# If you're a dog owner and you don't allow them to live in the house with you, you're a dick. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 18, 2015, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-a-dog-owner-and-you-dont-allow-them-to-live-in-the-house-with-you-youre-a-dick/710141 "2015-01-18T06:40:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2015, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-a-dog-owner-and-you-dont-allow-them-to-live-in-the-house-with-you-youre-a-dick/710141/21 "2015-01-18T19:24:39Z")
Most of the more interesting dogs I’ve known vastly preferred the outdoors. Crappy little rat dogs might be different,but all the dogs I’ve ever had would come in for 20-30 minutes of together time,at most, before they started to get board of the lack of smells and sounds inside and went back outside to _their_ house. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2015, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-a-dog-owner-and-you-dont-allow-them-to-live-in-the-house-with-you-youre-a-dick/710141/22 "2015-01-18T19:51:14Z")
\*\*If you’re a dog owner and you don’t allow them to live in the house with you, you’re a dick. \*\* Okay. Suck Me! ---
**Author:** ![Ionizer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5daacb/32.png) [@Ionizer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ionizer)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2015, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-a-dog-owner-and-you-dont-allow-them-to-live-in-the-house-with-you-youre-a-dick/710141/23 "2015-01-18T21:50:12Z")
I have a not-so-far-away neighbor who had two pitbulls, and bred them for cash/bartering purposes. The only shelter they had was a ~4’x6’ hurricane-style fence enclosure and I could tell there was nothing for them to eat from (just poured food on cement for them, they did) and waterbowl was easily overturned from so little room to play/move around. Owner kept one of the pups from a litter born just after we moved out here, so there were then three dogs that could not move around much or such. It only took me one day of winter weather (maybe a week after moving here) before I called Sheriff’s office about legal requirements for keeping any animal (food/shelter/water always available is what I was told by Dispatcher, fwiw) and within minutes a Deputy was seen pointing this and that out to owner with owner looking rather angry about situation. I have not seen those dogs since (approx a year ago), so whether they are inside animals now or given away (or sold most likely) is unknown. At least I stopped obvious cruelty to a few animals 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2015, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-a-dog-owner-and-you-dont-allow-them-to-live-in-the-house-with-you-youre-a-dick/710141/24 "2015-01-18T21:59:19Z")
I agree for the most part. Most people who don’t bring their dogs inside are jerks. There are exception. ---
**Author:** ![Rune](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e68b1a/32.png) [@Rune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rune)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2015, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-a-dog-owner-and-you-dont-allow-them-to-live-in-the-house-with-you-youre-a-dick/710141/25 "2015-01-18T22:11:49Z")
> [@camille](#): > > Dogs are social animals. It’s cruelty to keep them isolated from the “rest of the pack” (i.e., you and your family). The OP should at a minimum have specified he meant dogs as pets. If sledge dogs for instance are brought inside they’re likely to eat any babies lying around. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2015, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-a-dog-owner-and-you-dont-allow-them-to-live-in-the-house-with-you-youre-a-dick/710141/26 "2015-01-18T22:15:29Z")
dogs hunt and track food. gorge themselves and bury the rest. trapping them indoors is unnatural. ---
**Author:** ![Boogly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Boogly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boogly)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2015, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-a-dog-owner-and-you-dont-allow-them-to-live-in-the-house-with-you-youre-a-dick/710141/27 "2015-01-19T00:08:45Z")
> [@Rune](#): > > The OP should at a minimum have specified he meant dogs as pets. If sledge dogs for instance are brought inside they’re likely to eat any babies lying around. I always wanted a sledge dog, but I’ve heard they are a can be a little too heavy towards the head. ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2015, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-a-dog-owner-and-you-dont-allow-them-to-live-in-the-house-with-you-youre-a-dick/710141/28 "2015-01-19T00:29:18Z")
It seems to me that it’s keeping dog inside which is unnatural. What I always had a problem with, in fact, is people living in apartments and owning dogs who only ever go outside for a short walk on a leash. I know it feels perfectly normal to most people, who have been raised in towns and cities, but I can’t help finding it cruel. Dogs who never enter the house? Barring extreme weather conditions, I’ve absolutely no problem with that. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2015, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-a-dog-owner-and-you-dont-allow-them-to-live-in-the-house-with-you-youre-a-dick/710141/29 "2015-01-19T01:07:07Z")
