Inside vs outside dog - Page 1

Hi all,

I need your Expert advice. I was reading about some articles about growing a pup and came across this topic of having a GSD as an inside dog or outside.

Could you please share your experiences. good and bad things about having a GSD as an inside dog vs having him outside.

Kishore.

inside the home: better bond, better protection for family and belongings, more hang out time and enjoy your dog, better manners, cleaner dog because you will not want nasty stink dog in the house

outside the home: less fur in side to clean up...... so excited to see you they freaking cant chill out but some people view that as a plus, advance warning if something is around your house however that means it leaves your dog exposed to theft, poisoning, shooting and other things because of that advanced warning and even if it is just an investment to you you've lost everything..... Un happy dogs are barkers and neighbors will not be happy and so will want you as miserable as they are.

I currently have a Mal. and a hound mix. Both are inside dogs. They are very quick to alert if anyone is around the house or knocks at the door. Follow me around all day like shadows, very attached. I was raised with GSD's and they were always inside. We had 4 at one time inside and all behaved nicely. I think it is personal preference. I clean up every day to keep the hair issue at a minimum and brush dogs daily as well , wiping them down when they come inside if it's rainy. Just depends on how much time you have and where you like to have your dogs. Mine also sleep in the bedroom, Mal by the bed on the floor and hound mix in the crate. Works well for me, but I was raised with dogs in the house and like having them close.

A dog living in an out side run and Kennel is more healthier than a dog living indoors in my opinion; having had dogs now for 65 years and every one lived outdoors from 8 weeks old None ever barked unless distrurbed at any time. None had Vets bills other than Vaccinations, None ever had skin or coat problems the youngest died at 14.5 years old the oldest 16.4 years old. all had a happy life with the same attention as one living in the house The one time i kept a dog in the house for two weeks because we moved and he had to have a kennel and run built his coat went dead in two weeks. once back outside his coat came back to its shining self very quickly. A Dog is not a human G.S dogs and bigger dogs are best outdoors so long as the Run is water proof and the Kennel dry, Here is a Photo of a Dog who works in the IPO Sport living outdoors since she was 8 weeks old still much part of a family going by the photo would you not think so
The choice is yours follow your head and what is best for the dog not for you as a human. Regards a dog being poisoned it is up the owner to see the property the dog is in to be secure up to a reasonable point If a person can get to poison a dog whats to stop them coming into the house and doing the same to the occupiers a really stupid thing to say just to get a point across is that one
Steve1

Sorry the Pic is to big and will not load i cannot get the size any smaller but a 10 moth old Baby is astride the back of the dog when it is laying down you cannot get any more trust than that, and this Baby is not a stranger to the dog but not living in the house the Dog is kenneled

Steve I agree with what you have said regaurding health and coat for where you are with them living outdoors. Here where I live there is a huge problem with that in regards to, people will harm dogs, especially breeds like gsds, or steal them for dog fighting, the mosquittos give neuro issues and heartworm issues, the ticks give diseases..... I live in the city for now but some of these concerns were also when I lived in the country. When I lived in PA my dogs were safe outside, but in my current area I would not even though I live in a nice neighborhood the wildlife still apllies as I forgot to also mention we have things that crawl in to kennel and kill dogs as well such as my friend's kenneled bull mastiff in the rains had a copperhead baby crawl into the kennel for high ground and killed her dog. I have responded to you with this because I know you do not live in the USA and are unaware of things we do face here. I agree the loveliest healthiest coats are dogs in cooler climates kept outdoors. It is moot really for my gsds anyhow as the senior is better off in the climate controlled house at 11 years old and my young male is my medical alert service dog and must be inside with me.

I've had housedogs since 1958 and will always have at least one as long as am able to care for it. Also had quite a few outside dogs living in kennels. Can't say I saw any difference as far as over all health and temperament, but I do think one outside dog died from torsion because it wasn't in the house with me. I think it's easier to recognize a life threatening issue like bloat if the dog is with you 24/7.

GSDNewbie,
Good point about the snakes. In my area, we have a huge amount of copperhead and timber rattlers. Last time I was at the vet, there were 2 dogs there with copperhead bites. Also, vet said he had a dog with a rattler bite die the week before. My area also has a lot of West Nile cases and I wouldn't want to leave my dogs outside with that mess. I think it all boils down to a personal preference for many people. I like my dogs inside, they are companions. I can see your point Steve, but for me, I like my dogs in the house.

We have cottonmouths, rattlers, and lakes with gators here. FL is not a great place to keep dogs outside unless one has a very secure environment for them.

Yes, you are right regarding Snakes and Flying insects etc i never gave that any thought as we do not get snake problems here? Flying  Biters we get but to date no harm to the Dogs? i am not blessed with Air Conditioning in my house, it is an old house some 150 years old with old Oak Beams everywhere they being 100,s of years old, the main one across the living room reputed to come from an old Galleon but that maybe here say. The OP must therefore weigh up where he or she lives, what Rodent if one can call snakes that or Insect problems they have, plus any other hazards they may encounter which is not good for dogs living out doors if there are few then choose the Out doors if a lot as some have in the States then go for the inside living for the dog that,s about the best advice i can give
Whatever you choose think of the Dogs welfare not of your own wants and like,s
Steve1
My Niece lives up in the Okanaga Canada cannot say if i spelt it right? She keeps her dogs indoors the Horses are a problem sometimes She gets Bears and  Cougars etc coming round.

The German Shepherd Dog was not meant to live in a house or a kennel, or a crate.
True they do adapt but in my opinion will not thrive in such conditions.
Also, this has nothing to do with bond, or protection, that's up to you and your dog, not where it lives.
Has nothing to do with disease or parasites, you can't protect them from the world.
Being exposed to the world is what makes them strong and healthy in the long run.

I let mine in, but it is not where they live, they do not go in and out, that is not healthy for them.
I use kennels, but again it's not their home, only a tool to be used when needed.
Yes they need vaccinations and some protection against parasites because they will come in contact with them no matter where they are living, same as us.

I know many who own GSD's do not have the options I do, but at the very least they could have a fenced yard.
Apartment living is a complete fail in my opinion, so is life in a kennel.
Also having too many dog's is a fail in my opinion, too much is lost, diluted, not enough time to give each what's needed.


There are many breeds who do very well indoors but the GSD is not one of them, it is not what they were bred to do.
And frankly people should know this before picking one out as a pet.


P.S.
topic snakes predators and whatever, how does one think the breed has worked and survived so well after all these years?
Because this is what they were bred for.