Poll for dog owners!/ Update post #137

[Jynohn]

We raise Great Danes, and our dogs are usually outside during the day (weather permitting) and inside with us at night. They are allowed in all rooms of the house, but not on the furniture, as they tend to take it over! Though I know that there are certain breeds that actually prefer living primarily outdoors, most dogs would rather to be part of their human pack. I would never sell a puppy to a family who told me they planned to keep it as an outdoor only dog.

 

[claudia]

my dog has free reign....but does not go on the furniture....

 

[luvwinnie]

Hooch is a bulldog...they do CANNOT be kept outdoors. He has free reign of the house, but prefers the leather recliner and sleeps with us at night...usually ON TOP of me.

 

[N.Bailey]

I have not read a single response yet (will as soon as I post this), but I have never understood why someone would have a dog that they keep tied to an outside box. I think it's downright cruel! I guess a hunter wouldn't want a hunting dog inside, but I couldn't even do that.

My in-laws have always had outside dogs and I just don't understand why.

I've never been one to believe in the theory of, "if you can't afford a vet, you can't afford a pet," because I know of an awful lot of happy animals that wouldn't have a loving home if that was the standard. Outdoor pets though, I just don't understand that.

EDIT: Having read the first few posts, our dog is not allowed on the furniture, either. A huge lab wouldn't leave much room for anyone else. LOL The cats however are allowed on the furniture, though they rarely get it on it.

 

[N.Bailey]

Having made my way thru this thread, I want to be clear in my above post. I was not referring to dogs who prefer to be outside. Nor was I talking about outside dogs that run loose and get to hang out with the family all day. I was specifically talking about dog owners who tie a dog to a box 24/7 and visit pretty much at feeding time, or when it's time to clean the area. This is what my in-laws and other dog owners that I know do all the time. Why have a pet at all if this is the condition you want the animal to live under? I'll never understand it.

 

[luvsJack]

I didn't answer the poll, because it would depend on the dog.

We have two outside dogs: a collie mix and a german shepherd

and one inside dog: mixed breed but small.

The two that live outside will probably be brought in tonight (snow expected) but will be miserable until we let them back out tomorrow. They hate being inside.

The little guy inside has free reign of the house. He used to stay in a crate during the day and I wish I hadn't stopped that, too much for him to get nosy about around the house.

Dd plays with the two outside dogs everyday. One loves to play fetch and will spend hours with dd doing just that. The other one likes to play catch with her. They just don't like coming inside. Part of it is the wood floors and the fact that they have a hard time walking on them, so when they do come in they just lay on a throw rug by the door and whine to go out.

 

[robinb]

Your point is well taken.

I just thought it odd that several previous posters had said "free reign" with exceptions but no one pointed out their error.

Guess I just got lucky today!

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

Allowed in the house, in any room, but definitely NOT on the furniture. There wasn't an option for that.

 

[bettymae1121]

After the puppy stage, I have no problems with dogs haveing free access to the whole house, including furnature.

I can understand people keeping pets off the furnature and/or out of certain rooms (I've never felt it was worth the trouble to bother with it, myself, but I can see how others might) but I don't get keeping dogs outside. What's the point in having a dog if they can't be inside with you? Just my opinion though. As long as all pets are happy, healthy, and well cared for, to each their own.

 

[surfergirl602]

We have three labs. They all sleep in their kennels at night. They are allowed in the house, but not in the bedrooms or the toy room, and never on the furniture. They all have their own bed.

 

[surfergirl602]

I have not read a single response yet (will as soon as I post this), but I have never understood why someone would have a dog that they keep tied to an outside box. I think it's downright cruel! I guess a hunter wouldn't want a hunting dog inside, but I couldn't even do that.

My in-laws have always had outside dogs and I just don't understand why.

I've never been one to believe in the theory of, "if you can't afford a vet, you can't afford a pet," because I know of an awful lot of happy animals that wouldn't have a loving home if that was the standard. Outdoor pets though, I just don't understand that.

EDIT: Having read the first few posts, our dog is not allowed on the furniture, either. A huge lab wouldn't leave much room for anyone else. LOL The cats however are allowed on the furniture, though they rarely get it on it.

One of our three labs is a hunting dog, and he stays in the house. I don't see what being a hunting dog has to do with being outside all the time. I would never keep one dog outside just because its a hunting dog. He's a family dog, as well as a working dog. My my DH puts in his vest, he knows its time to work (or play, depending on how you look at it. He loves being a bird dog)

 

[DizBelle]

I don't know about dogs but our cats let DH and I have free reign of their house.

 

[2girlsmom]

We live in the country, and our dog is outside when we are not home, and has free reign of the house when we are home, but honestly, he likes to be outside, prefers it much of the time even when we are home. He's an Eskimo and I think gets hot in the house sometimes. He does have a doghouse and his fenced yard is approx 1/4 to 1/3 acre, so lots of room. He doesn't bark unless someone (or say a deer) comes on our property, and in those situations, I WANT him to bark. We also have barn cats, which are NEVER allowed in the house, but we do feed them cat food and handle them/pet them, etc so they are definitely NOT feral cats, in fact are VERY friendly to humans and will tap the glass of our walkout basement door when they want some extra attention, lol.

 

[PaulaSB12]

My dog is allowed to be as free in the house as the cats let her. So no going on the dog bed or the furniture.

 

[JoiseyMom]

YOu need another option!! My dog used to have full reign..but since he is getting older... and wanting to pee on my carpet...his access is limited. We also have a puppy..and until she stops chewing everything she can find (she is 15 months old) her access is limited too. The cats on the otherhand can go where ever they want.

Oh..I also limit where the kids can go (j/k).

 

[labdogs42]

Have we heard back from the OP? Did we answer the poll "right"? My dogs are allowed on the furniture but we restrict their access to the first floor when we aren't home, so they don't sleep on our beds all day!

 

[tink_n_pooh]

We have a 110 pound Boxer and he has free roam of the house, I wouldn't have it any other way When we lived with my in-laws he was only allowed in the kitchen (which eventually became the kitchen and rec room) but at our house he is allowed in every room. We don't let him on the furniture though, there is enough slobber to clean up as it is

 

[kimmar067]

Our dog has full run of the house but she isn't allowed on furniture. She has a cozy dog bed and she sleeps on that.

I think that dogs in houses are happier dogs than dogs who are kept outside all of the time. Dogs are pack animals and being with their (human family) pack makes them happy.....

...ITA -we have a Sammie and she will not go to bed until my DH and I are headed upstairs for the night....she sleeps in between us [more at the foot of the bed] but winds up on the floor by the morning...

 

[JessicaR]

We have two very large Mastiffs the breed suffers from 'hot spots' my king sized therapeutic bed prevents that. They are so thankful...

 

[froggygrrrl]

My dogs are allowed everywhere in the house, including furniture and beds. One is sprawled out and smooshed against me on the couch at this very moment.

In fact, when we bought a new bed that was substantially higher than the old one, my oldest dog (who just passed away two weeks ago ) could not make the jump anymore so we bought a set of doggie stairs so she could still get on the bed and in the car.

Oh, and the reason we bought a new bed was because the old one was too small once we had a third dog that liked to sleep on the bed.