Pets Polls (1 Viewer)

[Doctor Detroit]

Just because dogs can live outside (and did before they were domesticated) does not mean it is best for their quality of life. Humans used to live outdoors too. Then we built houses.

Yeah, no. Large dogs have only recently come into the homes of their owners. Even a generation ago people mostly kept large breed dogs and hunting dogs outside, and there is nothing at all wrong with it if they are properly cared for. Let's not make it seem like Fred Flintstone was the last guy to keep his dog outside.

it certainly makes sense for some specific types of dogs and I'm sure there are ways to care for it humanely and keep it outside most/all of the time. But still feels weird to both (a) want to add a dog to the family and (b) never let it inside. especially for breeds like a lab and golden, which I think he was interested in.

Yeah those breeds don't seem to be dogs you'd keep outside. I'm thinking Bloodhounds, Blue healers, German Shepherds, Dobbies, Malamutes, Rotties, etc. Ever see a Bloodhound in a living room who hears something interesting outside? Dogs are not pets first in many cases, they are workers. They were evolved to do work for humans and a lot of that work involves outdoor work. That's not to say leave them on a four foot chain for weeks at a time, those people should be beat about the head and breast with a hard-soled shoe.

 

[pats3in4]

Go buy Dogs for Dummies, take a leap of faith that the folks that wrote that book know what they are talking about and not nitpick everything they say, then see how you feel.

 

[tonydead]

Are you guys nuts? Retrievers need to spend much more time outside than in. When I'm home I spend nearly all my time out back an very little inside in front of the TV. So the argument that dogs are neglected when outside says more about the owner than the dog.

Obviously there is a big difference between working dogs and pocket poodles.

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

Are you guys nuts? Retrievers need to spend much more time outside than in.

link?

 

[Jayrod]

Good grief. The only supporter I have in here is a guy I have on ignore.

 

[McGarnicle]

Good grief. The only supporter I have in here is a guy I have on ignore.

You have someone on ignore? My irony meter just exploded.

 

[Jayrod]

Wow.

Comparing me to Michael Vick. Saying you feel sorry for any dog I own.

You people really do think dogs are more valuable than people, huh?

If a dog is happiest inside with the family, bonding with people as they are genetically programmed to do, and you are relegating your dogs to the backyard where they will only sporadically receive human attention, how is it a stretch to say I feel sorry for your dogs? It's a crappy life.Also stop with the dogs are more valuable than people crap. No one is saying that. You continue to come across unbelievably stubborn and ignorant. Rarely has someone been so wrong and continued to dig a deeper and deeper hole. It's becoming a really sad and embarrassing spectacle. Best thing you could do is stop posting in both threads and let them drop.

I am stubborn, already admitted it, but so are you guys. Andyou've made some of the most idiotic posts in these two threads.

Maybe if you bothered to read the last few posts you'd see that I admitted my mistakes and have changed my mind. Congrats, despite being treated like complete crap by the majority of you, I have manned up and admitted I was wrong.

Had the conversation with the wife. We are getting one dog and will work out some indoor family arrangements for it.

You guys are still complete pricks and I'll never bother to ask this forum for advice again. And people have ABSOLUTELY been saying they value dogs more than people in this forum over and over and over again. Maybe not you, and maybe some are joking, but there have been way too many comments for there not to be some truth to it.

 

[McGarnicle]

Ugh. Please reconsider getting a dog. It's not for everyone.

 

[Jayrod]

Good grief. The only supporter I have in here is a guy I have on ignore.

You have someone on ignore? My irony meter just exploded.

Did your dad not love you or something? My goodness you are a jerk.

 

[Jayrod]

Ugh. Please reconsider getting a dog. It's not for everyone.

God I hope you don't get married or have kids, because its definitely not for everyone. You are a real unforgiving, unhelpful jerk.

 

[McGarnicle]

Good grief. The only supporter I have in here is a guy I have on ignore.

You have someone on ignore? My irony meter just exploded.

