Outside dog

[hollysh]

I am a dog walker and sitter. I have started walking a dog this week. He's gorgeous. Very well behaved, very loving. Rather large.

His owner says that he is an 'outside dog'. He spends the whole day outside. He has his food and water outside. He has a little hut. That I assume he rests in. I am really not used to this set up at all. The owner is extremely flexible with times etc. He has asked me to collect him, take him for a walk for 2 hours during the day, whenever I want and then drop him back inside the gate. It's obviously easy for me because I can fit it around walking and sitting my other dogs, have a different timetable each day but I've found myself thinking about the dog a great deal today, ever since I dropped him off.

Am I being too sensitive? Does anyone else leave their dogs outside during the day, while they are in work? I like to get to know all the dogs I walk/sit for. Today during our walk, I took him to a café on the beach. I had a tea, he had a lay down and some treats. And I petted him etc. And he was really happy. Maybe it's because I have a dog at home and me and my mum are always around for him, I have a different perspective on things.

 

[excuseme]

It sounds as if he is a very happy chap with his lifestyle.

He could be one of those poor dogs that gets shut at home indoors all day or even caged for the day !! while owners are out.

His owners have catered for his needs while they are at work, he's outside with sunlight and fresh air, he has his own house / den for when it gets cold or a rainy day, food and water, then better still someone who comes and takes him out for 2 hour walks!!!!

His owners obviously care about him, what a shame there aren't a few more people that have this sort of arrangement.

 

[gypsysmum2]

I agree. Dogs do cope very well with living outside, providing they are used to it. The most important thing is that he has shelter and water and I see that is the case.

Enjoy your walks with him.

 

[hollysh]

ok thank you

 

[spanielmad]

I agree with gypsysmum and excuse me. As long as the dog has a place to rest that's dry and comfortable and has access to water, he probably doesn't know any different, or what it would be like to live in a house. If there was no shelter and dog mess everywhere I'd be concerned. The owner obviously thinks a lot of him to have you take him out for a walk for two hours also - can completely understand you asking advice here though, that's the right thing to do as this isn't the lifestyle the majority of dogs have, so can seem unusual

 

[dogmatize]

I just want to say that I personally don't like dogs being kept outside. I wonder what the point is in having a dog if 1. You're out at work all day and 2. When you are at home it's outside - what's the point?

 

[Peegee]

Exactly what I was thinking dogmatize. I can see that the dog may be fine if that's all he's used to and all his basic needs are being met - but what is the point?

 

[arealhuman]

Seems like a reasonable arrangement to me as the dog seems content from your description. The OP doesn't say the dog is outside in the evenings, although it's a reasonable assumption to make, and I assume the owner would be around at weekends. I guess if this person is a dog lover and this is the only way they can have a dog and care for it properly, then all well and good

 

[AdamYates]

Just throwing this out there... is outside not natural habitat for a dog?...

 

[JoanneF]

Just throwing this out there... is outside not natural habitat for a dog?...

Perhaps once but we have bred many to have such thin coats that it's no longer natural for most.

 

[excuseme]

Yes outside is a natural habitat for a wild dog, but some will argue that this dog is not wild!

I think it sounds like a fantastic set up.

As previously mentioned this dog is lucky that it is not shut up indoors by itself all day or worst even still it could be caged in a crate all day!

His house/den, water and food are all supplied he does not have to provide any of these for himself as a wild pack dog would have to, and someone to give him a 2hr walk daily.

Sounds OK to me!

 

[DogKnows]

Bigger dogs seem to cope with the cold better than small dogs. Not sure what difference a wild dog or a bred dog makes, they will both physically be the same? If the dog had always been inside and got use to it though, then chucked outside for the rest of its life, that might be different.

 

[hollysh]

Thanks for all your comments. The more I'm walking him he does seem very healthy and happy. Though he decided to swim out to sea today and took me a while to get him back. Golden retievers and Labradors are such different breeds to what I'm used to so refreshing to look after a dog that likes water.