Lmao, he's probably like "WTF is this crap? The CATS get a door, but not I!?"

He used to be able to fit through that door believe it or not! It was hilarious the day he couldn't, he was so confused and frustrated I wish that I filmed it! There's not a dull moment at any of our homes, I'm sure! I need to have a camera permanently attached to my hand lol

While YOU all may practice some amount of responsibility with YOUR dogs, that's great, but the dogs I get attached to through rescue and foster don't stay with me. And getting emails and phone calls about how the dog was bitten by a snake, owners weren't home, and the dog died slowly and painfully....or the dog just randomly, for no reason what so ever, decided to dig under the fence and play with traffic....or the local animal control stole the dog out of the fence because they thought it was a "wollf hybrid" and put it down...so on, so on. I have dogs to protect. My rules aren't in place because good people do good things. I have my rules because unwise people ALWAYS end up doing bad things and making "mistakes".

I wasn't flaming anyone here, I was just saying I take all precautions...and for a very good reason.

I think we can all agree that dumb people make dumb decisions. But a person put through a rescue application as well as an interview (something I do with all MY fosters- and I wish all rescues would do as well) you can pretty much tell where their head is at. Personally I don't like doggy doors. Not for the dog digging out aspect but because people as a whole cannot be trusted and if I came home one day to a dead or missing dog (because of someone ELSE and their ill-intentions) I don't know what i'd do with myself.

My issue is your statement where you say "leaving a Sibe in a backyard is just asking for it." I'm not asking for shit. In AZ I had stucko walls that were 8ft tall, AKA my dog is not getting over it even if he was a jumper and no one is going to be able to see who or what is in my yard. When I get a house here, it will be a sturdy, tightly closed in wooden fence that goes deep under- if it isn't that quality of fence I will ask the landlords if I can rebuild the fence myself. My dog doesn't dig, my dog doesn't jump, as I'm sure several others do not. While I get there ARE some, you can't just sit here and say that anyone with a sibe is asking for a bad outcome who gives them the freedom to go out. And I don't practice "some responsibility," I make decisions 100% that are responsible for my dogs. We aren't talking about someone who has a 4ft chainlink fence in the situation I am talking.

And I'll say this again, I don't believe in rules and regulations applying to every dog and every owner, as stated when you meet someone and also get to know a dog's tendencies, that's when you take into account where that dog needs this rule applies or if this owner has enough sense to understand what is safe and OK and what is not.

Leaving ANY dog, alone, unattended, in a backyard is asking for it in my opinion. Just is. You don't have to agree with it, but I'm just a little too paranoid. I wouldn't leave a kid alone unattended either. But people do, and have no issues with it.

Different strokes for different folks.

I think that everyone here agrees that anyone can raise their own dog the way they wish. Bottom line. we all agree. However, this is about imposing your opinion on fosters and possible forever homes. Opinions become policy for rescues, without any good reason and without anyone voting on it. And that's just not fair.

Shit happens, but shit can also happen inside a home, with a crated dog. Your water main could burst and the house flood - and the dog could drown. We all take necessary precautions with our dogs, and we all live in different areas that may have less possibility of stuff happening (no snakes, etc). Comparing it to leaving a kid alone is taking a bit too far and actually offensive - those are 2 different things.

I had a full-time outdoor black Lab growing up and she did great outside. Leaving a dog outside isn't being abusive or neglectful and I don't think my family was "asking for it". Ellie lived to be 16. Like you said ...

Lyzelle wrote:

Different strokes for different folks.

Ellie 1994-2010

It isn't really an "opinion" for me. 90% of the fosters I home that end up dead in the first 5 years has to do with the owner leaving the dog alone and unattended in a free-roam space like a yard, a dog park, etc.. Snake bites, impaled with a stick, poisoned meat, stolen dogs, attacked, heat exposure, etc, etc. Of COURSE "shit happens". My job is to make sure the owners I adopt to do everything in their power to protect the dog I trust to them. Do I blame the family when their Sibe ate a toxic houseplant? Not really. Do I blame the owners that left their dog outside overnight to get bitten by a snake? Absolutely.

I'm not saying leaving a dog in a backyard is neglectful. Plenty of my adopters DO leave their dogs outside.....in protected dog runs. Exceptions to every rule.