Did your dad not love you or something? My goodness you are a jerk.

Now my other irony meter exploded. You owe me 40 bucks.

 

[McGarnicle]

Ugh. Please reconsider getting a dog. It's not for everyone.

God I hope you don't get married or have kids, because its definitely not for everyone. You are a real unforgiving, unhelpful jerk.

I keep my wife out in the shed.

 

[Jayrod]

Ugh. Please reconsider getting a dog. It's not for everyone.

God I hope you don't get married or have kids, because its definitely not for everyone. You are a real unforgiving, unhelpful jerk.

I keep my wife out in the shed.

Ugh. Please reconsider getting a dog. It's not for everyone.

God I hope you don't get married or have kids, because its definitely not for everyone. You are a real unforgiving, unhelpful jerk.

I keep my wife out in the shed.

You and Ray Rice must be tight.

 

[Jayrod]

Good grief. The only supporter I have in here is a guy I have on ignore.

You have someone on ignore? My irony meter just exploded.

Did your dad not love you or something? My goodness you are a jerk.

Now my other irony meter exploded. You owe me 40 bucks.

How am I a jerk? I've been defending myself against 20 angry people all day. You just came in here late tonight to pile on. Kudos to you superman.

 

[McGarnicle]

Ugh. Please reconsider getting a dog. It's not for everyone.

God I hope you don't get married or have kids, because its definitely not for everyone. You are a real unforgiving, unhelpful jerk.

I keep my wife out in the shed.

Ugh. Please reconsider getting a dog. It's not for everyone.

God I hope you don't get married or have kids, because its definitely not for everyone. You are a real unforgiving, unhelpful jerk.

I keep my wife out in the shed.

You and Ray Rice must be tight.

GOOD ONE!!!

 

[McGarnicle]

Good grief. The only supporter I have in here is a guy I have on ignore.

You have someone on ignore? My irony meter just exploded.

Did your dad not love you or something? My goodness you are a jerk.

Now my other irony meter exploded. You owe me 40 bucks.

How am I a jerk? I've been defending myself against 20 angry people all day. You just came in here late tonight to pile on. Kudos to you superman.

No, I was piling on earlier too.

 

[Jayrod]

Good grief. The only supporter I have in here is a guy I have on ignore.

You have someone on ignore? My irony meter just exploded.

Did your dad not love you or something? My goodness you are a jerk.

Now my other irony meter exploded. You owe me 40 bucks.

How am I a jerk? I've been defending myself against 20 angry people all day. You just came in here late tonight to pile on. Kudos to you superman.

No, I was piling on earlier too.

OK, carry on then.

 

[Freelove]

Ugh. Please reconsider getting a dog. It's not for everyone.

God I hope you don't get married or have kids, because its definitely not for everyone. You are a real unforgiving, unhelpful jerk.

Hopefully there's a sale on irony meters.

After exhibiting the capacity for empathy of a tree stump all day, I imagine you've got a lot of people in here who pity your family. That you call yourself Christian is profane.

 

[McGarnicle]

Ugh. Please reconsider getting a dog. It's not for everyone.

God I hope you don't get married or have kids, because its definitely not for everyone. You are a real unforgiving, unhelpful jerk.

Hopefully there's a sale on irony meters.After exhibiting the capacity for empathy of a tree stump all day, I imagine you've got a lot of people in here who pity your family. That you call yourself Christian is profane.

Maybe he's one of those Christians who just go to church for the free doughnuts.

 

[Jayrod]

Ugh. Please reconsider getting a dog. It's not for everyone.

God I hope you don't get married or have kids, because its definitely not for everyone. You are a real unforgiving, unhelpful jerk.

Hopefully there's a sale on irony meters.

After exhibiting the capacity for empathy of a tree stump all day, I imagine you've got a lot of people in here who pity your family. That you call yourself Christian is profane.

Empathy? Pity my family?

I'm sensing this is a McGarmicle alias.

 

[Jayrod]

Ugh. Please reconsider getting a dog. It's not for everyone.

