Let your yorkie out alone?
 

Just wondering how many of you let your babies outside without you? I have heard such horror stories about hawks, etc. Millie has NEVER been outside by herself, and I don't plan on changing that. But just wondering if any of you have "modified" the yard to let them go out safely? I've seen houses, nets, etc. put in yards and we're thinking about doing something! Pictures would be great!!

Great idea for a thread, I'd like some ideas too. We're like you, we don't leave him out alone, he's the first dog I've ever had that we feel this way about, another couple of pounds and I wouldn't worry so much.

No way!

Maybe if I was literally staring at her through a window, but still probably not..

Besides threats like hawks, we have some Yorkie theft here. It is just not safe and I won't risk her well being for something like that.

I do, sort of-ish. My dad has a fenced in yard and lives out in the "country"... it's pretty wide open out there, no trees, etc, lots of huge farmfields. Their fenced in yard is a decent size, very secure. We let all 3 dogs out in the backyard by themselves to a point... however Jackson rarely will be out there for longer than 3 minutes without me anyways, before barking to come back in the door. When I let him out to potty, I stand on the screened in porch and let him go, but I'm not like walking right by him or anything. He's bigger at 16lbs and I realize it doesn't make him immune to wild animals, etc, but I watch him closely. We don't see many hawks around but have seen a fox that was obviously ill so it's something we watch out for. Anyways in *general* we are always outside with them... but there will be periods of 1-3 minutes where they are "by themselves".

LOL, yes, those squirrels can be vicious!

Nope...never and can't imagine I ever will. It's kinda weird with my girl, I usually take her out through the garage to the backyard. She will run ahead to the door leading to the garage, I have to open it and step out first, then she will run ahead to the walkout door (even if it's open) she waits and I have to step out first. So, I can't imagine she would ever go out by herself ;)

Now, if we are in the yard and I walk back into the garage for something, 15 seconds and she comes leaping through the door, LOL. I think she is a scaredy-cat :eek:

Seriously, we have a large backyard with split-rail wired fencing but I would still be afraid dog roam the neighborhood would jump the fence and attack her. Some breed can really jump...they may think my girl was prey or something. Ok, convinced myself...NEVER. :D

My 4 are never outside alone and they are always with me on a harness with a leash when we are outside, even though we have 5 acres of land. There was a coyote beside our garage about 3 months ago. Just too dangerous.

Yes...during the day but only if I am in the den/kitchen and can see in the yard. Then, Copper is only out for a couple of minutes before I am calling him back in. It does make me nervous if he is out without me.

Never! I always go with him. I honestly think he loves when I am with him too! Maybe if he was bigger, I might. He is too small and between rattlesnakes, hawks, owls and wonderful coyotes not anytime soon!


Dh is going to build Pnut a sunroom!! ( sigh) once he does that I will post a pic!!

Have you seen the Texas squirrels!? They will steal anything.

And in answer to the OP.... NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!NO! not even with the 70lb dog when he is having a good day,,, NO!

Oh dear, I'm not sure I'd want to go outside either!

LOL! Sounds like everyone is just as paranoid as I am! We also have a 6 ft privacy fence all the way around, so I am not worried about another dog (or anything on foot) getting her...it's mainly just the birds! And (knock on wood) I have never seen a hawk anywhere near where I live- I live in a little subdivision. But I still won't let her go outside alone! But she is obsessed with going outside and we are having trouble finding a balance with "pottying" and "playtime" so I was thinking about getting my hubby to build off a little side area from the deck that was covered..where she can just go pee pee and come right back. I can see basically our whole back yard even when I'm sitting on the couch or in the kitchen. Even if we ever figure it out, I would never let her go outside more than 2 minutes alone- too precious to allow to get hurt!!! :)

NOPE.. isn't going to happen.

I will say dh was grilling and came in and closed the screen door. I was finishing dinner and looked out to the door -- Remy was sitting there .... waiting:)

Read my lips: Never, ever, never will my Yorkies go out alone.:eek:

I have never let Jada and Bogie off leash even with me outside with them. We are out in the country and too many neighbors who don't keep there dogs in there yards, they just roam where they want to. We live on 60 acres and there are all kinds of hawks, owls, coyote, not to mention feral cats. Heck I don't even let them on our screen porch by themselves. (had an opossum eat through a screen once:eek:)

No way! Never ever ever ever ever!! I live in the country. She is a snack waiting to happen if I let her out alone!!

Mine have not been outside by themselves - I am glad to hear there are others who share my concern. Where I live we have hawks, owls and SNAKES and have heard many stories of people losing their small pets. (My dentist had a hawk swoop down and take his cat during a family bbq and the yard was full of people!)

