Sleeping outside

[Marlene]

Hi, I'm just wondering at what age is is suitable to allow your dog to sleep outside as apposed to indoors crate.

I have fully fenced back yard. Live in Melbourne.

My pup is almost 8 months, husky x Shepherd

 

[Adrienne]

Hi Marlene,

Just to be certain, when you say outside do you mean sleeping in your yard or indoors giving him the full run of your home?

Is there a reason why you would like him to sleep outside? 

Does your puppy seem to prefer to sleep outside or does he stick by the door when outside in hopes of being re-united with you/his family?

Does he tend to chew inappropriate things, bark non-stop, dig areas, scratch at doors or try to escape the yard when left outside alone?

Thanks

 

 

[Marlene]

Hi, I mean outside in the yard.

He does spend alot of his time outside. We are always around, at night time he does like being outside to rest and does sleep near the back door, but his not scratching to come in. 

He doesn't really chew on furniture, but that's not to say he won't start if left unwatched.

The reason I ask if it's ok for him to sleep outside is people tell me he is a big dog and needs the fresh air as apposed to being indoors in a crate.

 

[Adrienne]

If your dog spends already a lot of his time outside during the day, he should already be getting a lot of fresh air, so unless he's hot and panting at night and he seems unhappy, there's no harm to let him stay safe in the crate at night. Also, since you mention he may chew on the furniture, he may get in trouble when he wakes up early morning. I know you mentioned that your yard is fenced, but some dogs left outside long enough may get bored and try to dig out or jump over or other party tricks. Huskies are known for being escape artists, so he may have or may not have that in his blood. In any case, it's important to consider the risks and make a decision considering that, if you leave him out sometimes at night, he may come to resent being crated if he finds being outside more rewarding than being crated in the home. 

[Marlene]

I think he is starting to feel uncomfortable with the heat, for safety do you think I can leave the crate outside, but closed,

[Adrienne]

"Safe" is a difficult word to use when it comes to dogs, it's sort of like with toddlers, you can never leave them a moment without them getting into some type of trouble, especially the younger pups. With the crate outside, I would worry about some bug stinging him and him not being able to communicate to you his need for help, or something else going wrong ( like panic from something scary). 

 I may be over protective though, as my in-laws have raised their farm dogs to be outside (l mean out with no crate, just within a fenced property) most of the time (they always had secure shelter so that they were cool in the summer and warm in the winter, plenty of water etc), but I rather be safe than sorry. I usually therefore don't recommend it, but of course, there may be exceptions in the case of a dog that is just happier to be outside.

In such cases, it's important to consider (and accept) the risks and cons (impact on training, dog/ owner bond, rehearsal of possible problematic behaviors) and try the best to minimize them. Therefore ensuring the dog is safe (no toxic plants, things the dog may chew/ingest, no dangerous critters like snakes, scorpions, poisonous spiders), behaves well and doesn't try to escape, also important is checking local ordinances so to not get into any trouble. I am not sure about Australia, but in some rural places, as long as the dog has food, shelter and is unchained, and there aren't temperatures extremes they can be left outside.