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Leaving Puppy Outside


simmo
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We have a 9 week old boxer puppy and a 8 month old maltese cross silky. The boxer sleeps in a crate in our room at night but i dont like the idea of leaving him in his crate while we are out. We have been leaving them both in our back yard for the past week and the boxer sees quite happy. We have only a large square of grass with no plants for him to eat. Im not working so they will only be out there for a few hours a day and also when we go out with the kids at weekends. They have beds and water and we are going to get a large kennel for them. Really i just want reasurance that this is ok for the boxer. I mentioned it on a site for boxers which i think is American and they went mad and mad me feel like a really bad dog owner. What do you guys think?

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I don't really see an issue...

Personally all my dogs when they are pups are kept inside when I'm not home till they're a bit bigger, but that's just me.

He is very little, but as long as there is nothing dangerous he can get into or any way for him to escape then I imagine it's fine.

Is he going to be outside when you are out when he is older? If so then it's probably a good thing to get him used to it while he's little.

I wouldn't leave him too long at that age, only for short periods of time. Others may disagree though.

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How are the two dogs together? There is quite a size difference between a Boxer and a Maltese X and the Boxers I've met like to play pretty rough.

As to being outside - the important thing is that they have access to shelter and water especially coming up to summer - somewhere they can get out of the heat. I think Boxers only have a single coat? so not as much protection from the elements.

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Some american forums I found were really really over the top, so I wouldn't worry too much.

The only thing I would worry about is the size difference between the 2 dogs, having dealt with a number of boxer pups they can be very energetic (as you probably well know). Being smaller I would be a bit concerned for your maltese x's safety.

As long as he has water and shade he can move around and keep himself cool. Have you got some toys to occupy them while you are out?

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I would never leave a puppy outside when no one is home. Snake, spider & thieves, idiots coming in are the first concern. Large roaming dog jumping fence too. It happens.

No matter how puppy proof you think it is there is always something that can happen. I had a poodle once who almost broke his leg the strangest way. He leaned up on the bar across the fence & his foot slipped & got stuck between the bar & the corrugated tin. Good job I was home & heard the shrieks.

He could do something as simple as dig, find a big stone & choke on it.

Your pup is only a baby & too young to be unsupervised with your other dog yet too.

Inside in a puppy proof area is wiser when you are not around.

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Some american forums I found were really really over the top, so I wouldn't worry too much.

The only thing I would worry about is the size difference between the 2 dogs, having dealt with a number of boxer pups they can be very energetic (as you probably well know). Being smaller I would be a bit concerned for your maltese x's safety.

As long as he has water and shade he can move around and keep himself cool. Have you got some toys to occupy them while you are out?

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I can't see why you can't leave them outside. You've said you'd already sussed it out to make sure it's safe so there should be no probs. Yeah Americans can be a bit OOT I was gangbashed in one of their forums.

Dogs love being outside. I am going to be a Boxer owner soon too, the puppy is 7 weeks atm...do you have pics?

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I have two boxers (11 years and 4 months) and a six year old JRT that all spend time together outside during the day and they are fine. In saying that I'm not sure who has the most energy the Boxer pup or the JRT.

I think it's personal preference and I would give them plenty of practice runs under supervision.

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We're thinking we might put the maltese back in the bathroom when we are not home which is where she has always been. Ben the boxer hates beeing shut in a room as the first 2 nights we had him we put him in the laundry room and he howled and barked all night. The night we put him in the crate he slept all night without a sound. He is a very quiet puppy who sleeps all day and i have to actually get him to play otherwise he wouldn't. Im sure that will change tho as he gets older. He seems to like being outside as he was outside at the breeders house with all his other dogs. He has loads of toys and a kong to play with.

I will put some pictures up when i have worked out how to do it. Thanks for your comments.

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I had an elderly Lhasa Apso and a couple of young boisterous Australian Shepherds who all ran together, all day while we were at work and the Lhasa died of old age at 17, without ever having a sick day or an injury in her life.

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I had an elderly Lhasa Apso and a couple of young boisterous Australian Shepherds who all ran together, all day while we were at work and the Lhasa died of old age at 17, without ever having a sick day or an injury in her life.

I too had a Lhasa Apso and a Schipperke who ran with a young German Shepherd pup. All outside. My Lhasa also died at 17 but did develop an anal adomnma and had to be desexed at 13. But I must say I've never put a puppy as young as 9 weeks outside to play unsupervised. If I go out they come in and get put in a play pen.

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I left Dusty outside from when she was 10 weeks old. We fenced off part of the back yard for her, put a kennel in there, some water, toys, blankets etc.......and she was absolutely fine. But she wanted to be with Benson, who she could play with through the fence and when we deemed she was big enough, she shared the yard with him.

Isaak stayed indoors til he was around 3 1/2 months, and by then he was desperate to get out and play with the big kids.

My dogs all get turfed outside early in the morning (5am or thereabouts) and spend all day outside while we're at work. The only time one would be inside is in case of illness or in season.

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Well if you feel you know your dogs I'd go with that. I left my doberman in a very small yard (a split terrace type place) with two papillons whilst I was at uni for 6 hours. Now I didn't feel good about it but had no other option available to me at the time, last 3 months of uni, suddenly homeless due to mother's new bf etc. But I wasn't worried about my dog hurting the papillons, I just felt bad because it wasn't enough space for him.

My current dog I know I can trust around cats and dogs no problem but prey animals definitely not, not even supervised. My last dog (family dog) I could trust around anything except other dogs. Really depends on the dog, and if you have any doubt, don't risk it.

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I have been criticised on an American forum for having my adult dog outside at all whilst not directly supervised. And this wasn't by one person, it was the general concensus! :eek: My yard is wholly enclosed with six foot fencing and I live in a good neighbourhood. Apparently this is considered negligence over there. I think the attitudes are quite culturally different in the US. :)

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The American forums can be over the top, I don't think they realise how different our climate is the theirs.

I have a Boxer and CKCS and leave them both outside for short periods while I duck out but OH is asleep inside (shift worker), they have a tramp bed, synthetic grass, a very large undercover area, plenty of water and it is not possible for the Boxer to jump the fence with the way our yard is set up - an old friend who had Boxers his whole life told us they can be jumpers. But I never leave them out on hot or very cold days - Boxers cant regulate their temps very well. I'm a bit funny about leaving them out because a family members Lab was mauled to death by the neighbours dogs who got into the yard - the incident has left me very cautious. Just something to consider if you have dogs living in adjoining properties who act menacingly to yours when they are in the yard.

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I see no issue with it. I guess I must be bad breeder as I let my puppies outside, unsupervised in their safe secure puppy run while I was at work, in winter. They had plenty of shelter and even got to enjoy the whole backyard with the big dogs after their devil of a mother busted them out!

If it is safe and secure and has appropriate shelter then I see no issue with it.

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