Cow folk, just curious about this "rescue"

[Beekissed]

It's not a real popular opinion but I also feel animals live a more full life outside in their natural habitat. Oh, the things cat's do in the dark of the night, scenting the air and stalking through the dew wet grass! I love watching my tomcat stalking through the hay fields and pouncing on what he finds. He's so beautiful out there!

I can't imagine my dogs not being able to smell fresh air, hike a leg whenever they wish, play rough and tumble all over the yard and running full out at a second's notice when they scent an intruder. You can almost feel their contented joy at just being animals... glossy coats, springy muscles, alert gaze...it's a beautiful thing to see!

 

[hwillm1977]

My cat lives inside because he has no claws and no way to defend himself outside. He's never coughed up a hairball, and has been mostly healthy. He's our main mole and mouse killer inside

My dogs live inside with me... they are outside when I'm outside, inside when I'm inside (although they do get left in the yard to play alone sometimes on their tethers). We only have an acre, no fence, and pit bulls who are iffy with other dogs, I can't take any chances with them biting another dog that happens to walk by... that would be an instant death sentence for them here.

They are happy outside, but their also happy inside curled up by the woodstove when it's -40 outside...

 

[SKR8PN]

These 3 mostly indoor dogs, see to it that we never have a stray cat, and sometimes even a bird, in their fenced in back yard. I'm such a mean daddy when I force them to spend a sun-shiney day out in the yard.

Can you tell I beat them every day and starve them to death?

 

[SKR8PN]

I'm sure glad this isn't MY dog!!


http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=6c4_1269748757

 

[Aidenbaby]

Ditto that! And here I was just thinking that my dog was my living/breathing shadow.

 

[Farmfresh]

SKR8PN Your dogs seem to resemble mine! They believe they belong inside all of the time - unless of course we are outside.

My German Shepherd, Sirius, thinks he should be able to sleep in my bed every night and I can not walk anywhere in the house without stepping over my Husky mix. It gets so bad some days Sirius actually "heels" me all around the house walking with his face against my leg as we go.

Still WAY back in my brain I remember how happy animals are when they have a BIG old yard to play in and a place to lounge in the sun. Too bad these particular dogs just don't get it.

 

[hwillm1977]

SKR8PN Your dogs seem to resemble mine! They believe they belong inside all of the time - unless of course we are outside.

Yep... I can relate to that too... Marley refuses to go outside if it's raining and if I do put him out there he sits on the covered porch crying. He would prefer to live his entire life here:

The only abuse my dogs suffer is that sometimes they have to share the furniture with a human:

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

We have a 9 year old blue heeler named Earnhardt. He's spent most of his life tied out to his dog box. We've tried several times to make him a house dog - he wants none of it.

We used to let him have free run of the yard during the day, until he started to bite people. That's right, he bites.

The first time he bit, it was my step brother. Earnhardt had never seen my SB before, and my SB had just got out of prison for B&E. SB opened the door to my house to come in and Earnhardt nipped him HARD on his knee. He didn't break the skin, but SB had a huge bruise for a looong time.

Second person he bit was a neighbor lady. He wasn't loose when it happened, either, he was tied at his box. She went chasing my DD right into Earnhardt's circle, and he bit her. I don't blame my dog for that one.

Third person he bit was another neighbor lady, and we have yet to figure out why he bit her, but again, it wasn't a bite, just a short nip, and she didn't even bruise. He slipped his collar to get to her.

Fourth person he bit was my step dad - and again, Earnhardt was tethered - my step dad walked up to him in a cocky manner, to show off. He was "showing off" because my brother who's K-9 and works with dogs for a living had walked right up to Earnhardt and Earnhardt immediately showed submission to my brother. My step dad said, "Oh, if he didn't bite Josh, he won't bite me!" Wrong. Nice big ol' bruise on his belly button was the result.

We tell everyone when they come to stay clear of him because we cannot guarantee he will NOT bite. He may or may not, but we aren't willing to let you take that chance.

Everyone tells us we should put him down, euthanize him. Why? because he barks like mad when someone comes up the driveway and because he protects what he views as his home. uh, I don't think so! we keep him up to date on his rabies shots, that's it, and he's loved. We can let him free in the yard if it's just us, and he's fine. He lets our 20 month old son hug him like he's a stuffed toy, and he's never growled or snapped at any of us or the kids.

AND the chickens can eat right out of his food dish without so much as a snarl or raised lip from him.

Now, having said all that, last week he broke his collar and was waltzing around the yard. The dog that hates the house followed me right in when I called to him, and spent most of the day in the house with us being loved on and hugged by Baby Boy. He then followed me back out to do chores, and he sat at my side the entire time I was bottle feeding the calves. Then he waited outside the doors to all of my poultry pens as I made my rounds for feed/water.

He's an awesome dog.

eta: First biting incident, My Step brother had opened the house door and was walking in uninvited...I was home, but I had no clue my SB was there when he tried to come in the door. I don't blame my dog for biting my step brother, either.

 

[cadams]

I read the article and looked at the pic's and the first thing I saw was the auction tags onthe calfs. I bought auction calves before and despite all efforts they failed to thrive. I guess I was guilty of cruelity also. Plus untill they get a clean bill of heallth from the vet they are always kept seperate from other stock.

 

[Farmfresh]

I read the article and looked at the pic's and the first thing I saw was the auction tags onthe calfs. I bought auction calves before and despite all efforts they failed to thrive. I guess I was guilty of cruelity also. Plus untill they get a clean bill of heallth from the vet they are always kept seperate from other stock.

Good point!