Wednesday 11 February 2015

Barking Blondes: Dogs living outside

Joanne Good and Anna Webb
Dog1 768x1024 Barking Blondes: Dogs living outsideOn a recent long weekend break to Spain, we were excited to spy a British bulldog asleep on an adjacent balcony. From our apartment, we could watch his every move and were concerned to discover there were no evidence of food or water bowls. After, what was an uncharacteristically cold night for the area, we were even more alarmed to see he had not been moved indoors and it was apparent the owners were away.
The poor thing spent his day lounging in the sun without any fresh water to drink let alone any company, exercise or stimulation. Being a flat-faced breed overheating is a common problem for Bulldogs. Certain breeds like Bulldogs, Pugs, Frenchies and Bostons suffer from compromised breathing due to their snub noses and wrinkly expressions. Their nostrils and windpipes are so narrow that they can’t draw in enough air and can’t cool themselves by panting as efficiently as other ‘longer-nosed’ breeds.
We took such pity on this handsome Bulldog lying forlorn, thirsty and bored but realized that calling to him and throwing pieces of apple ( which he wolfed down ) was only frustrating him. So there was little we could do.  I mentioned to our Spanish host that maybe we should call the police. He grinned and said that would be absurd. In Spain unlike here, there are few if any animal welfare organisations. The Police would not have taken the plight of this dog seriously.
And maybe we were making too much of a fuss. Back in the day, it was quite ‘normal’ to keep dogs outside in a kennel. In the main, dogs were kept as working dogs who earned their keep. They weren’t considered as ‘furkids’ but more like working colleagues who helped with a ‘job’ like guarding, retrieving, flushing game, herding livestock or ratting.
Dogs played a role in our social structure and weren’t less treasured and looked after; it was just different. The only breeds that would have lived indoors were tiny toy breeds that were kept as ‘companions’ and lapdogs.
Out of the 30,000 year time frame we’ve spent domesticating the dog, it’s very recently that we’ve turned them into members of the family that happily co-habit with us sharing our sofa and sleeping on our beds.
Are we ‘molly-coddling’ dogs too much?
There was a time when many animated childrens cartoons had the obligatory dog living in an outside kennel with FIDO on the sign.
But recently we saw a TV commercial, for a well know department store, pulling their Christmas ad because it depicted a dog in a snow covered kennel!
Nowadays, we have a pet industry that’s fuelling the pampering of our precious pooches. It’s worth billions. What with designer diets, collars, beds, toys, smart gadgets, dog owners are also spoilt and over-indulge their dogs. Many dog trainers will argue that a range of behaviour problems are created by over-spoiling and allowing them to sleep on the bed.
Dog owners resign themselves to constant moulting all year round as dogs adapt to cope with centrally heated homes. Many ‘itchy dog’ problems and a lack-lustre coat stem from the skin being dried out and shriveled under a furry coat.
For certain breeds like a Pyrenean Mountain Dog, German Shepherd, or Siberian Husky with thick weather proof coats happily stay outside providing they’re fed, watered and given appropriate bedding in a dry kennel.
For our bull breeds the thought of living outside is not an option. They are both too accustomed to their little home comforts. If they spent a night in a kennel outside, we’d probably be given the ‘cold shoulder’ for days if not months afterwards.
Barking Blondes by Jo Good & Anna Webb published by Hamlyn, £12.99www.octopusbooks.co.uk


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