When To Bring Your Outside Dog In
Many people have a problem with dog owners allowing their dogs to stay outside all of the time. I was talking to the fine people at Synergy Vets the other day, and they tell me that this does not mean however that it is inhumane to leave dogs outside as long as they are being properly cared for. If there is plenty of room to run, a doghouse that it can seek shelter in, and plenty of food and water, there is nothing wrong with keeping a dog outside. The dog often times acts as a deterrent from strange people walking through the yard. This is an especially good thing if you have young children playing outside.
The thing is though; it becomes abuse, even if not intended, when the dog is left outside in extreme temperatures. If it reaches below freezing then it is time to bring the dog inside until the temperatures warm back up. For those who are unable to leave their dog inside all day while they are at work or school, it is generally fine in most areas to allow the dog outside during the day as long as it is brought in when the temperatures drop lower at night.
The same thing goes with extreme heat. If you are barely able to stand outside for more then a couple of minutes without feeling as though you are going to fall over or pass out, then it is time to bring the dog in. Whenever there are weather advisors about harsh temperature or storms, it is time to bring the dogs inside. Even if you have to allow them the basement for shelter, it is much better then having them outside getting sick, without being able to help themselves. As soon as you took ownership of the dog, you agreed to take care of it at all times, including harsh weather conditions.
Comments are closed!