Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Dog House
We have a 2 yr old rescue (beagle/dachshund). The first week or so that we had him, we kept him penned in our kitchen. After that, we transitioned him to our yard and put his crate in the garage and left the door open for him to go in and out as he pleased.
We recently got him a dog house that he doesn't seem to use. We put his blanket in as well as treats and toys. And when we come home, there may be a treat taken out, but otherwise everything is pretty much as we left it.
We brought it inside so that we could encourage him to go in. I don't know what else to do. I'd get in it with him if I could fit. 
This is the dog house: http://www.petco.com/product/12269/Petmate-Indigo-Dog-Home.aspx?CoreCat=MM_DogSupplies_DogHouses
I just don't know if it's too dark, if it makes too much noise when he's chewing on something (he's VERY nervous)
Thanks!
Re: Dog House
I don't think you'll get many responses. Just didn't want you to feel ignored. The overwhelming majority of regular posters on this board don't advocate for leaving dogs unattended in the yard when no one is home. Dogs can escape, get hit by a car/killed, get into fights with other animals, get stolen, get poisoned by unscrupulous people, get stung by an insect and die from allergic reaction.
Much safer to keep them inside.
I have to agree with the pps. Also, you mentioned that he is "VERY nervous." For many dogs being isolated from their family and put outdoors in an environment where they feel they have to protect themselves alone is extremely stressful. I bet if he was allowed to live indoors with the family, you'd have a much more relaxed and well-adjusted dog.
Are there some problem behaviors that caused you to move him outside of the house after the first week or so? If it's an issue of housetraining or chewing or something like that, the posters here might be able to give you some advice that would help get your little fellow back indoors with your family.
"The hardest thing is to live richly in the present without letting it be tainted out of fear for the future or regret for the past." - Sylvia Plath
Everyone else has given the reasons, I'm just going to reiterate that you should keep your dog inside with you unless you're out in the yard with him (or just letting him out for a quick potty break).
Dogs are pack animals. He wants to be with his pack (you and your family!); I bet he'd start to calm down and be less nervous of things if you'd let him in.
B/w 1/8: betas 17,345, progesterone 25.6
Can you go back to penning him in the kitchen when you aren't home? Sounds like the best solution to me.
We kept him inside so that we could make sure the yard was safe for him, but we always had plans to put him outside. Our kitchen is nice, but not really the best place for a dog to hang out all day.
But I really appreciate all of your helpful and thoughtful replies. We will definitely see if we can find a 2000 sq ft house that our dog can stay in all day long by himself.
Why do you think the yard is better than the kitchen?
A dog left alone outside will not exercise himself. He'll get bored, bark, dig, escape, and get into trouble (if not killed).
Inside is heated in the winter/cooled in the summer. He's safe from insects, other animals, and people who might harm him.
Pssst. That 2000 sq ft house IDG was talking about? It's called YOUR HOUSE. In our case, our dogs house is 1450 sq ft, and she'll occasionally deign to share one of the couches in it with us.
Why did you get a pet if your plan was to leave him outside like a yard ornament?
B/w 1/8: betas 17,345, progesterone 25.6
You all might want to post a "rules" sticky at the top of this board so that nobody makes the mistake of ever asking a (controversial) question that will piss you all off so much. Thank you to those of you who gave thoughtful replies with useful information--including RHB. Clearly you don't agree with me, but I do appreciate you providing actual information and not just being rude.
No one was being rude to you. They were responding to your question and you didn't like the response. They are trying to ask you more questions to possibly provide a solution to keep both you and your pup safe/happy.
BFP 11.8.12 * EDD 7.17.13 * MC 12.20.12
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, over!
It's not that I didn't like the replies; in fact, I said that I appreciated the people who actually provided information. The first response was helpful, and I don't have a problem with people asking additional questions to obtain more information. But I'm not sure how you think that this (or the post it was quoting) is not rude: ]"Pssst. That 2000 sq ft house IDG was talking about? It's called YOUR HOUSE. In our case, our dogs house is 1450 sq ft, and she'll occasionally deign to share one of the couches in it with us."
That said....to answer your questions --- the dog was a stray. So no- I did not check with anyone to see if it was ok to have him outside. We did heck as best possible to find a previous owner.
I understand the concerns about weather, but we live in Southern California where we don't have the extreme conditions that many of you experience. Yes, we still do have bugs and other critters and that's something to consider. We are aware that dogs are pack animals, but his pack has to work to support him. As a result, we are gone for about 11 hours a day. Since we are concerned for his safety and comfort, we would prefer not to crate him for so long. I know people do it, but it's not something we're thinking about right now. It would be nice to have a bedroom we could use just for him, but that's not a choice either; the option would be to lock him in our room.
We have no problem "making him part of our family". He eats inside, he is not left alone overnight, and when we are home he is inside with us, or we are with him outside. He is given plenty of love and attention. In fact, he is "sharing his couch" with me right now.
Look, you don't want to crate the dog, I get it. And I think you're wrong, just as you'll probably think whatever I put in this post is wrong. But I'm going to post anyway.
As for people being rude, you have to understand how frustrating it is when someone posts for suggestions but refuses to take any. Especially when you yourself admit that there are safety issues in your yard. On top of the "bugs and other critters", you have to worry about people throwing crap into your yard, your dog being stolen from your yard, etc. And obviously you've already made up your mind, but being someone who has a "nervous" rescue dog, crate training and crating (even for 11 hrs. a day) is better than leaving them alone in the yard. It just is.
