Do you ever leave your dog outside?

[Fran27]

I don't let the boys outside if I'm not home, but when I'm here, sure. It usually lasts until they start barking at something In the winter, never more than 20 minutes though, while in Summer the backdoor is open and they sometimes stay there one hour (when it's not too hot).

Thanksfully they are not jumpers though, as our fence is only 5 feet high.

[PixieSticksandTricks]

Originally Posted by bubbatd

Sure !!! Mine have always gone out and welcomed back in when they ask. Could be anywhere from 5 minutes to whenever, It's their house, their yard . I'm only door openner.

Same here

[girlbuffalo1]

When the weather is ok (not now--too hot or in the winter--too cold) he can be outside on his own--generally just for an hour or so. We recently got our fence and I would not be worried leaving him out there while I run the the store. Our new fence is 5 ft and shadowboxed (so no holes to get out of)...

[Serena]

Originally Posted by misticaleclipse

Just wondering for those people with a fully fenced in yard if you ever leave ou dog in the yard for short periods of time? (like anywhere from 10-30 minutes)

I don't allow my dogs outdoors unsupervised for any period of time. For me its not an option even with a fenced in yard.

I consider it too much of a risk and won't chance it.

[Juicy]

Originally Posted by Southpaw

Lucy won't even go outside by herself to pee so she's never outside alone...there are times where she just wants to lay in the sun, but it's been so hot and humid here lately that I get uncomfortable just sitting there waiting for her to go potty, so as soon as she's done, we come inside.

We let Molly out whenever she wants out. Usually she goes potty and then wants to come back in. But in the summer when we have the a/c on, she gets cold so she'll go outside and lay on the deck, and depending on how hot it is she's sometimes out there for close to an hour. When she gets hot, she comes back in.

I would never let them outside and leave though. If they want to go outside, I'll let them out and go back to whatever it is I was doing. But when I see that they want in, I let them in, whether they've been out there for 5 minutes or 30 minutes.

same here

[casablanca1]

Originally Posted by misticaleclipse

Just wondering for those people with a fully fenced in yard if you ever leave ou dog in the yard for short periods of time? (like anywhere from 10-30 minutes)

Of course. I've always had dogs who enjoyed being out alone, and I think dogs need to be outside a lot unless the weather's awful. My current dog will, in nice weather, stay outside for 2-3 hours at a time. In very nice weather, she doesn't want to come in. If it's hot or snowy or rainy or a little too cool, she demands to come in, and she gets in. My other dogs were much more outside-loving dogs, and were content to stay out, hanging on the steps, through snow, cold, etc. When she barks, of course, I take her in before she becomes a nuisance.

If there's no one home to keep an ear out for trouble from the yard, however, she stays inside. I don't want her getting loose or something or someone getting into the yard after her.

edit: And my current dog's the clingy sort who winds her paws around my legs and circles me as I go upstairs. The other two, who had interior lives of their own, would stay out for hours and hours without a peep of protest. I think my first dog spent much of my schooldays out back. I used to have to coax her inside in cold weather - she had that thick, double coat of a Beardie and she'd be covered in snow and looking at you like "In? You want me to come in? Why don't you come out?" And, of course, my last dog had Duties outside - the squirrels that had to be chased, the trees that had to be climbed, the various things that had to be monitored and investigated. She didn't really have time to sit around on the couch. They talk about a dog needing a job - all my dogs have created their own positions, and much of their responsibilities involved being out in the yard.

[Ashlea]

Aeron has always been allowed to come and go as she likes. When she lived with me she always had a door open and even though my property at the time was not fenced it was huge and she NEVER left the grounds. She always has a door open and she checks in every hour or so.

I would not let Lilly out alone. It is funny how RD and I are similar in this aspect. You can trust a BC to be good. LOL

[Gempress]

My boys stay outside when we're not home. Zeus used to stay indoors, but since our last vacaion, he has developed seperation anxiety issues. He will now pee/poop on the floor when alone now. *sniffle* I'm so depressed about this, especially since he was the absolute perfect indoor dog up until 2 months ago. We're working on improving things, but progress has been extremely slow.

Voodoo stays outdoors since he's still a heathen puppy and is too unreliable to be left alone inside.

My yard has a 6-foot fence and wall around it, and both boys love being outside. They frequently ask to go out and play, even when we're home. They're not allowed to run amok in the house, so they full advantage of the yard. During hot days or bad weather, they stay inside: one in the crate, one in the bathroom.

[tara]

I always let Foster out to play by himself, he absolutely loves it! He just runs around the laundry drying thingy (I totally just forgot what they're actually called) and runs like there's no tomorrow! And now that we have some agility equipment back there, he goes out and goes through the tunnel, does the jumps, all by himself! it's so cute to watch. Also, we have a little pool outside for him, so he can get a drink from it, or cool himself down when he needs to. He always runs outside to chew on special bones like a nice knuckle bone or something, because he THINKS I can't see him, but I always supervise Foster if he's outside with something he can rip apart or eat.

[cowgurl6254]

I wish I could let Andy out by himself, but I never do. If he's outside, I have to be right there beside him. Our neighbors run an in-home daycare and the kids would always come over and let our old dog out. Plus, most of these kids love to yell and hit things, so I don't want Andy getting hurt while I'm gone.