Isn’t it funny how every person posting thinks their climate is everyone else’s climate? If your dog is specifically bred as a sled dog and you are having a Cold Northern Winter, ok then. The OP is talking about the “That’s Right! That’s what I’m talkin’ bout!” choir. The ones who think their German Shepard or Dachshund is designed like a sled-dog and who posture (after they find it dead, frozen solid on its side in the morning) with crap like, “well, it was too Weak! I Tried to toughen it up, but it was just too sickly & Died. Served it Right”. :dubious: Those are the folks who need to be chained to their own dog-posts on cold January nights until solidified. > [@Boogly](#): > > What about people who use dog sleds? > > A team of 12 dogs ready to go normally means more than 12 dogs be kept. > > There is a difference between pets and service dogs/animals. The Iditrarod had 76 Mushers this year. Lets assume 24 dogs per owner and that maybe there are 100x as many people trying as get in (going big as an estimate). That’s 180,000 Huskies/Malamutes. According to [this cite](http://www.mapsofworld.com/world-top-ten/countries-with-most-pet-dog-population.html), there are approx 76 million dogs in the US. Doing quick math, 1/5th of 1% of all dogs in the US, work or otherwise, can handle being kept outside in climates with cold winters year round. Thats ONE dog out of every 500. And if that ONE dog can have thick enough skin to handle it, then maybe its owners should grow some because of the existence of the truly crappy dog owners who force dogs that aren’t meant for cold winters outside to freeze to death “cause I said so” style. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2015, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-a-dog-owner-and-you-dont-allow-them-to-live-in-the-house-with-you-youre-a-dick/710141/30 "2015-01-19T01:49:48Z")
If I had my druthers I’d have an Australian Cattle Dog, like Mad Max’s side kick. However, it needs to run all day everyday and nips at the heels of small creatures it feels compelled to control. So if I wanted to destroy that dogs soul I’d buy one and keep it indoors and punish it for growling at children. ---
**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2015, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-a-dog-owner-and-you-dont-allow-them-to-live-in-the-house-with-you-youre-a-dick/710141/31 "2015-01-19T01:55:08Z")
For me, the correct pit is “people who do not appropriately care for the dog they have.” I can fully agree with that, whether it’s someone cramming a great dane into a tiny apartment, or someone making their chihuahua sleep in the snow. Both are equally bad. You can’t simply pit everyone who keeps their dogs outside. That’s just as pittable as the offense you’re trying to pit, if you ask me. ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2015, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-a-dog-owner-and-you-dont-allow-them-to-live-in-the-house-with-you-youre-a-dick/710141/32 "2015-01-19T02:19:09Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Well, it’s the Pit, so it’s almost an obligation to pick on the OP for minor issues. 😛 I agree with you, actually. I feel the same way about people who boot their cats out the door to cope with predators, disease and other cats. Don’t you mean “ **other** predators”? I tried to keep one cat indoors with disastrous results; after three days we installed a cat door. The cat lived a long and happy life improving the gene pool of small birds and rodents. The cat was feral, and nothing was going to change that. The current cat, however, is quite happily an indoor cat. > [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > Many hunting breeds are generally safer around infants, children, and humans in general than many non-working breeds…. I would agree; hunting dogs, particularly bird dogs, are good for children. Herding dogs can be another story, though. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2015, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-a-dog-owner-and-you-dont-allow-them-to-live-in-the-house-with-you-youre-a-dick/710141/33 "2015-01-19T02:19:27Z")
> [@dracoi](#): > > For me, the correct pit is “people who do not appropriately care for the dog they have.” I can fully agree with that, whether it’s someone cramming a great dane into a tiny apartment, or someone making their chihuahua sleep in the snow. Both are equally bad. > > You can’t simply pit everyone who keeps their dogs outside. That’s just as pittable as the offense you’re trying to pit, if you ask me. Right. However, for that offense Pit etiquette requires we turn on the OP and eat his brains. ---
**Author:** ![Savannah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Savannah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Savannah)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2015, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-a-dog-owner-and-you-dont-allow-them-to-live-in-the-house-with-you-youre-a-dick/710141/34 "2015-01-19T02:28:44Z")
Dog owner. Dog lives _with_ us. In the house when we’re in the house. Out for walks when we go out. Goes to work with my husband. Shares the bed. Shares our lives. I can’t even imagine leaving her outside in the dark and cold by herself. She’s a companion animal, and as such, is a spectacular success at her job. Why on earth would you get a dog just to leave it alone and cold and lonely in the back yard? Just friggin’ heartbreaking to imagine, let alone witness. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2015, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-a-dog-owner-and-you-dont-allow-them-to-live-in-the-house-with-you-youre-a-dick/710141/35 "2015-01-19T02:35:13Z")
