can you make an outside dog - a part-time inside dog

[MarleyPyr]

Hi everyone,
Thanks for all the advice on "the great barking debate".
Seems collars are not the popular or worthy choice. It does seem like many of you keep your pyr's indoors quite a bit - at least at night. Perhaps the fact that Marley is outside ALL the time is why he seems to never stop barking. For example...he has been barking at the wind for about 45 minutes straight so I have brought him into the garage. Problem is... (and I admit it is mostly my problem) he is now whining and crying. I don't know if I hate that worse than hearing him bark!! lol. Is that a breed traight to be whiners and cryers or with persistence on my part to let him cry and get over it.. will he stop? That is generally why he is outside all the time. If I bring him in he whines till I let him out. I know having a winter coat he is hot if I make him come inside... and I think some of his panting is a little of the "drama queen" in him. Has anyone else gone through this? At a little under two years old.. is it too late to convert him into a night time - inside the house- dog? I should mention that we live in a cold climate 6 months of the year -10 sometimes -20 and then he comes into 20 above zero...don't know if there are health risks.. I suppose I should ask a vet?

[People Whisperer]

If you let him out while he is crying Marley learns that this kind of behavior takes him where he wants to be.
I don't think it is too late. Get plenty of great frozen bones and only feed them to Marley when he is in the house. Soon he will learn that the house is a great place to be after all 

I don't believe that Pyrs are whiners  But they sure are stubborn 

[Scootergirl]

I don't have a pyr so I can't speak to their common traits, but I do know it is never too late to convert them to an indoor or part-time indoor dog.

I would imagine he is whining because he is bored, scared, lonely or a combination of the three.  When I started brining my dogs inside after they had been primarily outside dogs for so long, I gave them a rawhide chew when they first came in. That gave them something specific to focus on right away and associated being inside with a treat.

Since they were focused on the chewie, they weren't running all over the house exploring or hunting the cats, etc. and by the time they finished the chewie they seemed calmer and more content  I would imagine if he is barking at the wind he needs more activities. Do you walk him regularly? A good walk before you bring him inside will help to get some of that excess energy out, too.

Get some inside toys to help keep him occupied when he's in and some outside toys like the big kongs filled with peanut butter, balls, etc. to keep outside to help keep him occupied out there - or even better - another dog!!

[MarleyPyr]

Good point about the whining... I am an admitted softy to his pouting. I will have to toughen up if I want him out of this behaviour. THe one thing that doesn't work with him is treats believe it or not!! Doesn't care for them! I know... crazy!! 

[GoldenPyrs]

Has anyone else gone through this? At a little under two years old.. is it too late to convert him into a night time - inside the house- dog?

Yes, we did & it can be done!  Sammy was an outdoor dog until he came to us (at probably 5 y/o) and at first he didn't even want to come into the house.  It took time, patience, encouragement & lots of treats before he finally agreed to even step inside the door.  Now he spends 90 odd percent of his time indoors as the world's softest & sweetest area rug.    I think that PeopleWhispere r's treat idea is great, but I read that Marley doesn't like treats??     Then I would suggest just trying different yummy things until you either run out of ideas or he finds something that he likes.  I've had great luck with peanut butter, cheese, eggs & meat (of course  ).  Also, our dogs are funny b/c they go nuts for green beans & baked potatoes (go figure).  You also might try bully sticks, they seldom fail.    I think that bringing Marley in (particularly at night) is a great idea to control the barking.  Besides, who can resist a big 'ol cuddle bear?  An added bonus is that with big fluffy burgler alarms sleeping inside you know that you'd hear about any problems long before anyone even got to the door.        

[MarleyPyr]

Has anyone else gone through this? At a little under two years old.. is it too late to convert him into a night time - inside the house- dog?

Yes, we did & it can be done!  Sammy was an outdoor dog until he came to us (at probably 5 y/o) and at first he didn't even want to come into the house.  It took time, patience, encouragement & lots of treats before he finally agreed to even step inside the door.  Now he spends 90 odd percent of his time indoors as the world's softest & sweetest area rug.   


Out of curiosity... did he whine and cry for a long time (days) till he got used to it? I feel like when I try to keep him inside he thinks I am killing him the way he carries on!

[GoldenPyrs]

Has anyone else gone through this? At a little under two years old.. is it too late to convert him into a night time - inside the house- dog?

Yes, we did & it can be done!  Sammy was an outdoor dog until he came to us (at probably 5 y/o) and at first he didn't even want to come into the house.  It took time, patience, encouragement & lots of treats before he finally agreed to even step inside the door.  Now he spends 90 odd percent of his time indoors as the world's softest & sweetest area rug.   


Out of curiosity... did he whine and cry for a long time (days) till he got used to it? I feel like when I try to keep him inside he thinks I am killing him the way he carries on!

