Does Anybody's Doodle Stay Outside?

[Discussing Labradoodles & Goldendoodles]

My mini doodle, Hank, is 12 weeks.  He stays outside in the courtyard during the day and only comes in at night to sleep in his crate.  He likes being outside where he can run and play which seems normal to me.  I was raised with outside dogs.  Hank is my first puppy on my own.  At first, I thought I would try to keep him inside, but the potty training got to be too much for me since I have a mobility impairment, and my reaction time is slower than normal.  He has never had an accident in his crate, doesn't cry at night, or need a potty break in the middle of the night.  Please don't think I'm a horrible person.  I love Hank as much as an inside dog owner.  Just wonder if anyone else has an all or primarily outside doodle?  Does anyone's doodle sleep outside?  If so, how does that work out for you?  Basically, I think I have one good puppy!  Just want to make things as happy for him (and me) as possible.  Thanks for any feedback or insight you have to share.  Hope I don't end up feeling guilty about considering having him sleep outside.  I really do love my puppy.  Honest.  I do.

[Susan, Schuester and Olive]

Wow! Some of you are really intense! I was in hopes that questions could be asked about any part of a doodles life. I thought this was a site to get help and be educated. I'm curious, do all of you live in places that have mild temps all year round? What do you do when you need to go shopping? I'm sure none of you would leave your doodles in a hot car!! Do they stay home? How many hours do you leave them alone while you shop, go to Dr. appts, etc, etc, etc? Teri was asking what others do when they leave to go to work. She was asking how others deal with a doodle staying outdoors. And yes, she was feeling a little guilty and was hoping she would not be told what a bad person she is. I suggested she get training for Hank to help with his potty training. We all know that puppies do not have long puppyhoods. The name calling is very disturbing to me. If I were Teri, I would cut my ties with this group and go on to better sources for help and vindication. I have 2 beautiful doodles that I love very much. They are like kids to me, but I can't physically be with them every moment. I will not take them with me in the car when the temps are high. That is definitely abuse!! So what should I do? My pups love it outside, one more than the other. Olive hates to come inside. She is much happier chasing the rabbits and birds and digging up the wild roses. The helicopter remark from Teri was straight on. Some of you are just not very nice. You love your dogs, but you are just not very nice.

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

I'm not here to be "nice" - this is a site for all things Doodle and if you come here and ask our opinion - then we will give it to you.  We try to educate and encourage but if you insist that your Doodle is best living outside - sorry - you are not going to get what you are after.  I do live in a warm weather climate - and I bought a SUV for my dogs that allows me to lock my vehicle, with the engine and a.c. running for the few moments I might have to leave them in the car.  When I can't be with them - they are either left inside my home for short periods or for longer periods I take them to daycare.  They are NEVER outside without me right there as we have gators in the pond behind our home.  If the o.p. can get herself to the bathroom in time - then she can get her doodle to the bathroom in time.  This website is full of people willing and able to help but if you just want to come there to justify your bad behavior then ya better move on - we always take the doodle's best interest to heart.

[Vivian & Mojo]

Susan for one thing a puppy is not a dog and needs more attention,  another thing... leaving a puppy or a dog home safe in a create is a world away from a young puppy (and a mini) to live outside and come in at night to sleep in a create, plus Terri is thinking about Hank sleeping outside. Your entitled to your opinion but so are we. Terri asked for our opinion and we gave it trying not to be mean but come on, what she is doing is upsetting to most of us and almost unbelievable. If I ever ask for opinions I would want the truth for my doodles sake. Since you asked I have a 6 month old puppy, I never leave him in a hot car, in fact I bought a dog stroller so I can bring him with me and into stores as I live 30 minutes from shopping. I leave him in his create for reasonable amounts of time when I must go without him, When I must be away longer I have a pet sitter come and care for him. Sure Mojo loves being outside but there are dangers and puppies should be supervised just like children, we want our kids and dogs to be happy but were responsible to keep them safe. I don't see that as being a helicopter but if you and Terri want to call me that fine your entitled to your opinion. For myself and from what I read from others we're thinking of Hank first as we do for our own beloved doodles.

