Am I Boring My Dog? (27 page)

If you don’t live in an apartment building;
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if you have a secure yard; if the weather isn’t too hot or too cold; and if your dog has a shelter to duck into—maybe. But you need to consider other, less predictable, factors. For example, in the desert Southwest, it wouldn’t be wise to leave a small dog vulnerable all day to attack by a territorial bird of prey.
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A day outdoors should provide fresh air, visual stimulation, and unlimited bathroom access for your dog. It should not be designed to keep him from destroying the house—that’s what training and the suggestions in the following question are for—or as a form of punishment. Nor should the outdoors be associated with social isolation. If you don’t have a dog door, let your pup in the house as soon as you come home—or, at least, right after you go to the bathroom. (Dogs either stare at you with intense interest while you go, or hold vigil outside if you close the door to what they clearly believe is a tele-transporter, hurtling you to another dimension.)

The following are some preconditions for better outdoor dog living.

By this I mean a yard that has a barrier that can’t be breached by other animals (including humans)—generally, a fence with a locked gate. Opacity is desirable, too. An attractive dog like Frankie might prove extremely tempting to thieves, for example, while large, scary looking breeds inspire some macho idiots—you know, the ones who tease tigers in the zoo—to annoy these captive pups.

Decidedly not included in the secure category—by virtue of both visibility and of cruelty—is a yard guarded by an electric fence. Electric fences leave your dog open to outside harassment, including by malevolent squirrels, who can scamper in and out at will. These fences are also counterproductive. If your dog runs away—and why wouldn’t he want to?—it’s unlikely he would want to risk another shock by coming back in. (Yes, electric fence varieties exist that give your dog a “correction” until he returns to the perimeter—but that doesn’t resolve such issues as squirrel harassment.)

On the other end of the security spectrum are tall masonry or brick walls—a dream for keeping your dog safe while he plays outdoors. Zoning and economics might dictate your use of other materials to build a barrier, however, as might your dog’s natural drives. Consider the following behaviors when deciding on exactly how to secure your yard.

An oral fixation could rule out wooden fencing; many dogs find tree-based products very tasty. You don’t want your pooch to chew through slats and get a mouthful of splinters. The good news: dogs often outgrow an inclination toward dental entertainment, and you may eventually be able to install more attractive fencing.

 

I’ll go into more detail about digging in question 89, but if you live with a serious burrower, fortify the fence line with cement blocks or large rocks, or dig a narrow trench and fill it with concrete. Alternatively, sink chicken wire into the ground about 6 to 12 inches deep, curving it in 2 or 3 feet toward the yard. Make sure to roll up the sharp edges so your dog doesn’t injure herself.

 

For the garden variety, as it were, fence jumper, regular precautions might suffice. Avoid leaving anything near the fence that your dog could use as a launch pad—patio table, garbage can, barbecue … even piles of snow could give your pup an extra leg up. For Olympic-level vaulters, add height to the fence and tilt it inward with angled steel extensions, perhaps strung with fence fabric (but nothing that could trap your dog’s paw or collar).

Another option is to plant shrubbery—or install a barrier that your dog can’t impale himself on—at a distance designed to thwart a running start.

Note:
If it’s too expensive for you to go the whole fence route and/or your dog is a serious escape artist, consider a smaller—but large enough to roam in and use as a bathroom—enclosure, built adjacent to the house and in conjunction with a dog door (see the following section).

Doghouses were once modest structures, intended only for basic protection against the elements—thus their reputation as retreats of last resort for the human badly behaved. Now they’ve gone from crude shelter to shelter magazine. Some architects advertise their design skills with elaborate dog homes; magazines from
This Old House
to
Woman’s Day
have featured canine-sized renditions of classic American styles.

Can’t afford a custom-built replica of your abode? No worries. You can still cater to your dog’s comfort and your aesthetic sense with (theoretically) easy-to-construct models. Styles listed on
DogHouse.com
, for example, range from the Arctic-themed Dogloo ($120) to the porch-fronted Swiss chalet ($387)—not to mention the 8-foot-tall Victorian-style cottage that doubles as a kennel ($5,800).

Consider the following when buying a doghouse.

 

Get a house large enough for your dog to fit his entire body into, but not so large as to be drafty. (If your pup is a social animal, you can get a duplex.)
DogHouse.com
offers tips on how to choose the correct size—for example, the door height opening should be no less than three fourths of the dog’s shoulder-to-ground measurement.

