Yorkie spends day outside?

[srostie]

I know big dogs spend the day outside with water and a shelter, but a Yorkie? My neighbors Yorkie (about 5#'s) spends the day in fenced area with one of those igloos for shelter. Sometimes he is out there for over 8+ hours during the day. I feel so sorry for him, but don't think they are doing anything wrong. Any thoughts!

[BabieChloe]

I've never really thought it was normal to let a dog be outside alone for long periods of time, even though a lot of people do this. Especially if they won't let the dog go inside until they feel like it. My neighbors leave their Pitbull outside all day and sometimes he barks.. a lot.

[Lovetodream88]

No it's not ok. Yorkies do not have under coats to protect them against the elements. They are also small enough to become a meal for a predator or yorkies are also a highly stolen breed so someone could steal it. Yorkies are not outside dogs.

[srostie]

My thoughts exactly! He is too vulnerable and this is a rural area lots of hawks /owls. Time for me to stop over for a visit!

[AZME]

pretty crazy. Maybe if they had a doggie door and there was an area fenced in and covered so that predators could not get to him/her if he enjoyed being out but 8 hours with no access to indoors is nuts for a Yorkie.

[yorkietalkjilly]

It's wrong for several reasons, not the least of which is most toy dogs, particularly Yorkies, can't self-regulate their body temperature very well and are sensitive to heat and cold. Yorkies have no undercoat to insulate them from cold and heat. Besides, they can find ways to get hurt due to lawn equipment, things tossed/dropped into the yard that they try to eat/swallow, predators can get into the yard over the fence and from the sky even, as owls, hawks, etc., are always on the hunt, and a Yorkie will manage to squeeze out of the tiniest opening to escape. Dogs who stay outside are more prone to get insect bites and the diseases that come from them, worms and other diseases lurking in puddles of water, from bird droppings, etc.

There is far too much risk to allow a toy dog to stay outside unwatched, not the least of which is dog theft - people can jump over/climb fences and take the dog! I'd talk to or write the neighbors and let them know they are putting their dog at risk in many way.

My own neighbors who live kitty-cornered across the alley allow their Yorkie to be out for hours at a time which caused me to call AC and offer to buy him from them anytime; but then I found out they have a doggie door so he has access to the house whenever he feels like it. At least on some cold days, he's wearing a sweater. I'd be terrified to allow my Yorkie to come and go at will but they seem unconcerned. He's quite a bit larger than Tibbe but still, he's too small to be allowed out whenever he likes. I shudder when I see that baby out on very hot or cold days and always watch out when I can to be sure he doesn't stay out too long in extreme weather.

[TiffanyandTeddy]

I don't really agree with leaving any dog unattended outside whether the area is fenced in or not. Too many people easily steal dogs nowadays and that's something I wouldn't want to risk.

[joyce evans]

There are a lot of people that feel that all dogs big and small belong outside. I am in total disagreement! If given a choice most dogs would probably prefer the comforts of indoors especially after being exposed to it. Of course with the option of going outside when they want. There are exceptions. I have a dog with a very thick coat and I have to bribe him to come inside in the winter months. Summer months I have to bribe him to go outside. But a Yorkie..being left outside??? Hope your neighbors pup is ok!

[SirTeddykins]

Some people are just misinformed about the breed requirements, I guess. I think there is a conception that all dogs are the same, regardless of size, which we know to be untrue.


I think the neighbors may be more receptive to your advice since you also own a Yorkie, at least, I hope so! Very brave of you to intercede!

[Lisa and Pic]

I think that is very sad that your neighbor's dog spends all day outside. I have been in a heated discussion like this before with a family member. Very sad. In the case I am talking about it ended up that this small dog was missing never to be found again. Reasons ahead of time I gave to this family member why it was a bad idea included hawks, owls, theft, safety, and getting loose. Is it appropriate to call animal control with this dog? In our neighborhood there is a law to keep animals inside except for pottying, etc.. If they are making noise the police can be called.

[MarkFromSea]

A 5 pound yorkie outside by itself is a very bad idea! Sadly, it may take Darwin to show them.

https://www.google.com/#q=Brighton,%20CO%20weather
Ritght now, temps aren't too bad but CO is know for extreme temps seasonally.

"Prairie dogs, 1-3 pounds, are an important food source to predatory birds such as Ferruginous Hawk and Golden Eagle (Giovanni et al. 2007)."
That's a quote from a report from just north of you a bit. Page 15
http://rmbo.org/v3/Portals/0/Documen...l%20Report.pdf

Obviously the point is, you have raptors in the immediate or close proximity. It's only a matter of when he'll be a bird meal, not if.

[Rachael1983]

Typically small dogs are not the outside dogs for the many reasons already presented. I don't think you should call the authorities or anything because that can be a slippery slope. One of those things where "mind your own business" can come into play. I think as long as the dog looks to be healthy and not in any distress just leave it be. If you ever run into your neighbor, you might inquire and provide some light education on the breed and reasons why yorkies are not necessarily outside dogs but if I wouldn't stir the pot unless it was dire circumstances.

[Wylie's Mom]

Do you have hawks or owls in your area? If so, they could VERY easily grab that little yorkie. Maybe tell your neighbor you've seen them circling .

[matese]

My experience with my past 4 pups they preferred to be in doors. I had a special screen door made, appox 3/4 top screen, appox.1/4 bottom solid with with doggie hatch. Warm weather they had access to very large deck, come and go when ever they pleased, seems they preferred to be in doors, having had 3 at one time to keep each other company, yet they all preferred to be inside. Even my adopted lil boy has this same advantage, he'll go out for 5 or 10 minutes then back in he comes, based on this, I would say yorkies are in side pups. That being said, why would anyone leave a little dog out alone? Call me over protective, but, in all the years I have had small dogs (35 + years) none of them were ever left alone in my yard, I am always with them watching.

[srostie]

Definitely little Sam could be picked up and carried away we have all kinds of predators in the area as it is rural. The family had a Yorkie and Austrailian Shepherd previously and they used a doggie door. Yorkie pretty much followed Shepherd out in "unfenced" acre site, never saw them stray far from house! When I saw them building this kennel and put "igloo" inside I thought they must be getting another dog so, I was shocked when I found out it was for Sam! He is not a nuisance rarely barks, I have walked Jonah by him and he does not really react. He is most active when he knows they are about to arrive home. The kids are home on Fall break this week and he appears to be inside, and the one cold day we had, I did not see him out, so, I will continue to monitor him and talk to owners, if necessary. Thanks for everyones input.