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View Full Version : Speaking of the cold... (pets)



Shan
12-08-2005, 11:16 AM
If anyone has a cat or dog that is only an outside animal, will you PLEASE consider bringing them indoors??

I cannot take it any more hearing all the dogs howl and bark in my neighborhood at night. They must be in pain.

Also if you have a dog why is he outside to start with? Dogs are pack animals and need to be with their family. If the dog has behavioral issues, not housetrained, etc. there are solutions out there.

Windwalker
12-10-2005, 07:56 PM
Thanks Shan,

You got me to thinking about my old lab and the cold weather. We can't let her in the house all the time because we are not at home 24/7, so I winterized her Igloo Dog House, think they're called Dogloo's. I put a large blue tarp under it, covered it and the dogloo with yard leafs. Pulled the tarp up tight, tied it off, rolled it back upright and then cut a slot where the opening was at. It looks like something from the movie "BLOB." My wife, a nurse and having seen many births, says when the lab comes out, the whole situation looks like a blue blob giving birth to a black blob. This morning before sunrise I put my hand inside and found it to be warm and so was she. I'll tear it apart this coming spring before the leafs start to break down.

My lab, Sabrina the teenage bitch, and I thank you for the reminder.

Shan
12-12-2005, 09:32 AM
That is quite the invention! It's nice to hear it was warm in there for her.

It's amazing how little concern some people in my area have for these wonderful companion animals.


We are not home 24/7 either. Usually we're gone 8.5 hours at most, and my dog has run of the house. We close off the bathroom and the bedrooms (so she doesn't get on the bed) and she is fine.


However if you have any desire to reach the full potential of the human-canine relationship and for your dog to have the utmost bond with you, this will only happen when your dog spends time with you indoors. :nod:

david staub
12-12-2005, 02:28 PM
we have a black lab mix who would really prefer to be outside summer and winter. And even though our yard is fenced in, we worry about her and her health. So, when we are home, she is outside for most of the time (her choice). When we aren't home she is inside (with bedroom doors closed.) I have found that if we turn on the radio and play music while we are gone, she is quite content. Unfortunately, she prefers C&W music. I have played old rock and roll, but she seems to prefer to hear about guys whose girls have left them, towed away the double wide, stolen their pick ups, and shot their dogs.

This dog loves to be run every day. If I miss running her before work, she has my running shoes sitting in the middle of the family room floor when I get home. She is also my best snowshoe partner.

fourtycal
12-12-2005, 03:38 PM
I have found that if we turn on the radio and play music while we are gone, she is quite content

I am going to try music. My hound pup (1 year old) is just a mennace when we are not home. With a little C&W she'll probably just want to lay around and drink beer!

accadacca
12-12-2005, 03:43 PM
I have found that if we turn on the radio and play music while we are gone, she is quite content

I am going to try music. My hound pup (1 year old) is just a mennace when we are not home. With a little C&W she'll probably just want to lay around and drink beer!
So they say..... :lol8:

It is funny how I have only listened to this kind of music during periods of depression. :ne_nau: :haha:

Shan
12-12-2005, 03:44 PM
Fourtycal, do you crate the pup while you are away? Or does he roam around?


David, how does she tell you she wants to stay outside? Your dog would really like to be outisde in rain rather than inside sleeping at your feet in a warm house?

Dogs would eat roadkill everynight if we let them, but that doesn't mean it's good for them!

Windwalker
12-13-2005, 02:14 AM
It's amazing how little concern some people in my area have for these wonderful companion animals.


However if you have any desire to reach the full potential of the human-canine relationship and for your dog to have the utmost bond with you, this will only happen when your dog spends time with you indoors. :nod:

Our yard isn't fenced in, it covers about an acrea. I have a small cable stretched from the back loading dock (used to be a warehouse) to the labs dog house, a little over a hundred feet or more (stepped it off). She has a 12' chain that is attached to the cable via a pulley. I think that's better than any caged dog run. She's a well mannered dog so she does spend the better part of the day with us. The other part? She does have personal care issues.

Couple weeks ago my wife sewed an old blanket into a large pillow, stuffed it with cedar chips and put it in the dog house. When the lab comes inside she smells nice. But at night she does have to be outside and chained up. Sorry Shan, but that's the way it is here.