God I hope you don't get married or have kids, because its definitely not for everyone. You are a real unforgiving, unhelpful jerk.

Hopefully there's a sale on irony meters.After exhibiting the capacity for empathy of a tree stump all day, I imagine you've got a lot of people in here who pity your family. That you call yourself Christian is profane.

Maybe he's one of those Christians who just go to church for the free doughnuts.

Favoriting and replying to yourself is just sad.

 

[McGarnicle]

Ugh. Please reconsider getting a dog. It's not for everyone.

God I hope you don't get married or have kids, because its definitely not for everyone. You are a real unforgiving, unhelpful jerk.

Hopefully there's a sale on irony meters.After exhibiting the capacity for empathy of a tree stump all day, I imagine you've got a lot of people in here who pity your family. That you call yourself Christian is profane.

Maybe he's one of those Christians who just go to church for the free doughnuts.

Favoriting and replying to yourself is just sad.

You're veering into truly pathetic territory now. I kind of hope that you're drunk or something.

 

[Bucky86]

Ugh. Please reconsider getting a dog. It's not for everyone.

God I hope you don't get married or have kids, because its definitely not for everyone. You are a real unforgiving, unhelpful jerk.

Hopefully there's a sale on irony meters.After exhibiting the capacity for empathy of a tree stump all day, I imagine you've got a lot of people in here who pity your family. That you call yourself Christian is profane.

Maybe he's one of those Christians who just go to church for the free doughnuts.

Favoriting and replying to yourself is just sad.

You're veering into truly pathetic territory now. I kind of hope that you're drunk or something.

Wasn't it pills last time?

 

[tonydead]

Are you guys nuts? Retrievers need to spend much more time outside than in.

link?

Really? Google Marley and Me.

The reason retrievers make great family dogs is because they are bred smart. They are bred to learn quick and are loyal. So yes they will learn to sit and stay and rollover and obey. And they will love if that's what you teach them to do. But make no mistake about it they do this because they have been bread for thousands of years to work. They will wake up and hunt all day nonstop, come home, eat and pass out asleep just waiting for the chance to wake up and do it all over again. And they love it, we've bred that into them.

If you are buying for a family dog youll have a difficult time if you forget the work part. They need to work. They need long walks, chasing the tennis ball, or something everyday. If not you run the risk of having the dog develop psychological issues. Chewing, biteing hair off their arms, digging holes etc. Swimming works best because they expell the most energy in the shortest time and they love the water. I would not recommend retrievers to someone who doest have that kind of time at thinks its OK for them to be just house dogs.

And yes its perfectly fine for them to be outside dogs as long as you are putting in the time. Labs were bread as cold water fishing net retrievers initially, the cold doesn't bother them. I have a job so I can t be with my dogs all the time and they are 100 percent better off in my yard chasing rabbits than they would be locked up inside. Fwiw mine are also allowed in the house, one of them sleeps in our bed.

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

All of that sounds reasonable but where do you get the idea they "need" to spend "much more" time outside than inside? Seems crazy extreme to me.

I'm pretty sure a couple hours/day outside with exercise would be sufficient. If they get more, great but I don't think anyone would say they NEED to be outside for 10+ hours/day.

Edit: pretty sure dogs can play and get mental stimulation indoors as well.

I also didn't realize Marley and Me described all retrievers. When is mine going to destroy my house and do all the things Marley did?

 

[tonydead]

All of that sounds reasonable but where do you get the idea tthey "need" to spend "much more" time outside than inside? Seems crazy extreme to me.

I'm pretty sure a couple hours/day outside with exercise would be sufficient.

I can tell you've never owned a lab pup before. I suppose you can keep it "entertained" inside, but, surely you understand what thousands of years of breeding as outside working dogs has set them up to expect? I personnaly don't believe a couple hours a day is nearly enough. And what's worse is people going into it with that expectation end up spending far less.

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

I have a 4 year old lab I've had since he was a puppy and my family had a lab before that. Been around them most of my life actually.

