Kennel or not ? - Page 2

I don't want my working-age dogs around me 24/7. Not good for them, not good for me. I housebreak them young in case they don't work out and I have to find them a good pet home, and for when they retire and I want them in the house as company, and for when we travel and its too hot or too cold to keep them in the van, worry about theft, etc.

I do believe in walks in the forest, swimming, hanging out doing nothing sometimes, not all work and back to the run. Out dogs can get sour, burn out. They need recreation same as we do, but constant human company is actually detrimental, stressful for a lot of dogs. I don't want to be constantly nagging my competition working dog to stay out of the garbage, out of the kitchen, off the sofa, etc. let alone have them forever concerned about who is knocking on my front door, the phone ringing and me running to answer it, whether I am drowning in the bath tub... This behavior (ours) dillutes/dulls the results we get on the fields IMO. Every dog deserves its own space and down-time away from ME. I think it would be cruel to force myself on them full-time while they are still in serious training. Better too much kennel than too much house till retirement age.

SS

My dogs come and go as they please from the house.  I have one that would rather sleep in the snow than in the  house, one that never leaves my side and is a house dog completely, and one that is in between.  But ALL of them are bonded to the humans, and it would be cruel to put them in a kennel.   That is not anthrocentric - it is fact.   

Steve said: "My one dog gets twice a day walks and a run and three times a week at the training club plus tracking three times a week, rain snow or whatever the weather we go and twice a week in the evenings and training outside when the temp is very low in the winter, is not good for us humans but we do it all through tne winter, it is not a fair weather sport for us over here, and that is quite enough for any dog, He goes without nothing in that respect but he lives outside and that will always be so 24/7."

Steve, that's a far cry from leaving a dog kennel 100% of the time, except when working!

You talk about treating our dogs like people...how about treating dogs like DOGS?? They are PACK ANIMALS. They are not meant to live isolated in a kennel, where they never see another dog, except through a wire cage!

A kennel is no more a normal environment for a dog than the house is.

I know a breeder who kennels his dogs. They have about a half acre of land right next to the kennels where the dogs are allowed to run and play for a period each day. Of course, they have to be careful which dogs they turn out with which, as some will fight.

Sunsilver,
What you are saying is this, No one should keep only one dog because that at the moment,  all i have one dog so according to you i should ethier get a second dog to keep the first one company or get rid of the one i now have because they are a pack animal
i am the rest of the pack to my dog, and i see him when i do but  i do not bend my life around the dog, what you are missing is this
All animals and birds are very adaptable, and they will work in quite well with the human life in as much they are not too concerened about much except one thing and a very important one which you would do well to take note of
a Dog or Animal  or birds likes reliablity, they like a pattern in there lives which is consistent, and that pattern is what you the owner starts when you first get the dog, they do not like say going for a walk today at say 7.oclock in the morning, then another time miss the 7,oclock walk but take it out say 3 oclock in the afternoon instead, they do not like change, they live to a pattern and that then will be a contented dog,
Chop and change feeding times, exercise times etc and continually do it then you upset the dog and the pattern they like to live in and be contented, it is nothing to do with a one dog in a home if this is the case then 10's of 1000's of dog owners must according to you get another dog for companionship or get rid of the one they have now
All pack animals work to a pattern it is nothing to do with a person owning just one dog because he is not with others during the day or night
My dog sees other dogs at the training club three times a week, he does not act excited to see them at all, in fact he hardly looks at them, that says a lot for your idea's
Steve

There's an excellent article in the Schutzhund USA magazine relating to this very topic.

I have mine in kennels, yards, or their crates.  Limited play time together, then only in certain combinations.  My male with any of the girls one at a time.  NEVER any of the girls together.   All come in the house for a bit, some spend more time then others depending on what I am doing.   This works for the dogs I have today.  I could easily go different directions with a different dog depending on what was expected or needed at the time.

I'm tired of being Mr. Nice guy so I'll tell you all how I feel.
If you keep your dog locked up always and never let it out for anything except work, training, or competition its cruel.
They are not human Steve1, and again you seem to feel free to express attitude and I'm never sure you read or understood the original post. 
Why do any of you think dogs became domestic in the first place?    And what do you think a dog is really all about anyway?
Even hardcore hunters let their dogs out for a run, not to work but to be free, have some sort of life.
Your right Steve about GSD owners being cruel, in Belgium or anywhere else.  They serve themselves.  I hope their animals turn on them one day.
A dog needs interaction with its human owner, more than just to perform.  They need love and a feeling of self.
I'd like to lock some people in cages and let them out for an hour a day to break rocks, nothing else for a lifetime.
Then tell me thats not cruel.   I'd rather put them down.
I use kennels, one bitch thats all she has ever known, but when she's out she glows, picks a spot and watches over her domain, feels like she belongs.  I see a peace and contentment in her.   You don't have to call that a human trait, its not just humans who feel things.
Some humans with their arrogance cold heart don't deserve a dog.   They make me angry and sad for the dogs.
Theres more to a dog than serving some selfish asshole and spending a lifetime in bondage.
A dog is not a thing to pocess, its a living being that has needs.
If you don't have a personal relationship with your dog then your the real loser, your missing out on the real reason we have dogs.   Your missing the wonder.
I'm almost fed up.
MOONS.


 

 

Steve, you've got me all WRONG!!

Yes, you ARE your dog's 'pack', and he can be happy with that! Obviously IS happy with that. He gets walked twice a day, in addition to his ongoing training, at home and on the field. I'm sure there are times when the two of you just have fun together, too, as opposed to working.

I am talking about the trainer the OP works for, who does not interact with his dogs, except to train them. That, IMO, is cruel. He is treating the dogs like caged animals at the zoo. 

Edit: Read Two Moon's post. He says it better than I did.

Thank you Sunsilver,
I showed more self control than I thought I was going too.
Moons.