by Jennifer Geitenbeek

Created on: November 16, 2010

Would you want to be outside in this weather? That is the first question you should ask yourself when wondering about leaving your dog outside.

Sure, dogs are animals. They have fur (most of them) so therefore are sort of protected from the weather, but:

Dogs don't sweat like people do. They only place they can really perspire from is on the pads of their feet. This is not very efficient for cooling themselves down.

The other way they cool themselves down is to pant. (Rapid breaths with tongue hanging out).

Their coat (or fur) does offer some protection from the sun and the rain, but only for a short period of time. They can quickly become soaked or suffer from sunstroke in inclement weather.

Let's do this by weather.

Raining or snow: Whilst most dogs have waterproofing either on top of their coat, or via their undercoat, this is only effective for a little while. It does not, and will not, stop them from getting wet to the skin.

Wind: Wind by itself is not too bad, as long as it isn't too strong. No-one likes to spend hours out in the howling wind. If the wind kicks up dust or dirt, this will irritate your dogs eyes, just as it does ours.

Wind with rain: This is really uncomfortable for both dog and human. Not only does their coat not protect the dog properly from the rain, but with the wind whipping it up, it can allow water to get in a lock quicker than it normally would.

Sunshine: While dogs often love to sun-bake, they do not know when enough is enough. How many times have you seen dogs basking in the sun and getting their belly or faces sun-burnt?

When it comes to dogs, they do not always know what is best for them. I, myself, have two dogs that love to go and play in the rain, even if it is teeming down! They are allowed to go and play in the rain for a certain amount of time, but get brought inside long before they are drenched to the skin.

The other time you think about when to bring your dog inside is if he is stressed from being away from you. Whether they have other dogs with them or not, being pack animals, dogs will stress when some of their pack members are missing (even if you are just sitting in your lounge).

If being separated from you causes your dog to stress, you should bring him inside to be closer to you. Allowing a dog to go on stressing can bring about health and behavioral issues.

It really comes down to you. Being a responsible dog owner means that you must protect your dog from the elements, be it rain, hail or shine. If you really must leave your dog outside, provide him with a suitable kennel that will allow him to warm and dry on cold days, and provide shade, shelter and air movement on hot days.

If your dog pines whilst being outside, or when you are away, try to make alternative arrangements for him, rather than leaving him in the yard. Doggie Day-care or dog sitters are two good options for this.

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