By Dennis Fetco, PhD
I'm
familiar with hundreds of dog breeds, but what's an "outside
dog?" Unless you're medically intolerant of it (and therefore
can't take care of it in a medical emergency, so you shouldn't
have it), making a dog stay outside is a costly waste. If it's
for protection, what do you think I want to steal, your lawn?
When you leave, do you put your valuables and your kids out
in your yard? Just what is the dog "protecting" out
there? Most dogs kept out cause far more nuisance complaints
from barking and escaping than any deterrent to intrusion. Such
complaints cause teasing, antagonism, release and poisoning.
I lost count of the number of times I've heard: "NOW I
know why I find so many rocks, sticks and cans in my yard! They're
throwing them at my dog!" Or: "So that's why I've
had to replace the padlock on the fence 17 times in the past
year!" With your dog a helpless victim, it's no laughing
matter.
If
I'm a crook and your dog is out, your fence protects ME, not
your possessions or dog. If I just open the gate 9 out of 10
dogs will run off! I can safely shoot, stab, spear, poison,
snare, strangle or dart it through the fence. You just lost
your dog AND everything I steal! If it's tied and I keep out
of its reach, it's useless. It'll bark, but outside dogs bark
so much they're usually ignored. But let a dog hit the other
side of a door or window I'm breaking into and I'm GONE! I can't
hurt it until it can hurt me, and nothing you own is worth my
arm. Deterrence is effective protection.
Protection
and aggression are not the same. Protection is defensive, reactive
and often passive and threatens or injures no one. Aggression
is active, harmful and offensive, threatens all and benefits
none. Yard dogs often develop far more aggression than protectivity
because everyone who passes by or enters has already violated
the territory that dog has marked dozens of times a day for
years. That's not protection, it's not desirable and it overlooks
two facts of life today:
1)
Property owners have implied social contracts with others in
the community. Letter carriers, paper boys, delivery people,
law enforcement, emergency medical personnel, meter readers
and others are allowed near and at times on your property without
your specific permission. Sure that ten-year-old was not supposed
to jump your fence after his ball, kite or Frisbee; but neither
you nor your dog are allowed to cause him injury if he does.
Imagine this: A neighbor looks into your yard or window and
sees you, your wife or your child laying on the floor in a pool
of blood. They call 9-1-1 and your dog prevents paramedics from
assisting! Should they shoot your dog or just let you die? Great
choice.
2)
Even if the intruder is a felon, few places allow you or your
dog to cause physical injury to prevent property loss. Convicted
felons have sued the dog's owner from jail and won more in the
suit than they could have stolen! Appalling but true. Don't
believe your homeowners insurance will cover the loss. Now you
see why many feel that an "outside dog" is a no-brainer.
The
more a dog is outdoors, the less behavioral control you have.
It's easier to solve four or five indoor problems than just
one outdoors. The reason is simple: The more you control the
stimuli that reach the dog, the more you control its responses.
You've got a lot more control over your living room than you
do over your county! When it's bored but teased by every dog,
cat, bird, squirrel, motorcycle, paperboy, airplane, firecracker,
backfiring truck and rabbit in the county, OF COURSE it'll dig,
chew and bark. Would you sit still all day every day? Do you
want unnecessary medical and parasite fees, especially as the
dog ages?
When
a dog is alone indoors you're still 30% there because your scent
and things it associates with you constantly remind it of you
and your training. When it's out, it's alone whether you're
home or not. Do you expect it to keep YOU in mind while the
entire world teases, distracts and stimulates it?
The
media are full of stories about family dogs saving everyone
during a fire. How many people, including children, would be
dead today if those dogs were kept out? SURE you always get
up to investigate every time your yard dog barks. And I've got
this bridge.....
An
outdoor dog has an address, not a home. Does your dog get so
much mail that it needs its own address? A real value dogs offer
is as companion animals. Do you live out in your yard? Whose
company does your yard dog keep and protect? Stop behavior problems
and start enjoying real protection and companionship.
Bring
your dogs in.
Dr
Fetko's Philosophy Copyright
1993 Dennis Fetko, Ph.D. The author authorizes this article
to be copied, quoted or used however it will do the most good
as long as proper credit is given. |
