Dogs living in cages...

[Dreeza]

Ok, so all my life, up until we got oakley, my main contact with dogs were the ones next door.

They lived in cages outside, 24/7...i saw them go for a walk ONE time...

the reason was that they were hunting dogs...and every year, during hunting season, the dogs would get to run free, hunt, and have a blast (they always told the cutest stories...like how one was a better hunter, but the other was faster, so he would always steal the birds from the other, and pretend he had caught them)

anyways...this was pretty much my only exposure...that and the two yappy dogs my other neighbors had...but they were little, so naturally, they were inside...but their owners, as far as i know, were at work most days, so the dogs were by themselves.



I always thought it was sad that they were outside, but i never gave it much thought, because it was 'normal' to me. Now thinking back on this...it seems almost cruel...the dogs were well taken care of in terms of food and water. There were two, but they had one huge kennel seperated into two parts, so they couldnt play with each other...i have no clue why...one was a girl, one was a guy...so i dont know if they had them fixed...

anyways...is this just really cruel of them? i am thinking about this a lot now, because oakley has to be in a cage (they gave us their kennel...one of those REALLY nice, expensive ones - for free!) while my brother is at school...and if my brother wants to do any after school activities, its going to be even longer.

when we were thinking about getting a dog...the fact that he would have to be alone all day NEVER phased us...i know it sounds ignorant, but i mean, when the neighbors on both sides do it, thats what you are 'raised' with in a sense, and it becomes the norm.


so...opinions? is it really cruel to do this? i know my neighbors dogs never got much love i always went over and played with them through the fence, but as far as i saw, they never got many hugs and kisses, and got to be pet...and they were always really dirty (i remember my fingers being black after petting them...and really oily...but his owner said that the breed was oily like that...the other one wasnt)


anyways,...opinions please

 

[Zoom]

A lot of hunters have the opinion that 'pampering' (letting inside, petting it, etc) a hunting dog will make it less effective. Where they get this idea, I'm not sure. I actually just had this conversation with a friend today, because he hunts his German Shorthair but that dog is the most babied hunting dog ever. He gets up on the couch and sleep in bed and everything and still seems to be a great hunter.

Some dogs may feel oily, but actual black marks from petting it means it's just plain dirty.

 

[Dreeza]

hmm, they just said that they couldnt take them on walks cause the go nuts, and would try to hunt squirrels...

but i mean, when you force a dog to be in a cage all day...i think most would go nuts when they get to FINALLY get out (after months of being in there)

and my neighbors are seniors...so they said they arent strong enough to walk them or something....

they were trained...i mean, i remember him telling me that they knew how to heel...and i would always make them sit, and lay down if they wanted a treat...

 

[gaddylovesdogs]

Do you mean a pen? I consider a cage like a crate - a smaller space - and a pen a large fenced in space. I am against it unless the dog gets 1.) Daily attention of at least two hours 2.) Proper exercise 3.) Food and water 4.) Proper veterinary care and 5.) A clean living area. I think these five things are what makes a dog happy and healthy.

 

[Dreeza]

sorry, it was a pen/kennel...it was a fenced in space...i dont know what you consider 'large'...the dogs would just pace back and forth along the fence all day, if they werent sleeping

they never went out of their cages until hunting season (or maybe one other week during the year)

and, i really cannot say how much daily attn they got...i DOUBT it was 2 hours...if they got more than just getting their food and water

 

[Gempress]

They go crazy over squirrels on walks? I know what they mean, but that's no excuse. My uncle has a hunting brittany spaniel, and that dog lives like part of the family. My vet suspected that my dog Zeus was being trained for hunting before he was abandoned, since 99% of the blackmouth curs in this area are hunters, and Zeus was emaciated (some clueless hunters think keeping a hound thin will make them more keen on the scent). While Zeus has a very high prey drive for small animals, I can certainly take him for a walk!

 

[oc_spirit]

I don't think it's cruel at all! Actually OC does live outside in a kennel whenever we're gone and at night. He prefers it out there unless it's hotter outside than inside which only happens a few months every year. Heck it could be -40C and a huge blizzard with freezing rain and his preferred spot is curled up in his dog house! Now his kennel is a far cry from just a pen sitting on the ground. His kennel has been tailored to meet all his needs right up to glass siding during winter to keep the snow and wind out! If you want details just lemme know

 

[Gempress]

Nothing wrong with that, OC. You obviously spend a lot of time with your dogs. The people Dreeza are talking about only gave their dogs attention during hunting season!

 

[oc_spirit]

Right Gempress, sorry I meant it wouldn't be cruel for Dreeza to leave her dog out while her brother's at school. What her neighbours were doing is wrong, those dogs needed more attentiong, training, and excercise. OC's a working dog so no shortage of excercise for him! He's also usually inside whenever I'm home

 

[Dreeza]

yeah, haha, sorry my post was kinda confusing....

it was more of an "i was just wondering" post...both the dogs have passed, and they arent getting anymore...so i cant change what they were doing...it just never occurred to me that it could be cruel...thats all

 

[gapeach]

I know exactly what kind of folks you're talking about. My former boss was exactly like that. They had one hunting dog that was in a pen all the time unless it was hunting season and then got out only on hunts. They said he was too wound up also, that he would just run off because they had no fenced in yard. When these dogs were penned up they had food, water and a little bit of room. They also had another dog that lived outside, they fed it but expected it to "find" it's own water and shade. They had a pond and I guess the poor girl just drank out of it. These dogs had never had baths. Then they got another who I kept telling was too skinny, finally after I quit they took her to the vet and she had hepatitis the whole time. I could go on and on about these people. And the sad thing is they thought they had a great love for their dogs I prefer to have dogs inside with the family. But I can understand having them outside while you're not home as long as they can't get loose and have plenty of room, water, food and loving.

