Is it cruel to let the puppy sleep outside

[hopefullnanny]

l was just wondering what everyone else thinks about letting a 12 week old pup sleep outside. She is a border collie and eventually we want her to sleep outside. We have had her for 4 weeks and so far shes sleeps well during the night in the laundry only problem is l am sick of the smell of dog in the laundry and cleaning up after her. We leave paper down put she tends to do her business right near the door. During the day shes great and stays outside. We live in melbourne and its very cold and wet especially at night. Is it cruel to leave her out. There is a kennel out there.

[Chunkydunks]

Puppies I'd generally keep inside until the warmer months. Mind you we have a silky and she ended up sleeping in our bed so I'm not a good one for advice because we went completely against it:laughing:

[trouble]

I think it is too cold, but Im a sook, both mine are sleeping on there beds down stairs ( rumpus room)

with their winter coats on, with a hot water bottle under the blankets on their beds, which DH will change and make them hot again when he gets up to go to work at 3.30 am.

So ours are spoilt, but In summer they sleep on the back deck on there beds, but Summer or not I didnt let either of them sleep outside until they were about nearly 5-6months.

But as I said, Im a sook.

[kas3]

Our border collie sleeps outside, but she's six years old. When she was a puppy, she slept in our kitchen. I'd probably wait until she was a little older before putting her outside - unless you have another dog she can cuddle up for company.

[Leeny]

I wouldn't :no: But thats just my opinion.. We also have a silky, as hes an inside dog :)

[cinnamonbear]

i wouldnt its just a pup.. maybe when its little older and its warmer

as for cleaning up..atleast pup goes in the right place.. and also in buying a pup/dog there is always going to be some degree of cleaning up after them.. even in the backyard you have to do the poop scoop.

[bigglet]

Is there a garage or shed you could put her in if you don't want her in the laundry?

It has been really cold lately especially at night and we bring our dogs inside (garage) because the chill can affect their joints and bones (one of our dogs has arthritis)

When our dogs were puppies we had them in the laundry - eventually as they got older they moved outside but for now with the cold it's probably best to have the puppy inside - they aren't young for long!

[cinnamonbear]

ooh forgot to write

we have 2 outside dogs.. they are well set up to sleep outside at night..yet we still bring them into the laundry as its just too cold!

[Lastcenturymum]

All the farms dogs in the world must hate 'city pups' :laughing:

Maybe when the weather warms up a bit. A kennel is fine with some easy wash bedding and if it is kept out of the direction of the wind. Our dogs (when I was a kid) always had a kennel on a back porch, and we used to heat a brick by the fire and wrap it in a bag and put it in the kennel. I think this came from my Dad's childhood. He was a foster kid and this was all they had to keep warm in the country.

Course they can bark their heads off at every noise when outside.

[trouble]

All the farms dogs in the world must hate 'city pups' :laughing:

Maybe when the weather warms up a bit. A kennel is fine with some easy wash bedding and if it is kept out of the direction of the wind. Our dogs (when I was a kid) always had a kennel on a back porch, and we used to heat a brick by the fire and wrap it in a bag and put it in the kennel. I think this came from my Dad's childhood. He was a foster kid and this was all they had to keep warm in the country.

Course they can bark their heads off at every noise when outside.


I grew up on a dairy, and we have always done this with our dogs, even working ones :o

We must be a family of sooks.

[Harlequin]

I'd feel horrid having a 12wk old pup sleep outside in winter. I have a hard enough time staying warm inside. I can't imagine what it would be like out there for a pup :(

I'd keep her in til it's warmer.

[tybella]

I think its cruel to make dogs or cats sleep outside in the weather period.

[Phyllis Stein]

Yes, it's cruel. Dogs are social creatures, and would naturally sleep with their 'pack' for warmth and security.
I'm afraid that doggy smell is just part of having a dog - it's really the least of the inconveniences that go along with having a pet. If you're not willing to put up with it, maybe a dog isn't for you? Perhaps a different pet would be better.
But yes, it's very unfair on the puppy to expect it to sleep alone outside in the cold weather.

[Mum2Tyla]

my new pup has been outside in a kennel with a hot water bottle since 8 weeks of age and he is fine, he is inside and outside during the day, is 10 weeks already sits, comes and waits for his food, i am very strict with training as I have a 2 1/2 year old and refuse to have an out of control dog, everyone has there own veiws, some people are happy to have their dog in bed with them and if it is a chihuahua that may be fine but not a big dog, i dont agree with dogs being out in the yard all the time I think they do need to spend time in doors with the family but i dont think it is cruel to have them sleeping outside the sooner they get used to it the less of a shcok it will be later on when you do put him out. And just remember she is asking advice not to be attacked I understand pets are a very passionate subject but there are ways to give advice without making the person feel like they are a horrible pet owner just because they dont wnat their dog sharing their bed etc
kelly:)

[Phyllis Stein]

I didn't attack the OP - she asked a very direct question, and I answered that yes, I believe it is cruel. :confused:

Oh, and I said nothing about letting the puppy share her bed - I wouldn't do that myself, so am hardly going to advise someone else to. :)

[shed]

12 weeks is only a baby, they should be within smelling distance of their pack and kept safe and warm.

Also shouldn't be expected to hold on all night to toilet as she is obviously not ready so someone needs to get up and let her out to toilet, yep, in the cold night, but that's puppy ownership for ya. Holding on all night is a physiological change so she hasn't gone through that yet, not her fault at all.

With puppies there is no need to set ALL the precedents from Day One, dogs are intelligent and will soon adjust to changes such as sleeping outside when the time comes. My dog used to sleep IN my bed and now sleeps outside in the garage with our other dog, all done without drama.

I would suggest a crate in the bedroom or hallway and someone MUST get up to let her out to toilet. This will speed up the toilet training too. She will be able to hold on by about 16 weeks ish.

To sum up: I don't recommend a 12 weeker to sleep outside ALONE. Maybe in a few more weeks. Dogs are pack animals and are usually better behaved if they are allowed to spend time with their pack. I am very strict with training but I do believe that if you take the infant of a pack animal away from its pack then you need to replace that pack and be a bit soft in the first few weeks with some things, and sleeping area is one of those things.

Good luck.

[Mum2Tyla]

I work nights and have a 2 1/2 year old and am a single mum, our house is also very open plan so having him in laundry was not an option, he has a kennel in an enclosed patio, he had 2 hot water bottles, a teddy with a clock ticking inside him, he spends time inside every day and I spend time outside with him everyday, my daughter is a little wary of him so have to be very vigilant when they are together, he has adjusted fine cried for 10 minutes the first night, same the second night and thats it, once he has all his shots he will be getting walked daily, he is at puppy preschool, visits my friends dog once a week and goes to daycare once a week to get used to all the kids, he is a great little pup, really easy to train, my last dog was an indoor dog and once this pup is trained and can be trusted not to trash the place he will be inside all the time as well, there are many different opinions on raising dogs as long as they are exercised, fed well and have somewhere sheltered I think that is waht matters, we have many clients that never walk there dogs I think that is cruel, when it hailed over here I did have him inside and he stayed at my parents that night when had to work.