Does this sound really dumb to you?

calico2222

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Our friends claim to be animal lovers. In fact, their only dog at the time was in their wedding (it was really cute) but he is an elderly very laid back hound dog. Since then they inherited her father's German Shepard and adopted one of Snicker's puppies, now almost 3 years old. These two are supposedly too much for them to handle inside with a 3 year old child so they are kept outside in kennels. I will say the kennels are good sized so they have room to move around and they do check their food and water a few times a day and play with them so, while I don't agree, I can't really say anything.

Now, this is what cracks me up. When it was really cold this winter instead of putting them in the house, or at the very least the garage they paid to have them housed at a heated kennel! I mean, I can understand if you don't have any other option for shelter but come on!! They have a two car garage! (BTW, these are the same people that keep complaining about how fast they went through their inheritance.)

Maybe I just don't understand the concept of outside dogs. To me, my dogs are my kids as much as my cats are. Mine are outside in the yard as long as they want to be, but they always have a warm place to sleep in our house. What hurts the most is we gave them one of the dogs and she really don't know what a family is, unlike her mother and sister. Am I wrong to think this is not a good thing? I mean, they get food, water, attention and get to sleep in a heated "hotel" but it's not the same as a family to me.
 

c1atsite

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Originally Posted by calico2222

Maybe I just don't understand the concept of outside dogs.
Me too. My family and extended familyare all about cats cats cats (indoor cats). That paid kennel thing sounds expensive too
Maybe they wanna do that every winter until the kid is older
 

otto

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I'm with you. Pets are family and belong with the rest of the family.
 

strange_wings

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Well... at least they made sure the dogs were kept warm. It's odd that they did it that way, but it's usually not worth trying to figure out what's going through someone elses head. You'll just get a headache.


I figure as long as they at least provide everything the dogs need that they are caring for them properly. I've seen a lot of dogs with less.
 

milk maid

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I agree all of our cats and dogs live in the house (not much room for us) and they are family. But saying that at least thier dogs are played with and fed and watered so its not all bad. Paying for heated kennels
they must be mad.
 
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calico2222

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Originally Posted by strange_wings

Well... at least they made sure the dogs were kept warm. It's odd that they did it that way, but it's usually not worth trying to figure out what's going through someone elses head. You'll just get a headache.


I figure as long as they at least provide everything the dogs need that they are caring for them properly. I've seen a lot of dogs with less.
Oh, I agree! The dogs are well cared for and are not neglected or abused in any way. I just don't understand why they pay for a heated kennel in a strange boarding place instead of just taking them inside.
 

ebrillblaiddes

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Originally Posted by calico2222

Oh, I agree! The dogs are well cared for and are not neglected or abused in any way. I just don't understand why they pay for a heated kennel in a strange boarding place instead of just taking them inside.
People don't think. I mean, I saw a sticker the other day warning me not to eat a car, so people really don't think.

I don't find that one as strange as keeping the child and animals separated. Obviously the kid would need to be supervised around them until developing animal sense, but that's more of a reason to get the kid to learn how to act around animals as early as possible, not to keep them completely separated.
 
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calico2222

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Originally Posted by ebrillblaiddes

People don't think. I mean, I saw a sticker the other day warning me not to eat a car, so people really don't think.

I don't find that one as strange as keeping the child and animals separated. Obviously the kid would need to be supervised around them until developing animal sense, but that's more of a reason to get the kid to learn how to act around animals as early as possible, not to keep them completely separated.
Oh, the parents are just weird. They came into a big inheritance (and I do mean BIG...almost 7 figures) when her father died. They both quit their jobs and didn't work for 2 years but the kid was still kept in daycare every day so they could go out shopping every day. She went back to school to become a vet tech, got her degree/cert or whatever it was, got a job with our vet and quit the next day. She's been through 3 jobs since then and is now looking for another one. This has been with in the last 6 months. Maybe my issue is more with them than the heated kennel thing....

I think the German Shepard is socialized fine. He's older and was her father's dog. But, Snicker's daughter was put outside when she was about 6 months old because she started chewing things. Ummmm...she's teething. Have you gotten her any bones or anything that she CAN chew on? The reply, "Oh. No. We just chained her outside." So now she just gets super hyper when someone comes around so they are afraid to let her inside. And god forbid they actually let their child outside! She wasn't allowed to go play in the snow because she may get sick. Good lord, what kind of childhood is that??

Sorry, I guess this is just my venting thread because these guys really are getting on my nerves. I'm sure more will come out later....it's more than just this.
 

crittermom

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Originally Posted by kscatlady

I never understand having a pet and then just keeping them outside.
I don't think people should be judged for having outside animals.I think it is a personal decision.
 

thf

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I dont think anyone should be judged or told they are wrong for questioning the issue and sharing their personal opinion. I dont believe in pets being kept outdoors, but unfortunately people are just lazy when it comes to raising dogs. Unfortunately, cats go through it as well when they end up with the wrong people. Sounds like the dogs are cared for. Food, water, and shelter=good. It doesnt sound like their emotional/behavioral needs are being met unfortunately. I think the money they spent on heated kennels could have been better spent on hiring a trainer so the dogs could be inside.

I personally am on the side of pets being indoors. That will never change for me, but when I was growing up, my parents did not allow the dogs or cats inside. Our pets had food, water, and shelter, but they also had fly bitten ears, rough dirty coats, and many of them lived to be seniors, but still died younger than they should have due to being out in the elements. I will never forget one kitty we had growing up. She would sit outside the door up on the ledge and stare at everyone inside, just waiting for someone to come out and pet her and give her attention. She LOVED people. She sat out there day & night, night & day. I would go out there and pet her and stuff, but my dad did not want cats indoors : ( Well the cat was white and because she stayed outside looking in at us literally just about 24/7, she developed skin cancer on her ears from the sun blaring on her skin. She had her ear flaps surgically removed, and sadly, she still was outside and wanted so badly to be in with the family, but my parents would not let her. Thankfully she was one of the few that did live a pretty long life for a cat, but I cried sometimes looking at her out there just wanting so badly to be in with the family. So i will always have indoor pets. I do not think domestic pets should be outdoors. Sure it is better than being at a shelter but what does that say?? I suppose living in a shack is better than being in prison.

I think it is unfortunate for dogs and cats that when people cant understand their behavior, instead of trying to figure it out and teach the right behavior, they just put the animal outside. Its a lazy solution to a problem that could probably be easily helped IMO.
 
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