We believe that dogs of all sizes are happier, healthier and safer when they can be indoors with their people the majority of the time.
Dogs are social creatures and benefit from having regular human contact.
Dogs need time with you to learn the house rules. Once they know the rules you will be much happier having them inside with you.
Dogs need guidance from you to learn how to act around strangers. You need to give them lots of positive experience with strangers to prevent the development of aggression to people they don’t know.
Dogs that get lots of attention from you are less likely to develop behavior problems like boredom. A bored dog will chew, dig, escape or bark in order to entertain itself.
Dogs need exercise every day. The truth is that most dogs don’t exercise when they’re in a yard by themselves. They may chew and dig and sleep, but they need active exercise like walking or running.
Dogs that are unsupervised and escape from the yard may get lost.
No Alternative
If you must leave your dog outdoors, unsupervised for extended periods of time, please provide him with the following:
A shelter for shade and protection from the wind.
Fresh food and water every day. In summer, you’ll need a tip-proof bowl so your dog won’t tip the bowl over in an effort to get cool.
Daily play time.
A daily walk.
An escape-proof fence with a locked gate.
Toys that are stuffed with food so they are more interesting.
Most dogs do enjoy spending time outdoors, but the time dogs spend alone outdoors must be balanced with quality time with "their people." With a little time and training, dogs can learn to be well-behaved around people and can come to respect the house rules. They can then be left inside alone without cause for worry and be trusted companions and members of the family.
