Rules for outside.

[Shanz]

when were home, our dogs wander in and out of the house because we leave the back door open. When were not home however,they stay inside even though we have a dog run in the backyard. I think we would probably leave them in the backyard in the dog run (with the door locked because it has a roof to shelter from the shade and wine plus theres a dog house in it) if we didnt live in the neighbourhood we live in. A few years ago people were going around poisoning the dogs in the neighbourhood. It was very painful seeing my friends beautiful German Shepherd and Chesapeake Bay Retreiver dying because they poison wasn't caught on time. Plus our neighbourhood isnt very dog friendly..so they really arent outside unsupervised. Even when theyre running in and out.. someone is usually inthe living room watching out the window.. or were out there with them... Plus CInnamon likes to dig and can almost get under our gate.. she hasn't yet realized that in order to get all the way under...she has to drop her butt to the ground and crawl.

 

[Cypress' Mom]

My BIL had always left his two (litter mates, male and female) outside during his work day. They had a huge yard and access to the garage and shade and water. They just turned a year old and had been fine but his female just started digging and has gotten out several times. Now he has them crated inside which I believe is best for their saftey. I never agreed with leaving them out unsupervised so was relieved that they are now crated. I got in a fight with his roomate who was trying to talk him into and E fence. He's a moron... I was very peeved when that conversation ended. Grrrrr. There are too many unknowns that can happen when you are not there. My baby stays inside but he just sleeps all day so if we were gone and if he wasn't trusworthy in the house he would go in there. As it is he loves his crate and sleeps in there all the time. Curled up in there with the door wide open now snoring away!
Jess

 

[Axel]

I live in a subdivision really close to other houses so I am afraid to leave them out because someone could come up and open the gate and they would be gone. I have left them alone in the house for very short periods of time out of their crate though. I guess it depends on where you live at. If I was in the country with nobody around too close I would probably let them roam in the yard all day while I am at work but there are too many things that can happen with tons of kids living close by.

 

[boxbud]

I work 3 1/2 days a week. I keep Toby inside the house. It is very hot in Texas outside in the summer. Too hot for a short muzzle dog to be outside. Plus boxers are inside dogs.

He does stay in his crate inside the house while I am gone. He cannot be trusted outside his crate alone in the house. I leave him for a few minutes at a time when I go outside and he seems to find something to get into. He has tons of toys to chew on.

In the crate I know he is safe and won't get into anything. He gets a kong stuffed with goodies to keep him occupied for awhile. I tell him "kennel" and he goes right in. No problem. He actually likes his crate.

So I am a big believer in crate training. Oh, a quick note. My first boxer, I kept in the laundry room. I came home one day and he ripped a huge hole in the wall. I had drywall pieces and insulation all over the place. Thank God he did not eat any of it. Then I bought a kennel crate.

Good Luck with whatever you decide.

 

[shannonmac]

I don't like to leave kneesaa unsupervised in the yard for even a minute. the pure and simple fact is she's way too smart for her own good. she used to hop the fence, so we made it seven feet tall, so now she climbs it like a monkey.
when she's in the house, if she gets put in time out, she turns the door knob with her paws to open the door, she even tried to let herself out of the house once when we were outside talking to friends....
she's our resident escape artist...and she teaching her brother some tricks of the trade!

 

[lexintitus]

MSBoxer,
You've gotten some really good replies here. My advice would be to please please please not leave them outside all day while you're at work. I don't know about you but I'd worry myself silly the whole day. If you have their collars off, someone could take them or they could get out and there'd be no way to trace them back to you. Then if you leave their collars on, it could get caught on something, possible causing them to choke. Like everyone else said, then there's the sticks and other yucky stuff they could decide to get into. Maybe I'm too much of a worry-wart but I wouldn't leave them out. Look into hiring someone to come by to give them stretch breaks and fresh air for a little while. Whatever you decide, hope is works out great and keep us posted