in all the time. We have a shed with a few old blankets for her to sleep on so at least she is nnot getting snowed/rained on. In the past, I have had a border/aussie crosses that didn't have a shed. They'd just curl up like huskies in the snow. In the morning, they'd emerge from under the snow and shake themselves off. They didn't seem to mind at all. One of them had puppies in 35 below weather outside, all of which lived. I built a little wigwam for her out of tree branches and brush and lined it with old hay. Now I'd give a mother with puppies more shelter than that, but they did fine.

-- Rebekah (daniel1@itss.net), November 09, 2000.

We have 1 Border Collie and 1 Mixed breed.Both stay out unless it's extremely cold!

-- nobrabbit (conlane@prodigy.net), November 09, 2000.

My baby you ask? She is a 5yr old chow/retriever, that I rescued at 5 wks old-I was going to find her a good home-I did! She sleeps on the bed (my side), or the couch, or the chair-you get the picture. Colleen I had to show DH your post! He thought I was nuts that we had to get a queen size bed! My kids insist that I love "Friday" more then them, well that's just not true, I don't love her MORE, but come to think of it...she doesn't talk back, she doesn't ask for money.....

-- Kathy (catfish@bestweb.net), November 09, 2000.

At the moment I am down to one geriatric West Highland Terrier...she likes being an 'only' dog in her twilight years, and lives in the house with automatic door to the fenced yard (small night yard for neccessaries, half an acre fenced for playtime). She sleeps on the bed, or under the bed, or in her own bed as the mood strikes and old bones allow. She stays in when we are gone, altho she goes along as often as possible. They have all had to stay in at night -- owls and coyotes and most esp. the martens the DNR brought in are a problem with taking/killing domestic animals, even big dogs. When she was young, she was death on vermin, including skunks and raccoons. Now she's retired, mostly sleeps on my mom's bed -- mom's retired too.

My ex once complained as I was cooking the dog's dinner that I fed them better than I fed him -- I held out their dishes to him. He back-pedalled on that and said 'Well, you feed them as well as you feed me' and I said "Why not? They live here." (I was the one putting the food on the table at the time too...guess that's one reason he's EX and the dogs aren't...)

-- Julie Froelich (firefly1@nnex.net), November 09, 2000.

I can see that there are many dog lovers on this forum and I am one! I have a German Shepherd that weighs over 110# - he is huge! He is not allowed in the house because he is too hyper and sheds too much but he has a very nice dog house which he uses - in the winter. We just put clean hay in it yesterday and he immediately got in and raked it around to suit him. He keeps the deer, coyotes and other critters away so I'm glad he's willing to stay outside at night.

-- bwilliams (bjconthefarm@yahoo.com), November 09, 2000.

we too have 3 dogs well 2 full grown and a pup,{great pyrenees}the male would love to be out all the time and i would too but because of a neighbor problem they are in at night. the female prefers the sofa and the male the mudroom. Our dogs wont walk steps! so none go upstairs.

-- renee oneill{md.} (oneillsr@home.com), November 09, 2000.

Boy am I ever glad I read this post! My mom thinks I'm nuts because I have 3 dogs in the house. We have 4 dogs total, but "Al", our outside dog wouldn't come in the house even if I bribed him with a steak. He adopted us about 8 years ago and is the sweetest dog we've ever had. Although when he's on patrol of the property, he acts like a tuff guy. The other 3 are an 11 year old Golden Retriever and 2 lab and retriever mixed pups. The golden retriever follows me everywhere and sleeps by my side of the bed and the pups are always near by. When my husband has to go in to work early, the female pup will get on the bed to sleep. They're hysterical. We get more fun out of just watching them. Just like a couple of kids.

-- Annie (mistletoe@earthlink.net), November 09, 2000.

Our two dogs sleep in a lovely insulated "shed" with windows and vents for summer. It also has a heater for 35 below nights. They have a LARGE pen, are allowed to cruise occasionally and invited in for visits. The two cats have the same set up. We have one cat over 20 and has never been in...was originally wild. Another that is 16 and became an outside cat after she forgot where the cat box was! A young cat does the in and out routine, usually in at night to prevent big fights with strays. We love them all but really think the house smells better with them outside.

-- DW (djwallace@ctos.com), November 09, 2000.

Our five dogs are outside all the time, all have individual dog houses and cable overhead dog runs. The German Shepard is allowed to be loose at all times, he stays in his territory, and keeps the undesirables (both four footed and two footed) away from the house and barns. The Akita is also loose, but he is too old, and deaf, to be much of a deterent. Annie in SE OH.

-- Annie Miller (annie@1st.net), November 09, 2000.

