kennel dog vs house dog

[Nightshadows]

Where does everyone house their dogs? where do you think it is best to raise a dog? Do you think a dog being housed in a kennel can develope behaviour problems?

[gsdz4me]

My dogs are inside when I am home or running around the section if either my husband or I are outside. However, when I am working or are not home for some other reason and cant take them with us they have kennels and runs outside and they are happy to spend time in these.
One of them, Spock is a rehome. We got him when he was about 7 years+ and he was a confirmed barker, but had spent over a year on chain all the time. However, he is now quite happy to go in his kennel because he knows it is only for the time we are not at home, otherwise he is with us. The barking problem he had originally has pretty much gone now.
I think it depends how they are bought up. Inca was crated as a pup so the move to the kennel was no drama to her and she only barks when the postie goes past or someone comes in the section.

Jackie & Inca - NZ

[LisaH]

It all depends on the dog and how they are raised.I have 8 GSD's,only one hate's to be in the house,she has allway's been a kennel dog(maybe I should clean my house more and the kennels less. ),then there is my 4 month,who I had to tube feed from 2 days who will not stay in a kennel,unless he can see me (we are working on that).I like to rotate each dog in and out so that they will learn to live in either or.

[Currmudgeon]

It depends on what you mean by "behavior problems." Many sport and tactical trainers believe that a dog performs better when its kenneled. Many herders keep their dogs outdoors - they're sheep herders not pets.

Those dogs would probably not behave well in a house.

I like my dogs to defend the house. Kinda hard to do from the kennel. But we can't keep them all in the living room. We have two dogs who prefer to be kennel dogs. Sheila was house raised, but is an independant cuss, and prefers to be outdoors. She mopes and complains when in the house. Rikki was kennel raised and is still uneasy in the house. She's happiest if she's put in a run out back.

[karices1]

we have kept GSD's for over twenty years, they have always lived in the house,we have shown in the breed ring and also in the obedience and in both done well, I think that our breed is a breed that needs the companionship of both other dogs and people too of all sizes ;D
we at the moment have a little ball of fur who is quite happy to sleep in her hide away (vari indoor kennel) but still sees the noise and run around that a house with four kids in it has.

[rint]

hello everybody,
one question,on a dog that is house raise,will it affect its performance on landesgruppen show?because i feel that a dog that house raise tends to be too (lazy?)or somewhat to that extend.

[Schaeferhund]

rint said:

hello everybody,
one question,on a dog that is house raise,will it affect its performance on landesgruppen show?because i feel that a dog that house raise tends to be too (lazy?)or somewhat to that extend.

If your dog qualified for LGA, it is a good dog already
After that is really depends on how you treat him. There is no rule as "house dog - bad god, kennel dog performs well"... A kennel dog is often starved for attention, so yes, he'd work more vigerousely with you, to get your attention and reward. But there are other ways of getting this vigour out.

These are quotes of Stephanitz hinself on kenneling:
"All the wonderful qualities of character possessed by a good shepherd dog will therefore only be brought to light when he remains in the same hands for a very long time, preferably from puppyhood, where having obtained a footing in the house, he shares the joys and sorrows of the family...and our dog is completely ruined in mind and body wherever he is treated only as merchandise..."

" Whenever the dog is kept in an enclosed kennel - in order to keep him from doing any harm, or even not to suffer any harm, on account of his high monetary value, - he will not only degenerate physically, becoming stiff, sluggish and lazy, but will also become mentally torpid, and lose all his sharpness and vim....the dog who is kept in the kennel...is no better than a beast caged for show...Thus, kenneled dogs are liable, not only to become dull, but even mentally weak and mad; many of them acquire a craze for purposeless actions...Unfortunately these harmful consequences of kennel confinement do not show themselves all at once..."

"I have already spoken sufficiently, in Chapters 2 and 3, of the curse of kennel keeping in relation to the soul of the dog, and of its dangers for the breed, but as we have also seen, keeping in a kennel is anything but a blessing for physical development as well."
The German Shepherd Dog in Word & Picture
Rittmeister v. Stephanitz, Germany 1925

[Jody]

My dogs live in the house.. I have titled 3 dogs to Sch 3.. 2 males and my current female.. sleeping on the bed hasn't slowed them down. The 2 males have done national competition..