He sleeps maybe 10 hours/day or so. That leaves a good 14 hours leftover. By your logic, he needs to be outside for 8 or 9 of those hours or he'll destroy the house? Even when it's literally zero degrees out in the winter?

Also, it's not like just being outside magically allows him to hunt, run, and play. Most of those 10 hours you say he needs to be outside for would probably be spent resting in the shade.

You're sounding a bit nutty here.

 

[gianmarco]

All of that sounds reasonable but where do you get the idea tthey "need" to spend "much more" time outside than inside? Seems crazy extreme to me.

I'm pretty sure a couple hours/day outside with exercise would be sufficient.

I can tell you've never owned a lab pup before. I suppose you can keep it "entertained" inside, but, surely you understand what thousands of years of breeding as outside working dogs has set them up to expect? I personnaly don't believe a couple hours a day is nearly enough. And what's worse is people going into it with that expectation end up spending far less.

Well, if you personally don't believe something, it must be true. And your qualifications are?

 

[tonydead]

I have a 4 year old lab I've had since he was a puppy.

He sleeps maybe 10 hours/day or so. That leaves a good 14 hours leftover. By your logic, he needs to be outside for 8 or 9 of those hours or he'll destroy the house? Even when it's literally zero degrees out in the winter?

Also, it's not like just being outside magically allows him to hunt, run, and play. Most of those 10 hours you say he needs to be outside for would probably be spent resting in the shade.

You're sounding a bit nutty here.

Akc pup from a breeder?

I've had people bring me their dogs with hair chewed completely off both arms because they think they can leave the dog in the house while they are at work, take it for a walk for 20 minutes and then expect it to sleep all night. But hey its just my advise, take it or leave it. If you got that lucky dog good for you. Not something I'd recommend.

 

[comfortably numb]

I have a 4 year old lab I've had since he was a puppy.

He sleeps maybe 10 hours/day or so. That leaves a good 14 hours leftover. By your logic, he needs to be outside for 8 or 9 of those hours or he'll destroy the house? Even when it's literally zero degrees out in the winter?

Also, it's not like just being outside magically allows him to hunt, run, and play. Most of those 10 hours you say he needs to be outside for would probably be spent resting in the shade.

You're sounding a bit nutty here.

Akc pup from a breeder?

I've had people bring me their dogs with hair chewed completely off both arms because they think they can leave the dog in the house while they are at work, take it for a walk for 20 minutes and then expect it to sleep all night. But hey its just my advise, take it or leave it. If you got that lucky dog good for you. Not something I'd recommend.

lol, cause that's exactly what he (or anyone) has said?

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

Read what you said again

"Dogs need to spend much more time outside than inside." If that's truly what you believe, and you think it applies to all retrievers, I think you are nuts.

What if someone works at home?

What if someone drops their dog off at an indoor daycare during the day?

Being "outside" isn't the magical cure-all you're making it out to be here, and being "inside" doesn't mean they will be stuck in a room by themselves all day.

 

[Buddy Ball 2K3]

Read what you said again

"Dogs need to spend much more time outside than inside." If that's truly what you believe, and you think it applies to all retrievers, I think you are nuts.

What if someone works at home?

What if someone drops their dog off at an indoor daycare during the day?

Being "outside" isn't the magical cure-all you're making it out to be here.

Dogs need to be mentally and physically stimulated plain and simple. Doesn't matter if its indoors or outdoors. Here are just a couple of things that we use with our dogs that help stimulate their minds while being inside and take little effort on the owners part.

Interactive feeding dish

Treat Dispenser

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

I've read horror stories of people who leave their dogs outside on a porch while they are gone at work all day, and the dog dies due to the extreme heat with no shade.

Pretty sure being inside with some AC would be better for them.

 

[Buddy Ball 2K3]

I've read horror stories of people who leave their dogs outside on a porch while they are gone at work all day, and the dog dies due to the extreme heat with no shade.

Pretty sure being inside with some AC would be better for them.

