I was interested to know if a working Pup (dog) should be a House Dog or an Outside Dog?

This issue has been brought up quite abit. Its really a matter of person preference. I myself had the same question when I got my puppy. He stayed inside until he was about 6 months old. Now he is outside most of the time. He sleeps outside but I bring him in a little bit during the day... this also helps refresh his "house manners." Really it depends on what you want and your individual dog and how much your home etc.

I will be getting my new puppy soon and I really want to do it right. I have had some very strong oppinions from different people that not having your dog inside with you all the time is really cruel. I myself disagreed with that.
And I just did not meet almost nobody that would keep their dogs outside until I found this website and Ed described on one of his articles what kind of doghouses would be good if you keep your dog outside. I was planning to do exactly what you did, keeping him inside for a few months than have him inside and outside.
Thanks for sharing that info.

My Police Dog is an INSIDE dog. His work does NOT suffer from this. It doesn't matter Baton, don't let anyone tell you different. Your new pup will be just fine either way. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I think that if you really are committed and know what you are doing. And truly spend a few hours every day with your dog doing quality stuff, a kennel situation is fine.

BUT the fact is, most times when dogs become outdoor dogs, the amount of time the humans spend with them sometimes becomes extremely short. As in lucky to get some clean water and food twice a day. It may be too hot to go out, or too cold, or too rainy, or I'm awful busy. And with the dog way out in the yard I think the 'guilt' factor would be less for me. Hey, toss the dog in the car with me when I go out cause he's right in the room with me? Or NOT because I'm late and in a hurry and he's way back in the yard?

Outdoor dogs TEND to not be groomed as much (can't let him in the house then cause the hair gets everywhere) toenails not trimmed as much (don't let him in, he scratches the floor) and not have as nice house manners as they could (WATCH OUT, he will jump up on you and may get up on the counters for food!).

FOR ME, I want my dogs to be members of my household. And unless I'd keep my husband/kids in the yard and consider that to be exactly the same as in, I won't do it to my dogs. I can take my dogs on vacation, to family reunions, on holidays, in hotels. I do not have to kennel them when I have to leave for a week, and (in fact) have list of friends who will dogs sit (and I have 3 dogs). I can trust them with other dogs, and new people. They are a PART of my life, not a part of my yard.

But that's my choice, and I know some (frankly no one I know, but I've heard rumors) people can have dogs kenneled outside and still be great dogs. And if mostly seems to be people that are SO into dogs that, frankly, they end up with too many to all be in the house all the time. And these are owners who literally spend all their free time with the dogs and not with other things 'real' people do with their lives.

Jenn, I'm one of those people. My GSD has been in an outside kennel since he was 7-8 months old. Brushed dayly, weekly nail trim, exercised and trained every day. I still spend more time with him than I do the rest of my family. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I think the important thing to look at is not weather the dog lives inside or outside in relation to his working ability, but is the inside or outside dog being treated as a working dog or a pet? Can the owner of a working puppy or dog make that differentiation?

When the boundary between working dog and pet is crossed, you then begin to see undesirable behaviors like decrease in drive.

For instance…. My work dog lives and breaths to work for toys….. drug toys, tracking toys…you name it. If I were to leave toys in his kennel for him to play with all day long, what motivation is there to work? I’ve crossed the line into “Pet” and begin to diminish the meaning of the toy and the desired amount of drive I want to see for him to get that toy.

By the way, my work dog lives in a crate in the living room. I will have to admit however that on our two days off each week he does get a little “pampering” which comes close to pet life…….but only a bit…..just like a little vacation! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I think every dog is different. IMO, my dog works for me, not his toy. Though I use his toy for a reward. I have tons of toys in the house...his drive is no less when I present him a toy during work. He knows his toys are different from play in the house to work.

With 42 working dogs currently on the street, I see it as an individual dog/handler issue. Some dogs, as been said in one of the posts, just can't seem to seperate their existence as a working dog from that of a pet. They, in my experience, are certainly in the minority, but it does happen. Most of our dogs have adapted quite well to living in the house as a family dog, and functioning to the standards of a working dog.

DFrost

Thank you all for sharing this info. From what I gather it is a matter of personal preference. Either way works.

Based on some of your replies here I would like to ask for more specifics on where do you draw the line on treating your dog as a pet or as work dog, excluding the point where the minority of dogs can be both?