by Jill Hamilton

Created on: November 30, 2008

For anyone who owns a dog, this must seem to be a no-win situation. It is almost impossible to reach an agreement on whether dogs should be allowed inside the family home or banished to the outdoors. To begin with, there are many dog owners out there who don't have a choice. They live in apartments where the only option is to allow the dog inside. If the need to have a loving, furry companion is great, who are we to tell them that they can't own a dog, simply because their living arrangements aren't ideal?

Having said that, however, I am strongly of the opinion that dogs are naturally an outdoor dwelling animal, and as such should have regular, daily access to an outdoor area. And I am not talking about a quick walk in the evenings when we get home from work. Whilst many may argue that there are several small breeds of dog that don't need a large area to run around in, and are quite happy to spend their days sleeping on a rug, I truly believe that these animals need to feel the grass beneath their paws, the breath fresh air, and to have the choice to chase butterflies and lizards if they so wish. I certainly wouldn't attempt to convince anyone that a dog is more domesticated than myself, and I know that I would not enjoy being locked inside an apartment all day, day after day.

So should the dog spend all day outside? I am the owner of two golden retrievers, and they are an important part of my family of five. And yes, they are allowed inside. In fact, the decision was basically taken out of our hands, as the dogs were behaving quite badly when left outside. They tore up their bedding, barked at the neighbours, chased birds, and generally harassed anyone who tried to come to our gate. Much like a two year old child, the dogs were trying to get our attention, and it worked. Once allowed inside with us, the bad behaviour stopped. Our dogs crave human contact and will quite happily sit at my feet all day long, only getting up to move when I do. Which means that they spend the majority of their time inside the house. However, should the mood suit, there is always a door open through which they can wander outside and lay in the sun for their daily dose of vitamin D.

Whilst I will always argue that dogs need the outdoors, and plenty of it, I must also bring up the reason that many of us get a dog in the first place - for companionship. Having a dog inside certainly provides that companionship, but as their owners we are also responsible for their well-being, and that includes ensuring that these 'domesticated' animals have adequate access to an appropriate environment, the outdoors. It would not be responsible, and may even be more than a little selfish, to deny the dog this right simply for our own needs.

Learn more about this author, Jill Hamilton.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.