If you aren't concerned for the dog's safety while you're gone, then you need to at least make sure, for your neighbors sake, that he isn't being a nuisance while he's outside. I have neighbors who leave their dogs outside all hours of the day while they're gone at work, and all they do is bark and howl all day long. I don't know if you have any kind of sound ordinance where you are, but your neighbors will call animal control if you do and your dog is being loud all day.
For what it's worth, we have two dogs in a 900 square foot house, and we crate one in the kitchen. We baby gate the other one in a hallway since she is the nervous one and doesn't do well in a crate. Is it ideal? Nope. Is it best for the dogs? Yep. And we're getting ready to build a house in the country. No neighbors, nothing to really "worry" about. They'll still be inside whenever we're not home to supervise them.
As for people being rude, you have to understand how frustrating it is when someone posts for suggestions but refuses to take any. Especially when you yourself admit that there are safety issues in your yard. On top of the "bugs and other critters", you have to worry about people throwing crap into your yard, your dog being stolen from your yard, etc. And obviously you've already made up your mind, but being someone who has a "nervous" rescue dog, crate training and crating (even for 11 hrs. a day) is better than leaving them alone in the yard. It just is.
What gave you the impression that I was not willing to take the advice given, or that I'd made up my mind? What I said was that I did not appreciate the people who yelled and asked why I got a dog, if only to use as a "lawn ornament". I have continuously thanked everyone who has provided useful information and didn't feel it necessary to berate me or our current decisions. I have not once said that we are unwilling to try new things or accept the advice given.
I keep coming back so that should indicate that I am willing to accept the advice given. We've only had our dog for 8 weeks. In that short time, I've lurked a little and found some fairly helpful information on other subjects. So I was really looking forward to being part of this community, and getting information from you all. I?m not looking to make enemies. Clearly if I knew how you all felt, I wouldn't have even asked the question.
I don't know if this will help (or make matters worse), but it occurred to me that some of you may have the impression that we leave the dog in our front yard. So to clarify?he is in our back yard. We live on a small, quiet street and our back yard has high brick walls, which would make it difficult for anyone to just get in and take him. There are houses on 3 sides (so no cars, or random passersby), Our dog barely barks, but yes---we've talked to the neighbors.
Although I 100% disagree with leaving him in the yard unattended, please be sure that he has adequate protection from storms etc. Dog houses are not the best and personally, I think snakes like to hang out in them because they are dark "caves."
Our dogs are not unattended in our back yard and I have had to call mine off of taking on a snake more than once. Luckily non-poisonous, but they bite too. We also have problems with wasps and have had some close calls there before as well since they like to build nests in strange places we wouldn't think to check.
All the things stated before, were out of concern for your dog. Many of us have had terrible, terrible things happen to our dogs or dogs we know who were in a backyard. It is not just something that happens to "other" people. Maybe a walker would be a good fit.
OP: I'm sorry you took such offense to what I stated. Yes, I got snarky, but only because you'd received some really good advice and been informed of worst-case scenarios and bad possibilities, and you really did seem like you were saying "thanks, but no thanks."
You snarked right back at me, too. It happens. Let's move on.
You sound like you're concerned for the dog, and I really do hope you take steps to move him indoors while you're gone at work. I, too, am gone from the house nearly 11 hours a day. I hated the idea of crating my dog for that long (which only happens when DH is also traveling for work, since he's typically home much earlier than me), but it was in her best interest to do it, not only to keep her safe inside, but to keep our THINGS safe from her inside as well. Crating your dog gives him a place all his own where he is totally safe, and he's likely to just sleep the whole day anyway. Eventually, you can start leaving him out in the house for a short time here and there and see how he does. It took us a long time, but our dog finally has her freedom in the house when we're gone at work. Sure, every now and then something still happens, but the incidences are few and far between.
Train your dog, including trying to crate train. Get someone (neighbor/friend/dog walker) to come over and let him out in the middle of the day; I've used friends and my dad for this over the past year and a half. Give him Nylabones and Kongs stuffed with yummy treats to chew on, and maybe a soft toy to play with/curl up and nap with. He'll be 100% better off than being outside.
B/w 1/8: betas 17,345, progesterone 25.6
Thanks. My original response was because I felt sort of overwhelmed and accosted. And instead of getting snarky or being sarcastic when the first person explained the 2000 sq ft dog house to me in a manner to suggest that I'm stupid, I thought it was easier to just say thanks and move on. So yea--you got the snarkiness directed to you.
Moving on...I do appreciate all of the suggestions. This is a work in progress. He's actually gotten better in our house and has been getting more freedom because of it. My concern with him being crated all day (and sleeping) is how hyper he'll be when we do get home. And of course having to hold his bladder for that long. I know dogs do it..but it's something that concerns me. If we're late for whatever reason (DH and I work together so we drive together most days) the dog suffers. Living in SoCal, there wasn't a thought about him being outside- at least not most days.
Anyway..without making this another really long post, thank you all for your help. We're figuring this out as we go and will definitely consider some of the ideas you've all given.
You know you can hire a dog walker during the day (as a PP mentioned) or drop him off in a safe environment like doggy day care a day/few days a week to help get his energy out as well as having a potty break during the day.