Inside to outside dog?

**NRB229** · 04-09-2012, 10:55 AM

My husband and I currently live in an apartment but we are buying our first home within 3 months. We have a Large lab/shepherd mix who is close to 100lbs. He is a sweet dog who doesn't bark and gets along well with our daughter BUT he STINKS something fierce and sheds a LOT. He has a thyroid issue and we cannot wash him more than once a month.

I really hate having the apartment smell of dog and that his hair is all over the place even with constant cleaning. I've had to restrict him from certain areas just to keep his hair out. I told my husband that I would like to move him outside in our new house so that he has a nice big yard to run around in but from reading online it sounds like this transition usually backfires. I don't want our nice, quiet, easygoing dog to become aggressive. Is there any way to make this transition without it being traumatic for him?

I'm willing to allow him access to certain portions of the house (basement, garage) but I don't want him in the kitchen or main social areas of the house.

SN: I am a dog lover i'm just used to having them outside, hubby is an animal lover who would adopt any stray animal he sees. We ended up with the dog we have now because he saw him and moved him in before I'd had any say. Basically i came home from work to a new dog in the apartment which would have been a major no to me.

**FaithNPraise** · 04-09-2012, 12:46 PM

I love dogs (especially shepherds

) but honestly have never lived with one (my brother got our family dog after I left for college).

I think for the shedding the best thing would be to get a house without carpet - so all tile and wood floors that can be swiffered and cleaned up. That way the dog smell shouldn't linger *shrug*

I hope y'all can find a solution that works for everyone

**Lockolatte** · 04-09-2012, 01:06 PM

My basset hound used to be an inside dog and she is now an outside dog. She has always loved being outside though. She doesn't miss being inside, but I miss her being in the house. If you decide to do this just make sure you are still spending time with your doggie, so he doesn't get lonely. You might start transitioning now before you move....a few hours outside...a few hours inside. Make being outside a time you dog loves and looks forward to. Good luck!

**NRB229** · 04-09-2012, 10:18 PM

hmm well that's hard to do since we're still in an apartment and we both work during the day (in response to leaving him outside for a few hours during the day). He isn't crated while we are at work so I don't think (= i hope) him being out in a yard shouldn't be a big difference.

**bhop13** · 04-09-2012, 11:18 PM

A brand new big open space like a yard is going to be really different than him roaming around his home by himself. Maybe you can start to transition him as soon as y'all move. A few hours in and a few hours out throughout the day.

Have you tried keeping his hair shorter? We used to give my ex's boxer fish oil to help with the shedding but a lab is just more prone to shedding right?

My ex's neighbors on the back side of his backyard fence would keep their dog in the house when it was cold and as soon as it got warm they'd stick him outside all day long. Every year he'd bark and howl for hours and it went on for weeks, it was awful to hear. Not saying that your dog would do this but it's gonna be an adjustment for him.

**MissChelle** · 04-10-2012, 01:24 AM

Not to derail... But would you elaborate on the thyroid condition that causes you not to be able to wash him more than once a month?

To your situation.. Now that it's summer/ warm weather are you able to give him a buzz cut to reduce the shedding? If it were me I would continue to keep him inside. My dogs are my family. If something happened that they needed somethin extra I would be accommodating to them.

**NRB229** · 04-10-2012, 10:26 AM

I don't really know, he has to take meds every day but if he eats just about anything other than his specific dog food he stinks something fierce (and will usually scratch off all his fur, let's not even go into how many vacuum cleaners we have gone thru already and he's only 4). When he goes outside and comes back in he smells like a grown, musty, man.

Not everyone enjoys walking into a house that smells like dog, if there were a way to get around it then I'd be more than happy to try it. Plus I'm sure that most people, if honest will admit that they feel some kinda way when they walk into someone's house and it stinks, even if from a dog. I can tell where he lays because of the smell.

**bhop13** · 04-10-2012, 01:59 PM

Putting him outside will just make him smell worse. Or are you looking to make him exclusively an outside dog?

Do you have a good carpet shampooer and a good vacuum cleaner? The only time my ex's house didn't smell like dog was when the carpet was shampooed. It helped tremendously with the smell but it's something you have to work at and make part of your routine. The carpet dries pretty fast.

You could also look into taking him to a doggy daycare during the day so that he won't be roaming the house funking it up, lol.

**Karibana** · 04-10-2012, 02:13 PM

Your dog is a mix of outdoor breeds so he'll be fine outside. It will more then likely help with the shedding as he'll loose most of it outside, not to mention that once he gets accustomed to the changing seasons, the shedding will be seasonal unlike indoor dogs or cats who have no set seasonal regulation to their growth and shed cycles. Assuming of course that your winters do get cold enough to require winter fur.

**NRB229** · 04-10-2012, 10:44 PM

Hmm it doesn't really get all that cold in GA so i'm not sure how that will work out for him (the dog). Yes he will primarily be an outside dog but he will have access to the garage, basement and other areas where we tend not to have visitors.