Nope, but Sammy had been terribly abused, beaten and starved nearly to death, so he really didn't "say" anything for months.      Poor guy, I think that he was just terrified to draw any attention to himself.  It's been nearly a year and we're thankful that he's now a happy, bouncy boy that's very full of life. 

I think for you the trick is going to be to find something that Marley likes even more than being outside (as PW mentioned).  What treats have you tried so far?  We have a lot (LOL) of really treat-motivated pups on BPO, so maybe b/t the bunch of us we can come up with some treat that he'll like.  Have you tried Mellow Mutt dried chicken strips?  I think that my pups would do almost anything for them!    

[People Whisperer]

THe one thing that doesn't work with him is treats believe it or not!! Doesn't care for them! I know... crazy!! 

Maybe you didn't try what he wants  Lily is not food motivated at all BUT when we show up for obedience classes with my pockets full of cheese, liver and beef heart...all of which she ignores and will do ANYTHING for whatever other have...cheap kibble, hot dogs, microwaved chicken...blea h!
I have learned to really mix it up and buy all kinds of different stuff she has not tried yet. I know she will like it

[maxsmom]

Jake was an outside dog until we got him from rescue.  He was a little over a year old.  I don't give my dogs a choice.  They live in the house with me, full time.  I cannot imagine having an outside dog in FL.  If they whine, I ignore it.  They settle down pretty quickly and get into the routine.  Out for potty breaks or walks and inside the rest of the time.  He also whines whenever he wants something he doesn't get.  He is getting better with time and it lasts for shorter periods of time, since he doesn't get whatever it is he wants, unless he shuts up.  He is very food motivated, but won't eat anything cold.  I put cottage cheese in their food in the AM and he won't eat it until it has been out long enough to warm to room temperature.  Pyrs have a heavy undercoat that will keep them cool as well as it keeps them warm.  Don't worry too much about the temp difference.  Cody was also an outside dog when we got him from rescue.  He was 2.  I only let him out on a leash, since the only way to get him back inside was to herd him in.  You had to corner him, in order to touch him.  He is a very happy movable rug now.
Kathy

[macybean]

You can definitely make an outside dog an indoor dog, just as everyone has mentioned. Sadie was an outdoor dog when I rescued her. She had two peeing accidents in the house and then had potty-training down. She only ever went outside with me on a leash to walk or at a later apartment I would let her walk off leash to the complex's dog park right by my building. When we moved to my house, I put her and Riley outside on their own for a few minutes at a time to go to the bathroom, and she'd just sit by the back door. She wouldn't go anywhere. I think she was afraid I wasn't going to come back to get them. She was definitely used to being an indoor dog at that point!

At the moment, I have my neighbors' pit mix in my house. She's an outside dog that decided to come in my house on New Year's Eve b/c of the fireworks, and now she thinks it's great to come over to visit, eat dinner, hang out... LOL She's slept here once when it froze overnight, and I may keep her in tonight. I crated her overnight; I don't trust her in the house for that long just yet! Plus, she likes to sit and stare a little too intently at the cats. I don't want to risk something happening while I'm asleep.

[Saint and Mal mom]

I definitely agree that it is possible to make an outdoor dog used to being an indoor dog. BUT and this may or may not be the case for you and your dog, certain members of certain breeds sometimes really DO prefer being outside most of the time as opposed to being inside. For example, dogs that were once livestock guarding dogs may have a very difficult time adjusting to being inside full time because they may feel as though their job has been taken away from them if kept inside. Great Pyrenees, Nordic breeds, Anatolians, Komondors, and other working breeds may or may not prefer to be inside. My personal opinion is, it depends on each individual dog. If after a few weeks, your dog decides he quite likes being inside with you and likes being a couch potato (as most dogs do  ) then I say he's happy and you're happy, so good job! Yay for a living throw rug on the floor, right?  BUT if after a few weeks he still seems to really REALLY desire being outside most of the time or even some of the time but inside at night or whatever, I think you should let the dog choose for himself. Pyrs were bred to be guardians. That's hard-wired into them. And some of them definitely feel they are doing their job better outside and want no part of being indoor dogs. Others love being in the presence of their owners 24/7.  So long as the dog is happy, is what's important, right? 

My girls are outside most of the time, I will be honest. But we let them in probably every day for some of the time. But we ask them if they want to come in. We don't make them. If they decide they'd rather just stay outside, snoozing in the sun or playing in the snow, it's fine by me. But if they want to come in, that's okay too. 

[VdogLover]

I have not read alkl the others responses but simply put yes an outside dog can become an indoor dog. May lived outside in a wooden box for the first 3 years of her life and has adjusted just fine as did my Coonhound.
I suggest doing indoor time during the day when you can spend time with the dog and reassure her everything is fine.