|
|
|
OUTSIDE DOGS
By Dennis Fetko, PhD
Reprinted from Aug. 95 Whiskers & Wags,
Halifax Humane Society Newsletter
I'm familiar with hundreds of dog breeds, but
what's an outside dog?
Unless you're medically intolerant of the dog (and,
therefore, can't take care of him in a
medical emergency--so you shouldn't have the dog anyway),
making a dog stay outside is a costly waste.
If he's for protection, what do you think I want to
steal - your lawn? When you leave,
do you put your valuables and your kids out in your yard? ,Just
what is the dog protecting out there? ,Most dogs kept
outside cause far more nuisance complaints
from barking and escaping than any deterrent to
intrusion. Such complaints cause teasing,
antagonism, release, and poisoning.
With your dog a helpless victim, it's no laughing matter.
If I'm a crook and your dog is out, your fence
protects ME, not your possessions or your
dog. If I just open the gate, 9 out of 10 dogs will run off!
I can safely shoot, stab, spear, poison, snare, strangle them, or dart
through the fence; and you just lost your dog AND
everything I steal!
If he's tied up and I keep out of reach, he's
useless. He'll bark, but outside
dogs bark so much, they're usually ignored. But let a dog hit the
other side of a door or window I'm breaking into, and
I'm GONE! I can't hurt the dog until he
can hurt me, and nothing you own is worth my arm.
Deterrence is effective protection.
Protection and aggression are not the same.
Protection is defensive, reactive, often
passive, and threatens or injures no one. Aggression is active,
harmful and offensive, threatens all and benefits none. Yard dogs often
develop far more aggression than protectivity because everyone who passes
by or enters has already violated the territory that dog has marked
dozens of times a day for years. That's not
protection, it's not desirable and it
overlooks two facts of life today:
First, property owners have implied social
contracts with others in the community.
Letter carriers, paper boys, delivery people, law enforcement, emergency
medical personnel, meter readers and others are allowed near and at
times on your property without your specific permission. And sure that
ten-year-old was not supposed to jump your fence
after his Frisbee; but neither you nor
your dog are allowed to cause him injury if he does .Imagine
this: A neighbor looks into your yard or window and sees you, your
wife, or child laying on the floor in a pool of
blood. They call 9-1-1 and your dog
prevents paramedics from assisting! Should they shoot your dog or
just let you die? Great choice.
Second, even if the intruder is a criminal, few
places allow you or your dog to cause
physical injury to prevent property loss. Convicted felons have
sued the dog's owner from jail and won more in the suit than they ever
could have stolen!
Appalling? True.
And don't be foolish enough to believe your
homeowner's insurance will
cover the loss. Now you see why many feel that an
outside dog is a no-brainer.
The more a dog is outdoors, the less behavioral
control you have. It's easier to
solve four or five indoor problems than one outdoor problem. The
reason is valid and simple: The more you control the
stimuli that reaches your dog, the more
you control the responses. You've got a lot more control over
your living room than you do over your entire county! When your dog is
bored, but teased by every dog, cat, bird, squirrel,
motorcycle, paperboy,airplane, firecracker and
backfiring truck in the county, OF COURSE
he'll dig, chew, and bark. Would you sit still all day everyday?
Do you want unnecessary medical and parasite fees, especially as
the dog ages?
When a dog is alone indoors, you are still 30%
there because your scent and things he
associates with you constantly remind the dog of you and your training.
When he's out, your dog is alone whether you're home or not. Do
you really expect him to keep YOU in mind while the
entire world teases, distracts and
stimulates him?
The media is full of stories about the family
dog saving everyone's life during a fire.
How many people, including children, would be dead today if
those dogs were kept outside? SURE - you ALWAYS
get up to investigate every time your yard
dog barks. And I've got this bridge.
An outdoor dog has an address, not a home.
Dogs offer real value as companion
animals. Stop behavior problems and start enjoying real
protection and companionship. Bring your dogs
inside.
|
|
Home
|