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

Nope not angry at all - just honest.  Listen - when you have been here year 2, 3, 4 - you'll get it.  I'm not  a mean person but I'm not here to be your best friend.  This is a website about Doodles - dogs - and if you come here un-informed than I will do my best (along with many many others) to help get you going in the right direction.  No owner is perfect - I've learned so much, but we all need to do our best, don't come here with bad behavior and expect us validate it.  Not gunna happen.

[Gail and Bailey]

It is possible to "not validate" without being harsh.  Name calling is never appropriate.

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

Laurie - you write to me after a few years and let me know how that is working - the whole not being insenstive part.  Let me hear from you when someone comes on DK wanting to re-home puppies that they bred because they have medical problems that can never be cured.  Let me know how you feel when someone dumps their doodle because they are too high energy or shed (but the breeder promised that they wouldn't).  I might be insensitive to the owner - but never to the doodle - because in my book - that is what it comes down to.  There are no bad dogs, just bad dog owners. 

[Gail and Bailey]

I like the way you think, Laurie. 

[Donna K & Quincy]

If I were Teri, I would cut my ties with this group and go on to better sources for help and vindication.

Susan, according to your way of thinking the only advice worth having is advice from people who agree with you, to me that is a very narrow way to look at things. To me just having someone who is more agreeable to your way of thinking does not make them a better source. You are free to express your opinion as others have expressed theirs, some people are not into sugar coating. You can wrap a rotten apple in a lovely candy coating but under that coating it is still rotten. Before you jump to conclusions I am not saying that Teri is rotten, I'm just saying that sugar coating sometimes is not all that helpful.

I've stayed out of this discussion until now and I have to say I agree with those who disagree with leaving a puppy outside unsupervised. You feel guilty when you are doing something that you know is wrong. Teri came looking for us to tell her not to feel guilty but we could not in good conscience tell her that when we are adamantly opposed to what she is doing. So if it's vindication she is looking for, she is not going to find it here at least not from those of us who chose our dogs to be loving, valued members of our family.

Some of you are just not very nice. You love your dogs, but you are just not very nice.

You can only tap someone gently with nice words for so long and when that doesn't work sometimes you have to whack them really hard with the truth. Teri herself said she intended for him to be inside but the potty training got to be too much. She is not keeping Hank outside because she believes in outside dogs, she is keeping him outside because she can't keep up. I understand her not being able to keep up but keeping him outside is not the solution.

My number one reason for not saying anything, I had nothing nice to say but sometimes saying nothing is just the cowardly thing to do. If you can't get a baby, yes that's right this is a baby we're talking about, it may be a four legged baby but it is still a baby and give it the love and care it deserves, then don't do it.

BTW I may be one of those helicopters but I would much rather be that than not on the radar at all.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Bravo.

[Rebecca, Kandy & Murphy]

I must say, as a new member, I am a bit disturbed by the name calling and threats to call Animal Control as well.  I'm not entirely sure I will be back after this. 

I agree that a doodle, or any people-oriented dog, shouldn't be left outside all the time when his people are home and he could be inside.  And that all dogs need training, especially as puppies.  But not every dog parent is also retired or a stay-at-home-parent.  Or work places where the dog is welcome.  Are you all really saying that those of us who have to work for a living don't deserve a dog?  Because that's pretty much what I'm reading here. 

So, if a dog is going to be home at least part of the day alone, then it seems that each family needs to decide where dog is safest and happiest.  I suppose my adult doodle (all 75 pounds of her) might be safest in a crate for 6 hours, but I don't think she would be very happy and so I would worry about her mental health.  So then, inside the house or outside?  Yes, there are hazards outside, but there are hazards inside too.  Many of the same ones mentioned for outside exist in the house as well (spiders don't only live outside and goodness knows there are more choking hazards inside our house than in the yard...). Right now it is hotter inside the house (no AC, major heat wave) than it is outside during the day.  In addition, inside there are electrical cords and things to knock off of counters.  So I absolutely disagree that inside the house is automatically safer than outside.  Each situation is going to be different depending on the setup of house and yard.  But if there are going to be blanket condemnation if of those who have spent time thinking through options, then this really isn't a place that I want to remain.

[Lonnie & Libby Lu]

Well said Rebecca!

[Gail and Bailey]

Well said, Rebecca.  Don't leave yet...give DK a chance.  It is not always like this.  There are many very helpful folks here.  I still find it hard to accept that some discussions get so out of hand.