Leaving Your Dog Outside Unattended

Okay I've decided that I want to talk about people who leave their dog outside unattended. This might mean that you have an outside dog, who basically lives in your backyard instead of inside your house most of the time. Or this might mean that you turn your dog out into your fenced yard (and leave him out there for a bit). Or this might mean that you tie your dog outside (perhaps to a stake or a tie-out attached to a tree/post). Regardless, I'm telling you that your dog doesn't really want to be out there for an extended period of time by himself. I'm not saying that your dog doesn't like to lounge in the grass on a warm sunny day. I am saying that, if you put your dog outside, then either leave, or go back inside, and leave him out there for an hour or more, he's bored. Although your dog might love smelling the smells that he can only smell outside, that lasts for only a short time before he doesn't have anything else to do with himself. As most people know, a bored dog equals a problem. A bored dog might start digging in the yard. A bored dog might (and probably will) eat things he's not supposed to (like rabbit poop, or his own poop, or mulch, or a twig). A bored dog might bark, irritating your neighbors. A bored dog might start chewing on himself, because there's no one to stop him.

I understand that people are pretty busy. I am pretty busy - I own my own business, and until just a few weeks ago, I opened and closed the business almost every day (7 days a week). I still always managed to take my dogs out for at least one long walk a day. I have a fenced backyard, and my dogs will do their business back there. My two youngest will even run around back there and play a bit. It doesn't matter. I still walk them. Now that I have another manager, they get two long walks a day, PLUS some backyard fun. And when they're in the backyard, I (or my husband Scott) is with them. 100% of the time. We're either making sure they're NOT eating poop (Emma, I'm talking about you, bad dog!). If it's a lazy Sunday, and the dogs don't go to the daycare, we go out and I throw the ball for Leeloo and Murphy. When they're done playing ball, we all go inside.

Whenever I walk my dogs and see a dog outside by himself, I always feel a little sorry for him. They look longingly at us. I recently walked by someone's unfenced backyard. I knew they had recently gotten a boxer puppy, but I hadn't seen them walking her since it got pretty cold. There was the boxer puppy, tied to a stake, standing in the middle of her yard, staring at us. That's all she did - just stared. I mean, she's a boxer puppy. I know a lot of boxer puppies, and they're crazy. They're full of energy and want to play play play. I'm sure she was bored out there. And it was pretty cold - boxers don't have a double coat, so I'm sure, since she was just standing, that she was feeling the chill. I felt really sorry for her.

Even if you're busy, you owe your dog more attention than just putting him outside to entertain himself. Especially if you've been working all day, and aren't home with him. I realize that dogs can be overwhelming if they've been alone all day - they can be pretty desperate for attention. But don't hold that against them - they have had no stimulation for the entire day. And then, they're put out in the yard, by themselves. I would go crazy, myself. If you don't think you have the time to really engage your dog, and keep him stimulated, and give him the attention he deserves, then perhaps it would be better for everyone if you re-homed your dog. That way, he can get the attention he deserves, and you don't have to feel guilty for not giving him that attention.

So PLEASE don't just leave your dog outside. I mean, didn't you get a dog for companionship? They can't be much of a companion, if they're outside and you're inside. Right? Right.