Is it good for dogs to sleep outside?Dogs can sleep outside in a warm, well-ventilated and cosy shelter with plenty of access to fresh, clean water. However, the SPCA recommends allowing your dog to sleep inside as dogs are part of the family. We do not recommend chaining or tethering a dog as this causes distress and injuries.
Top 4 Reasons Not to Leave Your Dog Outside at Night:
Even if you have some sort of shelter for your dog, you should never leave him alone and outside at night. Different weather conditions can harm your pet and it’s important to protect him from wind, snow, rain, and sunshine. While it’s perfectly fine to let your dog play outside on a hot or snowy day, you should never leave him outside for the night. Without access to your house, your pet can overheat or freeze to death. This is certainly true to short-haired dogs who don’t have the proper insulation from thick coats to protect them from the cold. Even long-haired dogs can suffer if left outside overnight, especially during the hot summer months.
A bored dog can get into all sorts of trouble. If your pup is bored and left to his own devices overnight, he can easily find a way to sneak out of your backyard. Whether he jumps, digs, or chews through your fence, a loose dog is also a dog in harm’s way.
This is because he can have access to toxic plants. Even if your dog stays in your yard, there are plenty of plants that may be growing in your garden that are poisonous to him, including sago palm, aloe, tomato plants, and ivy. During the day, you can keep a close eye on your pet to ensure he doesn’t eat these plants. But when you’re sleeping, your dog can certainly dine on these dangerous plants.
Should I feel bad for leaving my dog outside at night?
It may not be ideal for most homeowners who want to provide their dog with the comfort of home, but if they prefer the outdoors, what can you do?
Just make their outdoor sleeping area comfortable.
Dogs CAN Live Outdoors, Even in Winter
Dogs get an unmistakable twinkle in their eyes the minute you reach for their leashes or open the back door. That’s because they know that they’ll be enjoying some fresh air and sunshine in no time. After all, when they’re outside, dogs have an endless supply of interesting smells to track down, squirrels to chase, patches of sunshine to lounge in, and, of course, stinky mud puddles to roll around in.
While dogs love spending time outdoors, it’s best to bring them in before bedtime to spend time with your family. But you might be wondering how long you can keep your dog outside safely during the day, especially in hot or cold weather. The answer is a little more complicated than you’d expect and varies according to your individual dog’s needs, health, and breed. Here we explore just how to determine when it’s time to call your pup back inside after a day of outdoor fun.
Dogs come in all sizes and breeds, which can affect how long it’s safe to leave them outside. While larger dogs with thick coats may enjoy outdoor romps for longer periods in chilly temperatures, their smaller single-coated and hairless counterparts, on the other hand, can spend more time outside on sunny days but not in the cold.
While small pups can spend a few hours outdoors in temperatures between 60ºF and 90ºF, keep outings in temperatures below 32ºF and above 90ºF to short spans of no more than 10 to 15 minutes, recommends Dr. Wooten.
Medium to large dog breeds like the Siberian Husky, Samoyed, Malamute, Newfoundland, and Bernese Mountain Dog are adapted to extremely cold temperatures because of their thick double coats. For this reason, they can stay outdoors longer in temperatures below 32ºF, usually for 30 minutes to an hour, says Dr. Wooten. Additionally, healthy arctic breeds can stay outside for indefinite period of time during chilly days as long as they are acclimated.
“The long guard hairs that form the outer layer of fur protect against snow or ice and can even shed water; the soft undercoat lies close to the skin and keeps a dog warm and dry,” says Alexandra Bassett, CPDT-KA, Lead Trainer & Behavior Specialist for Dog Savvy Los Angeles. While these double-coated dogs shed their undercoats in the summer to stay cooler, don’t leave them out for long in very warm temperatures above 90ºF.
Livestock-guarding breeds, who are typically medium to large in size can stay out for longer spans of time when the weather is temperate, between 60ºF and 90ºF, especially if they have a job to keep them busy, recommends dog trainer Danielle Mühlenberg of Pawleaks.