Over this, I don't care if you believe dogs should be secured inside and that's what YOU prefer to do, but don't tell me I'm asking for something bad to happen to my dog because he's able to go in a yard when he wants to. That's bullshit and disrespecting my decisions as an owner, my dogs are treated better than most kids and I would NEVER put them in a situation I wasn't confident in. End of story, off your high horse on the subject and don't try to tell people their way of doing things is pretty much setting their dogs up to be in a unpleasant situation. Yes, different strokes, different folks... but respect which each individual does and don't say they are making a situation that is "asking for it." I guarantee you my dogs are handled with the utmost care and ensured that they are in a safe and secure environment.

I'm not "leaving" my dog out. He can go in whenever he wants. We didn't and don't live in an area with poisonous frogs making an appearance nor snakes. Nothing is in the yard to where he could get hurt. He goes outside to piss or lay on his side. Don't know what the dogs you see do, mine doesn't cause trouble. I worked with rescues in AZ for nearly 5 years and pretty much every dog adopted out was in a home with a dog door allowing free access to a yard. And yes, it IS just your opinion. Nothing more. Just like pretty much the majority of the info on this site is. As I said, that's absolutely FINE if that's your method but for those of us that do otherwise, kindly stop trying to tell me that mine isn't right for me or the others it has worked for and pointing out YOUR beliefs on why it's wrong when that's not what I'm asking. I'm asking you to not generalize dogs and owners and realize it may not work for you, but it does for me, and I don't need anyone telling me what I'm doing is wrong. I'll give you a call in 1.5 years letting you know he's still alive.

Personally I think leaving a dog outside in an enclosed pen/kennel is terrible. I would never prefer that to a doggy door. I don't understand that logic... Can you elaborate on why you prefer that or would home a dog to a family who wants to incorporate something like that?

I don't see anything wrong with confining an unattended dog when you are going to be away for an extended amount of time. Pretty simple. I definitely don't prefer a pup to roam wherever it wants, whenever it wants when the owner is away. "Outside" or "inside" doesn't matter if both shelters are plenty adequate.

Lyzelle wrote:

o I blame the family when their Sibe ate a toxic houseplant? Not really. Do I blame the owners that left their dog outside overnight to get bitten by a snake? Absolutely.

Then you need to reevaluate - because the house plant is under their control. And we didn't say we leave our dogs outside overnight.

I don't see why said people cannot contain the dog in a kennel in the house. I think you're still exposing the dogs to significant danger by placing them in an outdoor kennel. So they're somewhat incapable of escaping- but that doesn't lessen the dangers of anything else you listed such as snakes, poisoned food, or someone stealing the dog. Not to mention the dog is incapable of escaping the elements.

It does, actually. These kennels house many, many working dogs individually. The ground is cemented 5ft down. You need STEPS to get on the platform. The fence is reinforced chain-link, 12 feet high. The cement bottom is covered in a thick layer of padding. The inside of the run is AC/Heat, the outside is sheltered overhead.

Perhaps you have a different definition of a "dog run".

Doggie door to inside porch. 6 ft fence with lock. No snakes. Dog can go pee when he wants.

Lyzelle wrote:

Do I blame the family when their Sibe ate a toxic houseplant? Not really. Do I blame the owners that left their dog outside overnight to get bitten by a snake? Absolutely. .

wouldn't the family be at fault for having a toxic plant in the house? That was one of the first quiz questions by the GSD rescue. "what plants are poisonous to dogs?" And some of us don't have native snakes where we live... cuz I don't! lol Lots of stray cats... but I don't think they're gonna hurt my dog.

hollywoodhuskies wrote:

And we didn't say we leave our dogs outside overnight.

And, as I've said, over and over and over - oh, forget it. One more time won't hurt.

I wasn't aiming this at any of the people here. I never said that doing anything else was neglectful. I said it was "asking for it", which is hardly offensive. It's saying "whatever CAN happen, WILL happen". I wasn't attacking anyone here, either, although plenty of people have all their feathers in a bunch throwing it around like I beseeched them.

And as far as the toxic plant, honestly, I didn't know Peace Lily was toxic to dogs a few years ago. Let alone the fact that this plant was 6ft over the dogs' head....who knew the cat could get up there and knock it down? Terrible accident, but not really the owner's fault.

