Pets inside/outside

[AOIIsilver]

1 indoor kitty. He is twelve years old.
REALLY SPOILED ROTTEN KITTY!!!!
Silver

[Munchkin03]

Originally posted by juniorgrrl
Not to mention both parents smoked, so the dog (and all the kids) inhaled smoke all the time!

Uggh. Smoke and dog hair? I bet they stayed sick a lot!

I'm asthmatic and allergic to most pet hair and dander. So, no hairy pets for me. Fish can stay indoors.

[Kevin]

Reading through the thread, I've noticed that some folks think that dogs are all able to survive outside because at one time they were wild animals that lived outside.

True for some breeds.

However, many domestic dogs do not share the same ability to survive outdoors that many of their ancestors had. Nor were they or their ancestors ever built to sustain some of the cold weather we have here in the US sometimes (especially in northern states).

Don't think you can buy a toy poodle and leave it outside all the time

[ISUKappa]

Since I was one of the people who mentioned dogs are animals that historically lived outside, I'll clarify.

In my head, when I was writing that post, I was mentally thinking of the types of dogs one would usually find outside--hearty, working dogs: German Shepherds, Bernese Mountain Dogs, Alaskan Malamutes; dogs that were trained to serve and bred to withstand colder climates. (Of course, since you can't see into my head (thank goodness) you can't possibly know that's what I was thinking).

Proper care includes knowing your breed's heartiness, so I would not hope that people who have toy poodles are leaving it outside when its -20 (and it has that "show cut" where the poor thing is practically bald save a bouffant, leg warmers and butt poufs). When it was -30 with wind chill last week, we only let our dog out for potty breaks because she has a short coat and got cold quickly (and my husband refuses to get her a cute little sweater. Meany.)

[jh124]

I like my pet's insides outside and my pet's outside inside. Keeps the house from smelling.

But my spoiled mutts live in the house and tiptoe out only when they "HAVE TO GO RIGHT NOW" and when they go to the dog park.

[TigerLilly]

My dog's definitely an inside dog. She's a toy breed, so like you mentioned, ktsnake, she wouldn't survive outside! She's our little baby and has full run of the house, and it's not uncommon to find her curled up on one of the beds with her head on the pillow when she's sleeping. It's precious.

As for pets smelling...I'm going to echo what others have said about how if you keep your pets clean, you won't smell them. I'm in a no-pet environment for months, away at school, and I can't smell any doggy odor when I come home. Generally bigger dogs smell more than smaller ones, but even those you can keep clean. I recently went to visit my friend who has an indoor golden retriever, and I couldn't smell any doggy smell! They bathe him every week. I can definitely smell it when I walk into a house where people don't keep their pets clean, though.

[decadence]

In the case of cats is a good option to install a cat flap (e.g. at the base of a door) if they are not strictly inside only animals to at least allow them to go as they please and not have to wait to come in until someone is home and hears them?

[bluz4]

i have a bichon frise and he stays inside, even has his own pillow and baby blanket. because he's so little and snow white, i couldn't imagine leaving him outside. i always feel bad for dogs and cats that are allowed to stay outside in the cold. but then again, people say i treat my pooch like a prince and i'd have it no other way.

[aggieAXO]

Originally posted by UKDaisy


I will never own an animal that is an outside animal. Unless its a big dog and I have a fenced in back yard with an access to a covered shelter that suits the weather. Read my post on the loss of an animal to see why I wouldn't let cats out. Outdoor cats end up missing, hit by a car, or purposely killed. Outdoor dogs normally get blamed for things like tearing up garbage, bathroom on neighbors lawn and if they break away from their leash mean neighbors, kids, or other will call the pound, poison or be mean to the dog. Trust me, maybe I just live on a mean street or know to many horror stories but it happens all the time!!!!

Personally I think about it this way.
-Do you want to stay out on a cold night, steping in an inch of snow when you go to pee or dealing with cold wind when you are coming home?
-Do you want fight others just b/c you accidently went in their property?
-Do you want to sit in the pouring rain or thunderstorm while the person that gives you food is cozy inside?
-Do you want the possibility of your dog or cat to be poisoned by bastards that live or are around your street?
-On Halloween do you want neighborhood boys to kidnap your cat, bury it to its neck and run over it with a lawnmower?
-Would you like to stay outside all day in the sun when its 98 degrees out?

If your answer is no ......then you need to keep your animals indoor. I have way to many horror stories to tell and I help volunteer at a local animal shelter. I am very passionate about keeping animals safe and in good homes. So please keep your animal inside.

And basically for me that means that if I come home to dog pee then I clean it up. Much better than coming home to find a dead dog.

I agree you need to keep your pets indoors.

As a vet I see so many horrible things that happen to pets that are outdoors (both dogs and cats) EVERY time I work. At the 3 clinics I work at there is a bulletin board and it is always full of missing pet notices-it is very sad.

IMO if you get a cat it needs to be indoors or don't get one. A dog needs a fenced in backyard and needs to be kept indoors when it is below 40 degrees.

i got into a fight with a client last week b/c he had a 1 year old non-neutered cat-he "didn't believe in neutering or declawing". Stupid a$$ man-HELLO your frickin cat is impregnating all the stray queens dumbass. I was soooo pissed. I don't like declawing but I don't have anything against people that do it, especially if it is that or euthanasia.

If you get a pet it needs to be spayed/neutered-there is no excuse, none at all.