If you are going to leave your dog outside much, better get a dog that won't succumb to exposure the way Yorkies and many small dogs do. With much of the country in the grips of a heatwave and the drastic winters many parts have, including rain, storms, etc., a bigger, hardier dog is better than a dog who could easily die from exposure as a Yorkie or chihuahua or tiny poodle can.
I don't recommend leaving any dog in the backyard most of the time and believe that they should be considered family members but if your family is determined to have an outside dog, get one who can live through extreme weather better than a small, delicate breed. Also, those type dogs aren't quite so likely to be stolen.
__________________  Jeanie and Tibbe One must do the best one can. You may get some marks for a very imperfect answer: you will certainly get none for leaving the question alone. C. S. Lewis |