After the way I've seem many people neglect (or is it mistreat) their dogs I do feel good about Sabrina and the care she's given. We're empty nesting now and Sabrina seems to think she is an only child, spoiled. During cold weather we make her a warm thin milk/egg/oatmeal mush every morning/night, plus her regular dog food. She's well taken care of, she's my buddy and four-wheeling friend.

david staub
12-13-2005, 06:20 AM
Shan - Lucy doesn't want to be out in the rain. We have a back porch that she loves to lie on. Espcecially when the sun is out. But she is a very social dog and (fortunately) all of our neighbors love her. The neighborhood kids will come in our yard and play with her and adult neighbors will stop at the fence and talk with her (no, she doesn't answer) and pet her. So for her, being outside is a huge social event. That's the biggest reason she prefers to be out there.
Last year I made the mistake of not taking her with me one time when I went snowshoeing. She gets pretty excited when she sees me lay out my ski pants. When I left without her she moped around the house crying and howling. My wife won't let me go snowshoeing any more unless I take her.
I think she just sees the outside as an opportunity to see more people. She sleeps on the floor next to my bed and as soon as the alarm goes off (5:00 a.m.) she is ready to run.
The only bad thing this dog has ever done - I took some neighborhood kids to McDonalds when we first got her and I left her in the car. While we were inside, she ate my back seat.

Shan
12-13-2005, 08:06 AM
But at night she does have to be outside and chained up. Sorry Shan, but that's the way it is here.


She does have personal care issues.
Does she fart? Does she have oozing sores that stain the carpet?

I still don't get why she needs to be chained up at night. Because all your neighbors do it? You may not feel like explaining it to me, but I just don't get it. Otherwise, I can see you care for her.


I have a small cable stretched from the back loading dock (used to be a warehouse) to the labs dog house, a little over a hundred feet or more (stepped it off). She has a 12' chain that is attached to the cable via a pulley. I think that's better than any caged dog run.
Yes, it is and it the preferred way to confine a dog if you must have it outdoors, but while it's being watched.

If you all knew just 1/3 of the horrible cases about dogs that were stolen, shot at point blank, used as bait dogs, used as target practice with a bow and arrow, sold to be used as research, tortured, mauled by other dogs, burned alive, beaten, dug out of their pen only to be hit by a car, poisoned with laden meat/treats.... all because they were outside and left alone in a pen or kennel or on a chain without being watched. These things can happen anywhere: city, suburbs, or in the country. Alot of these I know personally the person or the dog, not just stuff you read in a newspaper. All of which could have been prevented which is the saddest part.

Just something to think about. You would leave your kid outside all night unattended? Not saying dogs are children, but like children they do need similar authority and protection.

david staub
12-13-2005, 08:55 AM
Windwalkers- just out of curiosity, what do you feed Sabrina? I have struggled to find a food for Lucy that doesn't make her really gassy. Have you had some success with any particular food?

Shan
12-13-2005, 10:44 AM
I know you asked WW, but here are some premium dog foods I've researched. Check their websites for retailers near you. Basically you want to avoid ingredients like yellow corn, animal by-products, animal digest, bone meal, flour, dyes, etc. which can lead to gassiness, food allergies and other health issues. Basically all your grocery store dog food brands have one or more of these ingredients (Science Diet, Purina, Iams, Pedigree, Ol'Roy, etc).

I get Chicken Soup brand from my local Steve Regan Company $18 for 18# bag. You feed less amounts than grocery store brands also (saves money there), because of the higher quality in nutrients. Smaller poops to clean up too.


Bench & Field
Bench & Field Pet Foods, Mishawaka, IN
(800) 525-4802; benchandfield.com

California Natural
Natura Pet Products, Santa Clara, CA
(800) 532-7261; naturapet.com

Canidae
Canidae Corp., San Luis Obispo, CA
(800) 398-1600; canidae.com

Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover

Windwalker
12-13-2005, 08:00 PM
Windwalkers- just out of curiosity, what do you feed Sabrina? I have struggled to find a food for Lucy that doesn't make her really gassy. Have you had some success with any particular food?

I use a brand sold locally here at the IFA, it'is supposed to be for less active/older dogs. Shan said a few things about dog food that I didn't know so I think Shan said it all and a lot better put than I could have done. I do know Sabrina gets a little gassey when she get table scraps so we try to avoid giving her more than a nibble for a treat.

Now that you've got me thinking, maybe that's my problem. Looks like Kibbles & Bits for dinner tonight.

Udink
12-13-2005, 08:25 PM
Now that you've got me thinking, maybe that's my problem. Looks like Kibbles & Bits for dinner tonight.
Hey, you're in luck:

http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/TV/12/01/people.dickvanpatten.ap/

:haha:

Windwalker
12-14-2005, 12:21 AM
Well thank you UDink, next time we hit SanRafaelSwell I'll bring a couple cans of DickVan Pattens new dog food for us to try. :eat: :eat:
It'll probably beat heating burittos on the jeeps engine like last fall.

Did I tell you I ended up replacing the fuel lpump on the Cherokee? That shot the dickens out of the Christmas budget. Merry Christmas to me.