 

[yuckaduck]

Would not be for me. I cannot see the point to having a dog if it is going to be locked up outside. I want to cuddle and pet my dog, they need to be part of the family. Seems like a waste of money and time to feed something and pick up after something that stays outside and you really get no enjoyment out of.

 

[gapeach]

Would not be for me. I cannot see the point to having a dog if it is going to be locked up outside. I want to cuddle and pet my dog, they need to be part of the family. Seems like a waste of money and time to feed something and pick up after something that stays outside and you really get no enjoyment out of.

I completely agree

 

[Denaluvscorgis]

I think it's highly cruel...what a life!!! Dogs are such social animals and love to interact and please us. How would we like to live in a cage or crate 24/7?

 

[gaddylovesdogs]

I don't think making a dog live without human contact and proper exercise is kind. I know someone who chains their poop-covered chocolate lab to a dog house. The dog barks like crazy to get attention because it's so desperate. I strongly, strongly, strongly dislike his owners.

 

[joce]

The couple two houses down have thirty plus beagles in cages. they take two out every day for training and they are well taken care of. I've always looked at it as if they ae working dogs and they are being used for what they were bred for. These dogs live to hunt.It is so weird when people come over because they are like"what the hell is that noise" and you have to expalin its the beagles down the street nad we have just gotten used to the noise. The dogs seem well adjusted,they all listen perfectly and I think they get more attention and fullfillment then a lot of dogs do. But this guy works withe them so it is kinda different.

 

[Becca_]

I think its so cruel. Down the street from us is a guy with 2 dogs in a kennel. It's clean, but I've never seen him take them out. Next door to where we use to have our business is a guy with beagles, he breeds them and I think he said he hunts. He never lets them out. They are in small cages, one per cage. I feel so bad for them. To me it's just as bad to see them tied up all the time. 2 house down from us the people have a dog tied up out back. Yes he has toys, he's fed and watered. I use to see them walk him but it's been a year since the last time I seen them take him out. I feel so bad for him.

 

[oc_spirit]

Guys you gottra remember that just cause you don't SEE these dogs being taken out, doesn't mean they never are. I mean unless you're stalking them day in and day out you cant be sure that perhaps the dog's walking and attention time is perhaps at 11pm which is the only time their owners have a spare moment for them. I mean it's still far from ideal but basically what I'm saying is we have to be careful of assumption

 

[Old Dog]

I am not saying this is right but hunters have those dogs for one purpose like they have their 4x4 truck. They are not owned to be pets they are owned to "hunt". Fortunately not all people that hunt feel that way but most of them that hunt dogs in packs do. You do have the few that take pride in their dogs say the bird hunters those dogs are worth thousands they normally do not treat their dogs like inanimate objects its the wanna be hunters with backwoods mentality that we find do this in the south. They should have to live like their poor dogs........not a bad idea LOL

 

[smkie]

I haven't read thru all the posts..but i wanted to state what i have learned.

after all those years of kennelwork..all i can say is i was young and didn't know better.i thought i was doing a good thing working there..i thought i made their lives better..now i do know better..i would never approve of a kennel of dogs ever again..like putting a bird in a cage.. I think back of all the wasted lives with no more to look forward to then running back and forth..and when someone is going to put food in your bowl and maybe a pat on the head. Once upon a time when the dog was young he was taken out daily and trained for the upcoming season and that was whoooohoooo exciting but basically as the dog grows older then old...he is taken out less and less while a new and younger dog is added. It is a dirty rotten crying horrible shame.
They are out there because it is easier then house breaking and maintaining a high energy and highly intelligent (we all know the smart ones get in the most trouble) dog in the house. Flies bite..it's hot..its boring..it is jail..doggy jail plain and simple..and then comes the stories of...."i thought my wife was taking care of the dog"..says a police chief that let Jigger die of dehydration. He paid us a grand for that dog too...or the ones that have the collar grow in their neck..(a local vet) ..out of sight you know. A dog belongs in the house as a member of the family..anything else IN MY OPINION is the greatest waste of potential and love. IF all your going to do is stick them in a pen 24/7 don't bring them home. There is a qoute in the Little Prince that i wish i could remember word for word, but i lost my copy long ago..the qoute tho has become my personal motto...goes something like..the fox says to the prince..you tamed me..therefore you are responsible for me for i can never be what i once was......you enter a dog's life taking away a chance of someone else who might like me take them into the house and love them for all they are worth..if you can't promise that..don't bring them home at all. can you tell this is a topic close to my heart? oh the good dogs that stayed out there all their lives..only to go cage crazy..or stand around like cattle.....bad bad bad bad bad!!!!!!!!!!!