Would You Call This Cruel?

[Pete.the.dog]

There is a big dog that lives around the corner from me, I don't know what breed he is, he looks like a black Sibe-ish type thing but again, I'm not sure. Anyway, you can see their yard through the fence - it's a fairly decent sized yard. The dog has shelter under the open garage, i.e. shelter from the rain, not so much from wind etc, but I realised this morning that he sleeps on a towel folded in half on the concrete

I know a lot of us can probably be accused of 'spoiling' our dogs, but to me that seems cruel. I'm not sure of his circumstances, i.e. if he is allowed inside, if he gets exercised etc but it just makes me sad seeing that he has a towel for a bed. Does that seem cruel to anyone else?

Edited July 9, 2010 by Pete.the.dog

[Red Fox]

Could be any number of reasons for it. Perhaps he tears up bedding, or doesn't like it. Perhaps he is only outside for a small part of the day or has a dog door, perhaps he simply likes the towel...

[Miss BeRidgierent]

I dont think it cruel as such but there is no way hell I would let my dog sleep on a folded towel. My dog gets PJs, 2 dog doonas and a bed in winter for his sleeping arrangements.... but that just me.

I do feel sorry for the dog.... but everyone is different and everyone treats dogs differently and don't class them "as a part of the family" etc

[Sydoo]

There is a big dog that lives around the corner from me, I don't know what breed he is, he looks like a black Sibe-ish type thing but again, I'm not sure. Anyway, you can see their yard through the fence - it's a fairly decent sized yard. The dog has shelter under the open garage, i.e. shelter from the rain, not so much from wind etc, but I realised this morning that he sleeps on a towel folded in half on the concrete

I know a lot of us can probably be accused of 'spoiling' our dogs, but to me that seems cruel. I'm not sure of his circumstances, i.e. if he is allowed inside, if he gets exercised etc but it just makes me sad seeing that he has a towel for a bed. Does that seem cruel to anyone else?

Maybe he destroys more substantial beds and the towel is a last resort.

[Skitch]

Not neccesarily cruel.. if the dog doesn't know any better he probably isn't worried! Is there grass, garden etc? He probably sleeps there more anywhere else anyway.

I understand what you're saying though.. it does seem a little mean. But maybe he destorys beds and blankets? My parents dog is like that. Lol

[persephone]

It's maybe not cruel- but perhaps inadequate

[Pete.the.dog]

Good points, I never even thought about him tearing up bedding.

Edited July 9, 2010 by Pete.the.dog

[aussielover]

If it is a husky type dog, then it should be ok with the cold. My aussie shepherd used to sleep outside on the concrete or grass in the middle of winter despite having a warm and comfy bed indoors, the couch, my bed, a kennel, a warm and comfy trampoline bed outside etc. I suppose the fact that there is nothing else available if the dog did want to use it, is slightly concerning, but perhaps they have tried these things before.

Working dogs would be lucky a hessian sack, let alone a towel, so I suppose it is a a matter of persepective

[WreckitWhippet]

Sibes and Mals have been known to sleep on the concrete even when provided with a bed. Some refuse to stay inside, even if the weather is freezing. For some, the colder the better and the more they like it.

[stormie]

Sibes and Mals have been known to sleep on the concrete even when provided with a bed. Some refuse to stay inside, even if the weather is freezing. For some, the colder the better and the more they like it.

We see the same with the Boss' Newfie puppy. We put all the dog beds out in the sun during the day and Orbit and their other dog, a xbreed, spend hours sunning themselves to warm up. The Newfie puppy prefers to lay on the cold tiles in the laundry. Weird dog!!

[Nevafollo]

One of mine sleeps on concrete with a towel...he rips the towl up after a night so usally its just a shredded towl. Ive tried to give him better beds but hes never greatful, he just kills it!

[RoxyNHemi]

My boy has beds inside and out, but he prefers to sleep on the tiles inside and the brickpaving outside most of the time...

[Pete.the.dog]

OK I'm feeling much better after those replies thanks! Hopefully he has loving kind owners who have tried everything but he just loves the towel

He does have plenty of grass to lie on too, so I guess he hasn't got it too bad!

[tarope]

Mine sleep inside on the lounge and my Rottie has a warm coat for Winter, is cruel by my standards.

[Ozstar]

My Mal many years ago would sleep outside in the rain, he had free access inside but preferred it out.

Leanne

[rexiam]

When Sam was here she would often prefer to sleep on the tiled floor on our back covered in verandah than sleep in her bed in her younger years or even lay at the gate.

[SnoPaws]

If the dog is a Sibe I wouldn't class it as cruel

My Sibe has a very expensive bed which the cat sleeps in, she is also allowed on the couch but will only sleep there when we are not home and has a crate with a doona but she only goes in there when she is made to.

Now to where she does sleep, in summer she likes our glass outdoor table on the balcony where she can survey 'her' kingdom, alongside the front door so she can catch the breeze, the slate in front of the fire place when it isn't going, the cold hard kitchen, bathroom, laundry or toilet floor and very occassionally she will try and sneak on the bed when we are both fast asleep. She also has her 'hole', our dogs have a large run separate from the back yard and other paddocks where they dig and do all the doggy things that I don't like them doing in my yard but which are so much fun. Her hole is now so big I am sure she is about to hit oil or water or something and the other dogs aren't allowed near her 'hole'.

Now before you say you can see a pattern here, on Black Saturday when it was 500 degrees, from about 12 until 3, when we carted her off to mum's because of the embers falling on the roof, was spent sunbathing on the back lawn with all 4 legs in the air, while the other dogs were in the pool

Ummm I've forgotten the point but anyhow maybe he likes 'his' towel

Edited July 9, 2010 by SnoPaws

[Tilly]

My youngest GSD doesn't have a bed during the day ... it would end up shredded or worse. He has managed to shove the metal frame under the side gate and it took 2 guys about 20 minutes to remove it (we had to remove timber palings).

He has his dirt hole and a kennel (which had carpet for about 2.5 seconds!!!!) ... but he prefers the dirt hole.

At night he is in his puppy pen on his bed - thankfully he doesn't chew his bed during the night.

[Moselle]

I would say that he would be much better off in a kennel, surely. I know that is a breed of dog that can tolerate the cold more so than other breeds but I would have had a kennel for him to sleep in. If he does not make a point of destroying his towel there is

every chance that he would not be destroying everything in sight.

[Nevafollo]

I would say that he would be much better off in a kennel, surely. I know that is a breed of dog that can tolerate the cold more so than other breeds but I would have had a kennel for him to sleep in. If he does not make a point of destroying his towel there is

every chance that he would not be destroying everything in sight.

Just cause a dog has a kennel doesnt mean they will use it. I have a kennel here, my boy instead chooses to sleep inside the brick BBQ out the back dring the day

Of a night he is in his crate which has no tray in it any more cause he ate the plastic one and bent the metal one to the point that if I left it in there he would have hurt himself! So he gets a towel at the start of each week or a doona if I can find one at the op shop and thats it! Usually it lasts a week but is a jumbled mess after one night!