35 Degree Nights & Dogs ...

[ClickaNerd]

I do not own any pets and I refuse to get involved with this matter as it has been very quiet next door and I want to keep it that way.

BUT

My favorite neighbors at 1908 Twilight have (4) dogs.

(1) Pitbull
(2) Rottweillers
(1) Porky I'm not sure brand

On these cold nights, they start howling for 15 - 20 minutes late at night when its the coldest.

They leave them out in their backyard 24x7.

Does it hurt the dogs to stay out in that weather 24x7 or do they just adjust ?

[Grammar Rules]

I want to see a photo of a Porky dog.:p The dogs need some kind of shelter plus plenty of water. Mine each have a "Dogloo" molded plastic house with a dog pillow inside for daytime, but they sleep in my house at night, mainly because they bark at every acorn that falls or mouse (or feral hog) rustling through the dry leaves. When it's really cold during the day, I let them in because I'm a softie.

[ClickaNerd]

The rottweilers are pretty big and seem to hack the weather OK but it seems that when you get down to freezing they are exposed to danger.

The porky one is the quietest one. It is gray and just waddles around.

The pit-bull is the one that stole my wife's crocks off the back porch and is on her SH-- list.

That's the one I like the most, because it does bark whenever a tree moves. Great security dog.

[Grammar Rules]

Assume the crocs were a total loss...:))

[mac]

i'm sure that there must be a good and valid reason for having pets that stay out in the back yard 24/7, but i'll be dadgummed if i can figure out what the reason is. sled dogs? yeow.....but pets? what's the point?

i've never spoken to a dog even though i'm an avid dog lover but i do believe that grammar is right....shelter, water and food are critical. it seems to me that it's the wind, not the thermometer that must be rough and key to get the critters out of the wind. i was always amazed (and hurt) to see sled dogs in alaska left out all the time and sleepin' on top of their shelters in well below zero weather with strong winds blowing....but then one of the inuits explained it to me..... kind of. he considered his dogs as live stock, not pets.....mac

i'm assuming that the back yard crocks had kim chi inside of them. i never knew that dogs liked kim chi or crocks....mac


The rottweilers are pretty big and seem to hack the weather OK but it seems that when you get down to freezing they are exposed to danger.

The porky one is the quietest one. It is gray and just waddles around.

The pit-bull is the one that stole my wife's crocks off the back porch and is on her SH-- list.

That's the one I like the most, because it does bark whenever a tree moves. Great security dog.

[ClickaNerd]

Assume the crocs were a total loss...:))

I am starting to get attached to the pit-bul.

He is so ugly that he is cute.

[xzochye]

I have a neighbor that has 2 labs and keeps them outside 24/7. DRIVES ME INSANE! Even the other night when it was 25 degrees out! I do not believe there is any type of city ordinance that requires owners to bring pets ( I use that term lightly) inside below a certain temp although I beieve there should be! I do know that there is an ordinance about barking. A different neighbor also leaves his dogs outside 24/7. His job requires him to be away from home sometimes for a week or two at a time and when that happens he has a friend come over and check on them. Last year one of the dogs was a puppy and he went out of town over Spring Break. Well that thing whined and cried almost none stop. Not sure how it didn't lose it's voice! Anyways, I got online, printed out the city ordinance, highlighted the part about dogs and taped it on his door for the friend to see. Rest of the week was nice and peaceful.

There used to be an ordinance about shelter too. It read something like 1 doghouse per animal. Not sure if that one is still on the books or not.

[mac]

it's still on the books. it's also against the law to stake or tie off your dogs. i've made use of both of those laws frequently here in hymesa estates. there is also a rule on the books that the dog must have a shelter......(i've used that one several times too).......mac


I have a neighbor that has 2 labs and keeps them outside 24/7. DRIVES ME INSANE! Even the other night when it was 25 degrees out! I do not believe there is any type of city ordinance that requires owners to bring pets ( I use that term lightly) inside below a certain temp although I beieve there should be! I do know that there is an ordinance about barking. A different neighbor also leaves his dogs outside 24/7. His job requires him to be away from home sometimes for a week or two at a time and when that happens he has a friend come over and check on them. Last year one of the dogs was a puppy and he went out of town over Spring Break. Well that thing whined and cried almost none stop. Not sure how it didn't lose it's voice! Anyways, I got online, printed out the city ordinance, highlighted the part about dogs and taped it on his door for the friend to see. Rest of the week was nice and peaceful.

There used to be an ordinance about shelter too. It read something like 1 doghouse per animal. Not sure if that one is still on the books or not.

[ClickaNerd]

Dogs are treated weird under the law.

Technically, they are personal property and have no standing like a human.

But, their are cruelty to animal laws on the books.

One would think that if you own a dog - it should be treated like a child or family member.

One of my complaints to CPS involved the neighbors boy slapping one of the rottweilers in the nuts with a belt.

Apparently CPS could care less and animal control is pretty much a joke.

[sojourner truth]

My neighbor has 14 (at last count) Chipoms(Pomeranian/chihuahua mix) that all stay outside 24/7/365. Now, if anyone knows anything about either breed, you know that thay bark whenever someone a block away farts too loud.

They bark all day, all night, and the cops have been called out there at least 100 times over the past 10 years...all to no avail. She feeds them..whenever..and never plays or talks to them unless they have company over. You can tell when that is becuase they all bark and fight with each other for attention. Theonly time she does pay attention to them is to come out back and cuss at them and holler at them.

My dog, on the other hand, stays in a corner "princess pad" in the house whenever the weather is too hot, or below 50. SHe has water dishes, a large dog house with warming pads and a comforter in it. Her food bowl is always filled on a regular scedule, and she is generally played with and spoiled on a daily basis.

Anyone who leaves their dogs without shelter and warmth during winter months needs to be stripped naked, go unfed, and spend a few nights out there with them just to see how they appreciate the environment. Nothing like a frozen water bowl to make you get religion.

[xzochye]

My dogs would flip if I left them outside for longer than 10 minutes. They are my 80lb and 35lb big babies.

[CenTexDave]

They need shelter when it gets that cold. 35 degrees, but wind chill is probably in the mid 20's. A dog house or something to block the wind, a couple of old blankets on the ground, etc. Also - need plenty of food.
Dogs here don't develop that thick coat they would up north at this time of year.

[Mestral]

I agree they need shelter, but the temp probably depends on the breed, and how long they have had to get acclimated. As for animal rights, I have limited tolerance for animal rights activists, but don't believe people should be cruel either. The dogs in Wisconsin stay outside in all kinds of weather, but I believe the law up there requires some kind of shelter also. The original posting seems to be as much about disturbing the peace as anything. The coldest hour is the hour of sunrise. I can see, if you're someone who stays up late, that could be a problem.

[CenTexDave]

Well sure, Mestral, a Siberian Husky isn't going to be bothered much by it. But down here they won't develop that thick undercoat, so they, too, would need shelter.

[FieryPrincess]

The sled dogs here tend to stay outdoors year round with a little house. 40 below and everything. Makig runs at 20 makes them really hot. and they like to roll in the snow to cool off.

Pit bulls and rotties up here have issues because they don't seem to handle the cold as well. My lab/collie mix loves the cold, but we have to put boots on his feet if we are going to be out longer than a quick potty break.

My lab/healer mix doesn't seem bothered by the cold at all for short bursts. We have boots for her too. She doesn't care for them and likes to employ the strategy of trying to be airborne as much as possible to keep her feet off the ice.

It depends on what they are used to. Texas dogs are trained for heat, so the cold probably does bother them. AK dogs are around the cold all the time, so it takes SERIOUS cold to get their attention.