Lyzelle wrote:

It does, actually. These kennels house many, many working dogs individually. The ground is cemented 5ft down. You need STEPS to get on the platform. The fence is reinforced chain-link, 12 feet high. The cement bottom is covered in a thick layer of padding. The inside of the run is AC/Heat, the outside is sheltered overhead.

Perhaps you have a different definition of a "dog run".

Yes, I do. Because in the average "pet home" (which I was under the impression we were talking about..) has this as a dog run:



So- excuse my ignorance...

arooroomom wrote:

So- excuse my ignorance...

If that is a jab, you can keep it. I wasn't beseeching you, either.

I'm just going to stop posting here. This is ridiculous.

Lyzelle wrote:

It does, actually. These kennels house many, many working dogs individually. The ground is cemented 5ft down. You need STEPS to get on the platform. The fence is reinforced chain-link, 12 feet high. The cement bottom is covered in a thick layer of padding. The inside of the run is AC/Heat, the outside is sheltered overhead.

Perhaps you have a different definition of a "dog run".

Some of us don't have the funds for something this...elaborate lol

and yes terming it "asking for it" is a tad offensive, at least to me it was. (and I RARELY leave Kale outside alone.) You have every right to your opinion and everyone here respects that, but don't put others down for what they believe in the process.

It wasn't but your post came off a little condescending as if i'm unintelligent for not knowing just what kind of dog run you were referring...

There is nothing wrong with having differing opinions, Liz.

Quote :

but don't put others down for what they believe in the process

Apparently EVERYONE here thinks I'm a "little condescending" because EVERYONE is taking it very personally.



I give up.

Do you not understand what you said? If I came up to you and told you you were asking for your pet to be hurt, how would you take it? Yes. It IS offensive and I am taking it VERY personal for anyone to ever tell me I am asking for my dog to be hurt and that I'd be willing to let me dog get hurt. And you're pretty much saying, "well you're dogs are going to get hurt or die and it's basically your fault".. how is that NOT offensive? I said I have a dog door and all is well in my domain and you start telling me how dogs die from this and that and that I am asking for it. You were responding to what I do with MY dogs, so yes, you were aiming towards me and I don't let anyone tell me I would hurt my dogs. My husband even said if someone told him that he'd wring their neck to say he'd want to hurt his dogs. We can't have kids. These are our children. I would never do anything that wasn't safe for them (as individual dogs- obviously a dog that tries to jump over fences or dig under fencing for those who dont have fences that go deep down).
I respect your beliefs on what should be done with dogs while no one is home to supervise, but I DO NOT respect how you are saying my dog is being set up to be hurt.

Copy and pasting from a friend from an old forum whom I've been speaking to this about: A dog can die from anything, at least you are doing something that will up their quality of life while they are around. Do people seriously think dogs have not died struggling to get free from their crate or from ingesting something while they were "safe" inside the home? There is no where that is 100% safe.

Heatherlee wrote:

Do people seriously think dogs have not died struggling to get free from their crate or from ingesting something while they were "safe" inside the home? There is no where that is 100% safe.

While I'm honestly not a fan of leaving my dogs unattended outside (mainly because I don't feel my yard is secure), I totally agree with that statement Heather. When I tell you that I'm after Kody every 10 seconds that he's un-crated to make sure that he doesn't eat something that can hurt him...I'm not even kidding. Yet, he got a hold of TWO socks and was vomiting for hours when he was about 5 months. When we were about to rush him to the ER he threw up the socks and was fine (thank god). So, yes, nothing is EVERY 100% secure. I'm constantly on top of him and unfortunately he still got into something that could have been...well...NOT GOOD! Shit does happen no matter how cautious you are. For goodness sake I can't even sit down to watch a 30min TV show without watching out for him...so yeah, I'm extremely paranoid, but I had to go through the whole sock deal...scariest thing ever!

I know that Heather, Kristina, Hollywood (oopppssss forgot your name again...i'm horrible...i know..lol) are awesome doggie moms and would NEVER do anything to put their dogs in a bad situation. If you know your dog and you know what he/she is capable of then that's all that matters.

I, personally, would NOT leave my dogs unattended until the day we move and have a 10000000% sure yard....and still maybe not more than 15min..lol. I'm just a freak like that...ask the hubby...lol.