Newbie Dog Questions

[Gully]

I’ve been thinking about getting a dog for a while now, Ideally I’d like a pointer of some description (german?) or maybe a lab. I’m worried about my setup at home and looking for some advice, I always had a dog as a kid but haven’t had one since.

 

My wife’s asthmatic and allergic to cats. We have a cat (its 14 yrs old and won’t be replaced when it dies!) which lives in the house but she doesn’t touch it as it makes her eyes swell etc. We’ve tested her around dogs and they don’t seem to have any effect on her like cats do. I don’t know if this is common – being allergic to one but not the other.

 

In spite of this, I want to dog to live outside. We’ve got a big garden, about 70m x 25m which will be made dog-proof. Obviously we’ll get a decent insulated kennel. I have kids that are desperate for a puppy (3 girls, 9, 7 & 5) and the dog will be spoiled to death. My wife’s at home all day but the dog will be outside and she’ll be inside most of the time. She’s going to walk it every day and me every evening so it will get plenty of exercise.

 

I guess I’m worried that if it is outside on its own all the time it will just sit by the back door trying to get in. We live in the kitchen mainly and its got French windows so the dog will be able to see us from the garden. In the summer its no problem, the doors are always open and kids in the garden etc and I’m sure it can be trained not to go in the house. In the winter though, the kids get home from school and tend not to play in the garden as its nearly dark. I am outside most of the time at weekends all year round. Is it fair to only have one dog and keep it outside?

 

Also, if a dog is never inside how do you house train it? I’m sure there will be occasions when it can come inside, but I don’t want it to become a habit.

[Mrs Sweepy]

Hi Gully

Am allergic to cats.And have two dogs that live inside. No probs what so ever . My oldest boy is also asthmatic.

One of my dogs has the real shaggy coat. And both myself and little sweepy have not been affected by it what so ever.

 

Up to last year both dogs were kept outside in kennels.

But then we started getting trouble from the neighbour saying that they were always barking .

which they were not. As now they are inside . And the barking still going on.Work that one out if you can.

To be honest i was never happy to have then outside. I used to worry about them all the time. As some on here will tell you.

Personally i would never just have the one dog outside.But then again when i let my dogs out in the morning the springer heads for her kennel. And i think she would quite happy stay out their.

I think it comes down to what you want the dog for . If its just going to be the working dog then keep it outside.

But if you want it as the famliy pet and working dog. Then it has got to socialize with humans.

 

Sweepy wanted both of ares to stay outside and i wanted them indoors so are solution was to turn the downstairs room we never used into the dogs room.The only other room they aloud in is the kitchen.

So they are near us but still have time out from us . They know that when we let them in the kitchen its famliy time but when they in their room its time out.

We had this set up for about the year now. And it seems to be working well.

I think at the end of the day you want peace of mind . And you have got to go with what ever gives you that.

 

O and both my dogs did not mess in the house at all when they first came in.

I hope i have not confused you even more then you already were.

If so please dont take any notice of my ramblings . I am just a mere mad women.(so ive been told)

xxxxsuzy

[Gully]

Thanks Suzy.

 

I'm glad about the allergy thing, we went to the Midland game fair and I got my wife and eldest daughter (who's allergic to horses) to get stuck into making a fuss of other peoples dogs there. Neither had any bad reaction.

 

The dogs going to be a pet as much as a working dog so I guess we'll have to resign ourselves to it coming into the house, at least some of the time. I don't mind it having a bed in the kitchen and sitting in front of the fire with us in the evening. My love of shooting and the outdoors doesn't match with my wife's love of interior design. Problem is I know that if we start letting it in it'll be scratching at the door all the time.

[Gully]

Any other opinions? I've been told not to let a pup have full run of the garden otherwise it will eat plants stones etc. Is this right and for how long?

[Huntinlass]

I would imagine the best thing to do is build a decent sized run with the kennel to stop the dog from sitting, scratching your doors.

 

If your going to keep it outside make sure you keep it that way while the pup is still young, don't let the pup in the house if it is howling its heart out -you'll just make a rod for your own back. If you let it in the house once, it will do it again and again expecting the same result. If it keeps on howling tell it off.

 

I don't really let pups run around the garden, for the reasons you have stated. I mean plants can be replaced, but once a pup gets into the habit of playing with stones, eating stone it can become a very hard habit to get rid of and be dangerous for the dogs health.

 

Let your family play with him in the kennel, get him use to it all. Do all the good things where he sleeps/stays during the day and night-feed, play, etc the kennel won't be so bad- it'll be a good place rather than a horrid place. My dogs are the same as suzys when it comes to toilet training, they never have had it. On the rare occasion the dogs sleep in the house they don't go to the toilet.

 

Many people have one dog but tend to have it as a house dog- I think it would get bored being on its own alot of the time- Maybe you should consider buying 2 dogs-Maybe something smaller to go with your choice of dog. I don't think its fair to keep one dog outside on its own for most of the day.

 

the dog will soon know not to come in the house once you have told it a few times.

Edited October 16, 2008 by Huntinlass

[Airborne9]

Hi Gully,

 

From previous experience Pointers do not do well alone in kennels, they are a very social breed and interact well in family life. Im on my second GSP and you could not ask for a better dog. His toilet training was a breeze and done in 2 weeks. All it needs is good timing ie after meals, after a drink, during play/training and learn his behaviour such as circuling etc.

 

Using a crate / cage is a good way to introduce the dog to his/her own space and will save the furniture and he will obviously stay in the crate when unattended and at night. My dog is 5 months now and still sleeps in his crate. To date he has never eaten any furniture although as mentioned he has eaten a few plants.

 

Just ask if you want to know anymore about GSP's

[lurcherboy]

Talk to Teircel Gully.

 

 

 

 

 

LB