I have five dogs a. lab and chow mix b & c are litter mates and both are lab,pitbull chow mixes d. coon hound and e. boxer/malamute mix. I feel very privelged that they allow me to spend time in the house with them and if I behave real good I am even allowed to sleep on the bed. They have a 16 x 32 ft run with a camper shell and an old couch inside which IMHO makes me feel better when I am gone and they have to stay outside. I also have 6 indoor cats so try not to leave them all in the house together. gail

-- gail missouri ozarks (gef123@hotmail.com), November 10, 2000.

Funny about outside dogs, they or they ain't! Once had the opportunity to vist a 'estate' in Pound Ridge, NY. Most beautiful house I'd ever seen in my life, with the mangeist dog, friendly! Met the owner of the estate, he said he found the pup, and it never would take to indoors, so here you had a 4 million estate, with a home depot dog house on the front porch. Figures.

-- Kathy (catfish@bestweb.net), November 10, 2000.

Well... I breed and show American Staffordshires. I have 12, plus 3 puppies that are for sale. I also have a GSD and a Great Dane, plus 6 rescues (of various breeds) looking for homes right now. Having intact breeding males I have to keep them separated. I haves dogs designated to floors, the rescues (well most of them) are in the barn. I also have dog houses and cable tie outs. I usually have 4 dogs in bed with me at night, keeps me nice and toasty in the winter. BTW if you don't know what an AmStaff is, visit my web site http://sites.netscape.net/yankeeterrier There is a link there to see my rescue web page as well. DOGS RULE!

-- Dianne (yankeeterrier@hotmsil.com), November 11, 2000.

I too have only one dog and the wife will not let him in the house. So built him a little hut out of straw bales in our very large barn (32by104 foot) and then pluged in an old hog warmer(fiberglass with heating eliments). He has survived quite well even when we had -52 four out five mornings,by the way thats with out wind chill.

-- Del (dgrinolds@gvtel.com), November 11, 2000.

I have known farms with about 20 working dogs, border collies, kelpies etc. About ten workers, five under training and five or so retired. The retired dogs always insisted on going out on the work trucks each day even if they had to be lifted up. One or two especially favoured geriatric border collie bitches would get promoted to live their final days in the house but everyone else lived in solitary kennels. Temperate climate with a few weeks of milds frosts per year.

-- John Hill (john@cnd.co.nz), November 13, 2000.

I know it's sad to get rid of a pet, but that was probally the best thing to do. Once dogs develope habits like breaking out and roaming, It's about impossible to stop and they also teach bad habit to your other dogs.

I have three dogs, German shepard, chihauhau, and a peek-a-poo/poodle mix(peek-a-poodle). the two little ones stay in the house at night and the shepard is an outdoor dog. She (the shepard) wouldn't sleep in a doghouse for nothing. At my last place I built her a nice d- house with a flat roof. Well she slept on the roof like snoopy but would never go in the doghouse unless she was in trouble for something. Shepards like to dig holes and she has a "den" that is over six foot deep and usually sleeps there. I throw hay in the hole occassionly and she seems happy. I several outbuildings and I leave the door to smallest unlatched. When it's rainy she will nose the door open and sit in the shed.

-- Mark M (Magicmark@aol.com), November 14, 2000.

Angel, our 3 year old sheltie, loves it out side with the ducks & geese, & chickens---in the fenced yard--but when we leave she comes in on the sun porch--she comes in the rest of the house --but always wants back out soon--she just likes outside or her porch better. When we got her as a baby we got her a crate & she still goes in it at night to sleep/ we never close the door--she just goes in it when ever she sleeps at night or for a nap! There ia a stove on the sun porch so it is warm--when the sun comes up she scrathes on the sun porch door to ask me to let her outside to do her patrol work & check on her livestock! She has a bark to let us know if it is someone we know that is at our home & another bark that means they are a stranger. She has another bark that means heads up there is trouble!!!! I can tell by her bark what is going on!! Sonda in Ks.

-- Sonda (sgbruce@birch.net), November 14, 2000.

We have 3 dogs all are presently "outside" dogs. (Aries) our miniture Pincher thinks hes a Full size dog and trys to bully our Female Boxer/Lab (Sheba) Then theres our Miniture Welsh Corky, you would think he's a Great Dane by the noise he makes. Many unsuspecting visitors have thought him cuddly until the smile comes off and the teeth bare. (Apollo) {should have named him houndini} has escaped our 300' dog run over 100 times. He can break 1/4" cable. He can undo any collar made. his or the other dogs. Lucky for us he LIKES cats. Our neighbor said quote" If I have Pittens, I know whos to blame" unquote.

During the winter they sometime come in at night. They really like the old shed best. Seems a lot of us love our dogs.

-- Kenneth in N.C. (wizardsplace13@hotmail.com), November 15, 2000.