Dogs and House Rules

[Eamonnca1]

I have cats. They use a fairly deep litterbox and are good at burying their waste, and they mostly only do it at night because they know I'm going to clean it out in the morning. I've a short-haired tuxedo who doesn't shed much. Chatty, friendly little yoke. I have a pair of Himalayans. They're a bit shy, longer haired, shed quite a bit in summer and I have to clean the carpets every couple of days to stay on top of it, so in a way it forces me to keep the place clean. The tuxedo goes out for a few minutes once or twice a week but the other two don't have much interest.  They're good company and no bother.

[Puckoon]

Space, and "dog stuff" is no longer a consideration so the argument "if you don't have the space, why get a dog" no longer carries any water. Perhaps "if you don't have the space, why get a big dog that needs space"? - carries a little more water

We've a house dog, a breed that has hair in place of fur and that sheds very very little if at all. My wife is incredibly allergic to all animals but we've had this guy since he was tiny and selected him for the qualities he has for allergic people and for being an indoor dog. He gets plenty of time in the fenced off back yard, gets his walks and time at the park - but he's part of the family and will always be in the house. We have another consideration in that the coyotes would make short short work of him, and so he's never outside without us being home. Spends his days at my feet in the office, only getting up to bark at the postman or when we go for a walk, and he sleeps in our bed unless my daughter is with us and he sleeps with her then.

They are sociable creatures, they don't think they're a dog - they think they're part of a pack and knowing that - why would you not let them be inside with their pack?

I'd counter - if you don't want a dog to be part of your family, why get one?

[Main Street]

Cat in our house, rules the roost and is our de facto youngest child. Sleeping in the hotpress on the towels as I type.

We live rural, just could not think to live without a cat. The cat understands his priceless predatory utility value to the house and just assumes his elevated place in the order. He comes and goes at will through a flap. Only uses the closed litter box in the storage room in times of inclement weather.
I was thinking to change his name to The General.
The dog has restricted access to areas of the house, by some fluke of the universe she came already trained to accept house rules or just had the sense to respect them.

[BennyCake]

Puckoon, but surely a dog indoors isn't in it's appropriate environment? Outside, within nature, where it uses it's canine instincts is more appropriate, not lying in an armchair watching tv.

[Main Street]

Puck gives his dogs plenty of "out time".
Many dogs don't bother with tv  but If your dog  does like to watch tv, then have one with a good resolution, dogs appreciate clarity.

[OgraAnDun]

Puck gives his dogs plenty of "out time".
Many dogs don't bother with tv  but If your dog  does like to watch tv, then have one with a good resolution, dogs appreciate clarity.

Would you say that a plasma or LCD TV is better for the dog?

[Aaron Boone]

Cat in our house, rules the roost and is our de facto youngest child. Sleeping in the hotpress on the towels as I type.

That is disgusting.

Is the cat ok with your immersion timetable?

[Main Street]

Puck gives his dogs plenty of "out time".
Many dogs don't bother with tv  but If your dog  does like to watch tv, then have one with a good resolution, dogs appreciate clarity.

Would you say that a plasma or LCD TV is better for the dog?

You mean which one would the dog appreciate more?   That might have been a decent question about 8 years ago and I would have said plasma, not just for the natural looking clarity but also the viewing position with a plasma  is more flexible than with the lcd. So a dog lying on the floor, possibly hiding under some chair, trying to watch a LCD on the sly from an acute angle, would have a compromised viewing experience.
But these days, 4k LED UHD is the common high standard, leaves both plasma and LCD in the lurch.
These days it's a dogs world when it comes to a quality tv experience, but forget about 3d.

[Hereiam]

Have a dog and it never sees the inside of the house.

[Puckoon]

Puckoon, but surely a dog indoors isn't in it's appropriate environment? Outside, within nature, where it uses it's canine instincts is more appropriate, not lying in an armchair watching tv.

He's not necessarily bred for that. Many dogs were bred for hunting, herding, fighting, protection. Some breeds of dogs were bred for companionship. We can't even argue that this is a recent softening of stance. Dogs were bred for companionship in many of the ancient dynasties. That's my pup.

He doesn't like TV but he doesn't mind soccer. I think he's a libtard Chelsea fan.

[bennydorano]

Cat in our house, rules the roost and is our de facto youngest child. Sleeping in the hotpress on the towels as I type.

That is disgusting.

Is the cat ok with your immersion timetable?

He shifted an hour after the heat came on; went to the floor of the hotpress, next saw him on my daughter's bed, then he slipped downstairs to the living room, currently getting fed & will spend the night on an old dressing gown in the utility room.

[ONeill]

Puckoon, but surely a dog indoors isn't in it's appropriate environment? Outside, within nature, where it uses it's canine instincts is more appropriate, not lying in an armchair watching tv.

A bit like humans?

[moysider]

It's pretty simple really. If you are concerned about dogs and house rules and stuff, forget about keeping a dog as a pet. Of course farm dogs, packs of foxhounds and guard dogs are different. If somebody is not comfortable with a pet dog in a house then they should not keep a dog. That's all she wrote. Like people, dogs are sociable, and like people they can also adapt to a miserable existence. Keeping them outside alone most of the time, feeding them well, and taking them for a walk and messing with children for a fraction of their day is just not on. However dogs being dogs they will still wag their tails as they have been bred to do. Dogs are not a distraction or a toy. Dogs that are end up rescued are probably luckier than those who spend their lives in a back garden with only a couple of hours' interaction with owners each day.
It's simple. If you are not comfortable with a dog in your house, then don't get a dog. They ll be better off for it.

[TabClear]

This is very simple from my perspective. If you don't want a pet don't get one. If you do get one train it and look after it. And I don't mean train it to meet somebody else's opinion of what a pet should do. Train it so it works for the environment its in. If that's a working dog who lives outside or a house dog who lies at the door whatever.

I have a house dog who stays outside during the day and comes inside of we're home  and the bottom line is he makes  me, the missus and the kids happier. After a bad day at work having  the dog lying beside you on the sofa helps you chill out.

If people have a problem with that then don't call over. I have friends who don't like dogs and that's fine.  The dog goes outside and that's okay but don't tell me where my dog should be otherwise. 

[No wides]

I have cats. They use a fairly deep litterbox and are good at burying their waste, and they mostly only do it at night because they know I'm going to clean it out in the morning. I've a short-haired tuxedo who doesn't shed much. Chatty, friendly little yoke. I have a pair of Himalayans. They're a bit shy, longer haired, shed quite a bit in summer and I have to clean the carpets every couple of days to stay on top of it, so in a way it forces me to keep the place clean. The tuxedo goes out for a few minutes once or twice a week but the other two don't have much interest.  They're good company and no bother.

So cats can shit all over your house but kids are spoilt little bastards for playing with their own toys in their own house!!!!