I have a small covered patio on the back of my house - about 120 square feet. Several years ago when I had my little girl Poppy, I had the patio enclosed. Now Max and Abby have a safe area where they can get fresh air.

One of my friends - who has two mini-pins - had a doggie door installed and an enclosed doggie area built. It is like a doggie run - completely fenced in with a canvas cover for shade. The only issue they have is they have to bend over and walk bent over to clean up the doggie poop!

I go out with Teddie, although I have let him out if all 3 of his fur-buddies are with him. I don't think a hawk would mess with Teddie while he's with his 100 pound black lab brother. :D Honestly though... I have seen an uptick in hawk presence in the farmers field behind my house, and those things are huge, so I am cautious with Teddie and my pom as they are small.

I have an area fenced off with 2 ex pens off my sliding glass door. I open the door for Pixie to go out (the others pee on pads) and stand on the stoop while she's out and keep an eye to the sky. Sometimes the other 3 will go out with her but that's usually when I am sitting out there with them. I would never let them alone even for a minute.

No, Gracie only goes out on a leash. We don't have a fence but when we are on the patio she is on a tie out with us. I would love to be able to let her run but we live in a wooded area and have tons of wild life around. We have had people come into the area that steal animals from the owners yards to sell to labs. They seem to go for fenced yards because many people with fenced yards have animals. It's disgusting but true. Years ago, before microchipping, people used put a tattoo in their pets ears for ID. They had to stop because these thieves would cut off the tattoo so they could sell the pet.

Nope I can't I live on a city street with no fence. And there are many stray cats that roam around my neighborhood.

I go out with my girls, even though we have a fenced-in backyard. Just never know what you will find.... For instance, a few times cats have been in the yard and once an opossum on the other side of the fence. Of course, there are red-tailed hawks nearby too.

Like everyone else answered....NO! We DO have hawks around here...we have a man in a near by town that left his little Pom outside alone...yep! a hawk cam down and grabbed him....the dog must have been too heavy for the hawk and he dropped him...You should have seen what the talons did to that poor little guy! HORRIBLE!! it was on our news. He did survive He must have been in so much pain...My two girls don't want to stay out with out me...if I need to go in for a second they follow me in(their ropes are long enough to do this.

Oh, no, never! I don't have a fenced yard, but it wouldn't make any difference. It's too easy for someone to grab them or they can get into something. I love to go outside with them (Bichon, Chihuahua and Yorkie) and we go for long walks and have a good time. Mine are inside potty trained so they don't have to go out to potty, but we go out for walks and fun. And, yes, I am very protective of them!

Jeanette

I have a 6 foot privacy fenced in back yard...and we pretty much live out on our patio outside space so I'm out with my babies the whole time...I don't worry so much about Bella she is 9.9 lb teapot...but my little man Harley is 9 mos and only 4.4 lbs and Ivy I think is gonna be a teapot she is 9 mos also and 5.7 lbs, but I always have an eagles eye on all of them especialy Harley cause he is so little, I know a hawk would get him for sure...so if I have to go inside for something they follow me in or I'll call them and make them go in with me...but I don't have to much of a problem with the hawks....my huge problem right now is bufo/toad frogs, they are very toxic, just last week on the news, a family not to far from me lost they dog to one of those frogs...he either bit down on the frog or it got into his water and it killed the bulldog...so Hubby & I have to put the kids on their leash in the evenings and early mornings when the bufo are very active to go out to potty...its awful...and Thanks to a very nice YT member, gave us a few tips on keeping them out of our yard, so Hubby is in the middle of digging 2 foot down below our fence and adding chicken wire fence below ground and bring it up 2 foot above ground as well to help keep these bufo out of our yard and we spread out salt in the yard, especially around the fence inside and outside and our house to protect our kids....soooo hoping this helps cause they have gottem really bad in the past year...before that I never seen or had any problems with them...The YT member said the chicken wire will keep them fron digging under our fence and getting in and the salt will burn their feet and make them leave the area...fingers crossed this works.

Never! Our yard is all fenced in but I only take Sammy out on his leash, I never let him roam around.

Never! I am probably a little paranoid too, but why take any chances. We have hawks here. If Calleigh sees anything, she will run after it and who knows where that would take her. I would never consider doing it.

Lulu NEVER goes outside without one of us watching her.... She is only 2.7 lbs and would make a tasty snack for even a snake let alone a hawk. There is alot of hilly areas with alot of trees and trails in our area, so she is not allowed to go outside without us. We were thinking about getting her a "Popemobile".. A stroller with a fiberglass bubble around it. lol