Would you keep dogs in a garage?
Discussion
Have been working from home for a few years, so my two dogs have had it easy! I'm going to start up at an office next month and need a solution for them from from 08:30 to 17:30.
Exercise shouldn't be an issue (run in local park in morning, dog walker middle of day, walk evening) but one of them can be very destructive when bored so he can't be trusted in the house all day.
The options are:
1) Build a large double kennel with run and. One of the dogs (labrador) is a bit of a softy and I don't think he'll enjoy being outside all day, especially in winter.
2) Knock through to our integral garage (and out the side) and build a utility room. Got quotes of around £3k though, which is a bit much.
3) Replace garage door with a side-hinged door with obscure windows, fit a daylight bulb and a heater, and the entire garage becomes a giant utility room.
I would like to go with option 3 - I think it would be the most comfortable for them, give them lots of room to play, and is the cheapest/easiest to achieve.
But I'm concerned some neighbours might think its strange/cruel to lock dogs up in a garage all day, if they see us do it. Our dogs are pretty tough and easy going but I know some non-doggy people don't really understand that. I've heard of people calling RSPCA/police because they saw their neighbours dog outside in the rain, for example.
So what are some opinions - would you think it's strange if you saw a neighbour putting their dogs in their garage?
Exercise shouldn't be an issue (run in local park in morning, dog walker middle of day, walk evening) but one of them can be very destructive when bored so he can't be trusted in the house all day.
The options are:
1) Build a large double kennel with run and. One of the dogs (labrador) is a bit of a softy and I don't think he'll enjoy being outside all day, especially in winter.
2) Knock through to our integral garage (and out the side) and build a utility room. Got quotes of around £3k though, which is a bit much.
3) Replace garage door with a side-hinged door with obscure windows, fit a daylight bulb and a heater, and the entire garage becomes a giant utility room.
I would like to go with option 3 - I think it would be the most comfortable for them, give them lots of room to play, and is the cheapest/easiest to achieve.
But I'm concerned some neighbours might think its strange/cruel to lock dogs up in a garage all day, if they see us do it. Our dogs are pretty tough and easy going but I know some non-doggy people don't really understand that. I've heard of people calling RSPCA/police because they saw their neighbours dog outside in the rain, for example.
So what are some opinions - would you think it's strange if you saw a neighbour putting their dogs in their garage?
There wouldn't be a doggy door. I wouldn't let them roam the garden without anyone in the house. We live near a forest so loads of foxes/cats/hedgehogs/rabbits/frogs for them to run into, plus one of them could get bored and dig through to a neighbours garden.
Also I wouldn't put it past some of the neighbours kids to climb over our fence to get a ball or whatever if they didn't see the dogs out.
We would have lots of toys/stuffed kong/nice beds/water in the garage but they would only get out when the dog walker came.
Also I wouldn't put it past some of the neighbours kids to climb over our fence to get a ball or whatever if they didn't see the dogs out.
We would have lots of toys/stuffed kong/nice beds/water in the garage but they would only get out when the dog walker came.
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