Reader’s Question
I’m getting a puppy soon and my husband and I can’t agree on where it should sleep. He says dogs should sleep outside but I would prefer the puppy to sleep indoors. What would you advise?

Lindsay’s Answer
This is a familiar question and my answer is always the same. Your dog should sleep inside. There are a number of reasons for this, the most important of which is that your dog cannot protect you if he lives outside. An outside dog is much more vulnerable as it’s easy to throw poisoned or spiked meat over a fence, and it’s much easier to intimidate the dog by throwing stones or waving a stick, making it relatively easy for intruders to enter the house even if there are dogs in the garden.

Also, we must remember that dogs are pack animals and if we treat them as part of the pack, they are much more likely to defend their territory and the members of the pack. In fact, the most effective way to protect yourself at night is to allow your dogs to roam freely around the house. When it comes to sleeping outside, it is also important to remember that some breeds of dog are simply not adapted to sleeping out in the cold. Compare a Labrador or Daschund’s coat to a Husky – short-haired breeds do feel the cold and may develop conditions, such as arthritis at a much younger age than they would if they were allowed to sleep indoors. Having said all this, I have also seen dogs that simply prefer sleeping outside – but if I were you I’d start your puppy off inside.

Words: Home magazine
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