Gun Dog Forum

I have always had EP's and have always housed them outside in dog runs with plenty of room. Now thinking when I get my new dog someday I will have him in my home. What are the pro's and con's of this, I'm sure some of you have done it both ways.

It is more difficult to ignore the dog when they are in the house so one tends to spend more quality time with a house dog. The bond tends to be stronger. Many feel this enhances what they are willing to do for you including field performance.

There is extra time & effort involved in keeping the dog cleaner, fresher smelling & cleaning up the shed hairs. Unless you have a doggy door you spend more time letting the dog in and out. The dog will generally be happiest with an endless amount of attention.

Squirt and Bodie live in the house. Only bad thing is it keeps me from getting a girl friend. None of them want to sleep on the couch. Very unreasonable!

Blitz and Don, very funny! Both were good for a laugh, just afraid my wife's picture of a "bird dog" in the house has me sleeping on the couch! She can't she to relate house dog and bird dog as being one in the same.

Outside during the day...with the family indoors at night. Healthwise, I think its good for dogs to be outside some of the day if possible.

Inside. They just wouldn't have it any other way, and neither would I.

Mine are outisde during the day but have a door to inside the garage which is kept a 45 degrees, but with a good house and good bedding I would not hesitate to have them outside during the day. Inside at night when I get home from work.
Rick

Mine is seven months old now and the best companion dog I've ever had. House trained by 10 weeks. My wife wasn't big on it at first either, but now she's so attached to him she's not happy that I'm sending him away for training in a few months.

3 inside in crates, my wife said she would not let me get a dog if it was a outside only dog, with 3 I have a feeling all 4 of us will be outside shortly..

Rod

Inside dogs are more responsive than kennel dogs...

Mine is in and out all day. He sleeps in the mud room and is quite happy there where his food bin and toy basket are.

He is loose in the house but not allowed upstairs but will sneak up there from time to time.

I really don't see any downside to keeping a dog inside but lots of downside keeping one outside, especially where I live. The animal rights people have filed complaints against people that don't have "proper" shelter for dogs that spend X amount of time outside.

In fact last year a cop came by and asked about outdoor shelter in my yard for the dog.

I laughed and in the end so did he.

mcbosco wrote:The animal rights people have filed complaints against people that don't have "proper" shelter for dogs that spend X amount of time outside.

In fact last year a cop came by and asked about outdoor shelter in my yard for the dog.

Wow......I don't think I could live in an area as fruity as that.

My dogs are both inside and outside. They are even at the office with me much of the time.

Mine is Inside full time with a dog door to access the back yard for bathroom needs.

Outside during the day inside at night. Weather permitting. Weekends not hunting or training inside much more. Feeding and bathroom outside. No dogs on furniture or upstairs.

Dogs let me live inside as long as I stay off their futon and don't take up to much room in the bed. :roll:

mcbosco wrote:The animal rights people have filed complaints against people that don't have "proper" shelter for dogs that spend X amount of time outside.

In fact last year a cop came by and asked about outdoor shelter in my yard for the dog.

windswept:
Wow......I don't think I could live in an area as fruity as that.

My dogs are both inside and outside. They are even at the office with me much of the time.

In NY, you are fined $50-100 if you do not have a shelter for your dog and it is outside. If they come back in 72 hrs and no shelter, another $100-250. If you still don't do anything about it, the dog can be seized.

The shelter has to be waterproof, insulated, clean, etc.

I enjoy his company, so he spends a lot of time inside the house. At night he sleeps in his crate.

Outside full-time like any REAL birddog should be.

Both of mine are in the house. My only real issue is all the darn hair. With a black lab and a predominately white english setter I've got saltn-n-pepper hair balls all over my house. I sweep daily, but it doesn't look like it. I don't allow my dogs on furniture or in my bed (occasionally I'll invite them up, but rarely). They have some nice memory foam beds in the living room and a large comfy bed in my bedroom.

Outside during the day and inside when i get home. Has the run of the fenced in back yard and a homemade dog palace built onto the back of the garage.

My 18 month old Brittany has been in the house since she came home at 12 weeks. She is crate trained and gets lots of time outside playing with the kids.

my 10 month old ES is mostly inside but free to go outside whenever he wants, two doggy doors he is in a fenced in back yard. During the day he is a mud room with access to the back yard. At night he sleeps in a crate in our bedroom

My two stay outside during the day and sleep outside at night. In between when me or my wife are home they are inside. I feel like the dogs especially my lab handle the extreme heat and cold better if they are out in it. there is some debate about whether or not thats true but its how I do it.
JIm