My dog died last September and while I had been all “I’ll bury her ashes under her favorite shade tree,” when the time came I totally could not even leave the ashes of my dog outside alone. They are in my bedroom now. So, I’m with Savannah. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2015, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-a-dog-owner-and-you-dont-allow-them-to-live-in-the-house-with-you-youre-a-dick/710141/36 "2015-01-19T03:22:50Z")
My dog is the world’s biggest baby. Yeah, he’s an inside dog. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2015, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-a-dog-owner-and-you-dont-allow-them-to-live-in-the-house-with-you-youre-a-dick/710141/37 "2015-01-19T03:31:23Z")
> [@Count\_Blucher](#): > > The Iditrarod had 76 Mushers this year. Lets assume 24 dogs per owner and that maybe there are 100x as many people trying as get in (going big as an estimate). That’s 180,000 Huskies/Malamutes. Your numbers and breeds are all wrong. In addition to the Iditarod, there is the Yukon Quest, the Tustumena 200, Kuskokwim 300, Knik 200, Northern Lights 300, Snowy Mountain Trapper 250, and the Junior Iditarod; not to mention sprint races like the Anchorage Fur Rendezvous; and that’s just in Alaska. While there is some overlap with racers/races, there are a lot more dogs than you think. And very few people use huskies or malamutes unless they’re into losing a lot. ---
**Author:** ![curlcoat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea5d25/32.png) [@curlcoat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curlcoat)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2015, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-a-dog-owner-and-you-dont-allow-them-to-live-in-the-house-with-you-youre-a-dick/710141/38 "2015-01-19T03:34:47Z")
> [@scabpicker](#): > > Ehh, my dogs were inherited, and were never really house trained. They’ll bark to let you know they’re hungry or bored, but not if they need to use the restroom. In fact, I have let one of them in just to watch them piss on the floor. So, they’re outside dogs, with heated dog houses. This happened to us, except we didn’t need a heated dog house in S Cal for the non-housebroken, completely un-mannered eight year old dog we got stuck with. I tried to get it across to her that if she messed in the house, she wasn’t going to get house privileges but at that age, and given her temperament, it just didn’t happen. So she lived out in the back yard for another **EIGHT FUCKING YEARS** before she finally died. And got to watch the other dogs go in and out of the house and go on trips and all of that. It really wasn’t her fault she had no manners, and that she was essentially unable to change her ways at that age. But damn I was glad when that dog finally died. And I simply wasn’t going to clean the carpets in the front room and dining room every day so that ungrateful wretch could be indoors. ---
**Author:** ![bashere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@bashere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bashere)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2015, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-a-dog-owner-and-you-dont-allow-them-to-live-in-the-house-with-you-youre-a-dick/710141/39 "2015-01-19T03:42:36Z")
> [@dracoi](#): > > a great dane into a tiny apartment Danes make awesome apartment dogs. The zommies (that’s what Dane owners call the inexplicable tendency to run at high speeds, veering off in the last instant before 150 pounds of dog crashes into you at 20mph\*) require some park time, but other than that, they want a soft place to sleep, and something the can gnaw on, like a human skull. They are truly the Apollo of dogs - if force is equal to mass times speed, the a 150 lbs dog crashing in to you at 20mph per hour would be, let’s see…times speed…carry the two…really painful. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2015, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-a-dog-owner-and-you-dont-allow-them-to-live-in-the-house-with-you-youre-a-dick/710141/40 "2015-01-19T03:47:44Z")
> [@clairobscur](#): > > It seems to me that it’s keeping dog inside which is unnatural. What I always had a problem with, in fact, is people living in apartments and owning dogs who only ever go outside for a short walk on a leash. I know it feels perfectly normal to most people, who have been raised in towns and cities, but I can’t help finding it cruel. Yet apartment complexes everywhere welcome dogs and millions of dogs are happy and content living in an apartment. Go figure. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-a-dog-owner-and-you-dont-allow-them-to-live-in-the-house-with-you-youre-a-dick/710141.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-a-dog-owner-and-you-dont-allow-them-to-live-in-the-house-with-you-youre-a-dick/710141.md?page=3)