 

Plastic and wood are the most common doghouse materials; metal may be an option, too. Take the weather conditions in your region into account when you decide which to choose. Wood is probably a bad idea in a wet or snow-bound area, for example, although a pitched roof can help offset precipitation issues.

 

Again, consider geography. If you live in the Midwest, say, you don’t want the opening of the doghouse to face the wind during the coldest time of year. In the Southwest, you need to avoid the midday sun in summer.

 

You may not have the wherewithal to install central heating or A/C in your dog’s daytime quarters, but insulation is essential where temperatures are extreme.
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Some pricey models have built-in protection, and off-center doors help keep the wind and rain from reaching your pup. Hanging strips of plastic over the doghouse door also helps ward off the elements, and putting a blanket, heated pad, or even straw on the floor keeps your dog toasty.

 

Especially if he doesn’t have access to your house while you’re gone, your pup needs a supply of fresh water in his doghouse. Nix the food, however, except in toys that make it difficult to get to. Comestibles—remember Chapter 4?—may attract the bad company noted in the next section.

 

No, a doghouse doesn’t have to pass the white glove test, but you’d be surprised at the company your dog may be keeping if you’re not vigilant: pack rats, bees, and other undesirables. Plastic houses are generally the easiest to clean, but some wood ones come with removable roofs. Consider, too, a raised panel floor: it keeps the air flowing and the debris under the house, not in it.

Call it providence or serendipity. Before I got Frankie, I bought a home that caters to a small dog’s comings and goings.
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The sliding-glass doors on the side of my house are fronted by wrought-iron security bars that are a Frankie-size distance from one another. Tucson’s warm weather and general nonbugginess allows me to leave the glass doors open without a screen much of the year; when I’m home, Frankie can exit and reenter without asking permission.

Installing a dog door typically requires you to cut a hole in a standard door or wall. Most door models come in three standard sizes, and of course you can pay extra to get something tailored to your pup’s proportions. The larger the door, the more of a temperature control and security issue
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it poses.

Perhaps the biggest decision you’ll need to make regards the operation of the door: manual or automatic/electronic.

 

Generally consisting of flaps that your dog can walk through at will, manual doors used to be simple and inexpensive but

The premise is the same for all varieties: your dog wears a special collar that allows him—and only him, as opposed to the random raccoon—to unlock the door, which then shuts behind him automatically. These doors vary in the type of technology they employ—from magnetic to battery-powered infrared and radio-frequency—as well as in style. Some resemble traditional flap doors; others glide up and down.

I applaud the dog empowerment concept and the added security these doors afford but they’re costly to install and repair. And I don’t entirely trust the technology. I once put in a battery-operated doorbell that went off constantly and indiscriminately, generally in the middle of the night, whenever … well, I’m not sure what set the bell off—police radar? Garage door openers? When it comes to a door dropping down on your dog or locking him out of the house, we’re talking about more than just an annoyance.

Loving your dog and wanting lovely digs are by no means mutually exclusive. It’s often just a question of stepping up the training and making a few inexpensive décor changes. But if you want to redecorate with your pup in mind, you don’t have to sacrifice style to avoid permanent slobber stains.

Note:
Dogs are notoriously bad at wiping their feet when they enter the house. Keep an old towel by the door and head your dog off at the pass before she has a chance to bring the outdoors in—in a bad way.

Tile is a no-brainer for the canine inclined, the harder and the more impervious to scratches the better; unlike carpeting, tile repels hair and odors, and is simple to clean. Wood floors are also dog-durable, although larger pooches can scratch the softer varieties; these may require a factory finish laminate—and a strict nail-trimming regimen—to maintain their good looks. Linoleum, which is tough, inexpensive, and environment friendly,
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has made a comeback, so don’t rule it out because you’re picturing the colors and patterns of an ancient relative’s kitchen.

Because much of this flooring tends to be slippery and dogs don’t have good skid control, and because hard surfaces are tough on arthritic dog hips, area rugs with nonslip pads make a good safety—as well as décor—complement. For hiding, as well as repelling, dirt and stains, think dense, cut-pile wool or high-grade nylon in midrange colors. Patterns are your friends, too. Hemp, sisal, or seagrass weaves provide cover for light-haired shedders.

Deterrence, especially through training, is the first line of defense in keeping your furniture safe from doggie depredations.

When you’re at home …

Be consistent. You can’t decide that it’s okay for your dog to sit next to you when you feel like having company on the couch and then yell at him when you don’t. Firmly but pleasantly head your dog off when you see him approaching the verboten furniture, and direct him to get down if he’s already settling in. Also …