Moving a dog outside from the inside

[CraigMST]

Sadly as me and my fianceé still live with our parents my fianceés mum wants our labrador out into the back yard into his own kennel.
He has his own room off of the kitchen at the moment and has done since we got him (he's nearly 2)
Is he going to find it hard?
I don't want it to happen as i'd much prefer it if he stayed in doors, I have no reasoning I just want him in this house, and we won't be moving into our own home for a year or so now.

[falkster]

What's her reasoning for wanting the dog outside?
I think the dog will struggle to adapt as its been inside until now.

[davepoth]

I should think a few nights of the dog barking and crying outside the back door, with the neighbours ringing environmental health at the council, will tip this back towards "let the bloody thing sleep inside".

[Rick101]

Think it would be very difficult to do.

Do find it a little strange you have a dog but are still living with parents. I could understand if it was a family pet but from your post it seems it yours and your fiancee's.

[Jasandjules]

Some will cope, some won't. I think it is hard on a dog no matter what though as they want to be with their pack.

[snowmuncher]

Paddy_N_Murphy said:

Can you not suggest 'MIL' moves out instead? You, Missus and Dog out vote her

+1

[CraigMST]

Our dog is a bit boisterous. Barking when somebody knocks on the front door.
Also the MiL likes everything being spotless so when the dog dirtys up the kitchen in which is the place where he normally is (we don't let him in the living room or roam round the upstairs) she isn't happy.

I just wished she would have said from the start that the dog goes outside so he wouldn't have got used to being inside 24/7. Now that it is 2 years down the line I'm thinking that this could have a detrimental effect on his behaviour?

She reads in the kitchen alot and he just mongs out lying next to her chair.

Can't wait to get our own house. Renting would be a silly idea as eventually in order to save for a deposit for a house we would need to move back into parents houses.

[snowmuncher]

Paddy_N_Murphy said:

... whilst we blast him ...

you're getting that all wrong;

give hose to dog

now run

CraigMST said:

...

The dog is going to take it as punishment and rejection

Particularly if he's going to basically spend all day in kennel after being people all day.

Seems really sad tbh that your MiL doesn't get anything from the companionship of having a dog around

[parakitaMol.]

snowmuncher said:

The dog is going to take it as punishment and rejection

Particularly if he's going to basically spend all day in kennel after being people all day.

Seems really sad tbh that your MiL doesn't get anything from the companionship of having a dog around

poor dog

[Superficial]

CraigMST said:

Sadly as me and my fianceé still live with our parents my fianceés mum wants our labrador out into the back yard into his own kennel.
He has his own room off of the kitchen at the moment and has done since we got him (he's nearly 2)
Is he going to find it hard?
I don't want it to happen as i'd much prefer it if he stayed in doors, I have no reasoning I just want him in this house, and we won't be moving into our own home for a year or so now.

Is he an outdoorsy dog? If the door is left open to the garden, would you usually find him in the house or outside?

We moved our dogs from sleeping indoors to outdoors and can honestly say it was plain sailing, but then they do love to be outside anyway. Is your lab crate trained? If so, pop his crate in his kennel so he has his already familiar safe haven to sleep in. Either way, spend time outside with him in his kennel playing with him, feeding him, etc so he has a positive association with it. Build up the amount of time he is actually locked in there gradually, even starting at something silly like a few seconds.

Don't worry about the heat aspect of him being outside, kennels are much improved now and you can insulate them, provide a heat lamp etc to make sure he's nice and warm. Something like this http://www.ultrakennels.co.uk/the-chatsworth-10ft-... which has been properly insulated should suit him well, and obviously you'd only need a single version. I've been to visit this company in person and can vouch for the quality of their products too.

Hope he settles well and try not to dread it too much, my dogs are far happier outside than in. When we moved house we had to leave their kennel behind but they loved it; we'd often find them in it already when we went to put them to bed. I can't wait to buy their new one, and know it will be as well used as the last one.

[pikeyboy]

My oldest dog often slinks off into the run at bed time when we let them out for a waz! She'd happilly sleep in there as they have a bed full of wood shavings.