Charity we support, Dogs Deserve Better

 

[Doctor Detroit]

"Google Marley & Me"

 

[3C's]

Read what you said again

"Dogs need to spend much more time outside than inside." If that's truly what you believe, and you think it applies to all retrievers, I think you are nuts.

What if someone works at home?

What if someone drops their dog off at an indoor daycare during the day?

Being "outside" isn't the magical cure-all you're making it out to be here.

Dogs need to be mentally and physically stimulated plain and simple. Doesn't matter if its indoors or outdoors. Here are just a couple of things that we use with our dogs that help stimulate their minds while being inside and take little effort on the owners part.

Interactive feeding dish

Treat Dispenser

At our shelter we made some stimulation based treat/food dispensers. Basically a short pvc pipe capped off on both ends with some holes drilled in the pipe. Put a handful or 2 of some sort of treat or kibble that fits through the hole. Place on floor where it can roll. Dog has to work to get a treat. Pretty much like this. http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/28/7b/15/287b1552470b7c802add2f90e95cffc0.jpg

 

[Cliff Clavin]

And people have ABSOLUTELY been saying they value dogs more than people in this forum over and over and over again.

More than you? Absolutely. It isn't even close.

 

[3C's]

"Google Marley & Me"

Almost as ridiculous as this poll.

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

"Google Marley & Me"

Seriously.

 

[3C's]

I've read horror stories of people who leave their dogs outside on a porch while they are gone at work all day, and the dog dies due to the extreme heat with no shade.

Pretty sure being inside with some AC would be better for them.

Charity we support, Dogs Deserve Better

right across the river from me.

 

[ShaqAttaq]

Our Shelties have always slept with us. Current one goes to work with me every day.

 

[joffer]

I saw a movie once called Liar Liar, and the message was DON'T lie. that was a smart movie.

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

I watched Air Bud. Pretty sure all Golden retrievers can dunk a basketball.

 

[comfortably numb]

"Google Marley & Me"

Seriously.

JFC

I forgot it was a movie.

I thought it was some great informative documentary. Was looking forward to watching it over the weekend.

 

[Buddy Ball 2K3]

Our Shelties have always slept with us. Current one goes to work with me every day.

We have 4 dogs. The smallest one sleeps under the bed, the two largest literally sleep on top of some human body part and the 2nd smallest sleeps huddled against my wifes legs. I know, I know...

 

[Jayrok]

These are loaded questions.

Should a pet be treated as a member of the family like a child? Pets are members of the family whether you treat them like your children or not. You care for them and they are dependent on you to supply their needs. In that respect, they are similar to your children. Would you give them a kidney if needed, or leave them an inheritance? of course not (though some might at that). The answer to the question is not cut and dried. They are not your offspring, but they are also not simply objects for you to command and control.

Is it inhumane to keep a pet dog outside exclusively? It depends. What conditions does he live in.. what is the climate.. does he have shelter and access to water, etc? Does she receive love and attention or is she just left out there alone?

Is it inhumane to keep two dogs outside exclusively? see above.

 

[Godsbrother]

I don't get the point of having dogs and keeping them outside.

 

[joffer]

I don't get the point of having dogs and keeping them outside.

there are 0.6 acres and frolicking

 

[3C's]

Our Shelties have always slept with us. Current one goes to work with me every day.

We have 4 dogs. The smallest one sleeps under the bed, the two largest literally sleep on top of some human body part and the 2nd smallest sleeps huddled against my wifes legs. I know, I know...

I think we can match that. Four dogs as well. The small one is 15lbs, then 50lbs, 95lbs and 140lbs. All the dogs hang out with me in the man cave (wife goes to bed way earlier) mostly until I go to bed. The 50lb dog will go back to the bedroom and sleep under the bed. When I go to bed all but the 140lb will find a place to fit on the bed. There have been occasions where all 4 find a place. Gets a little crowded then.

 

[dgreen]

I don't get the point of having dogs and keeping them outside.

Really? Google Scooby Doo.