Environment and Company

Environment

Dogs need a warm and dry place to rest, if your dog lives in the house with you, then all you will need is a nice soft bed, but if your dog lives in the garden you will also need to provide him with a kennel, this should be just large enough that he can stretch out and sit up comfortably.  If you give your dog a kennel, you will have to check it regularly to make sure it is in good repair.

Your dog needs to be kept secure, this means either building a run for him in the garden or securing the boundary of your garden.  You will have to keep your dogs boundary in good condition so that he cannot escape and get lost or cause an accident, for this you will have to get on your hands and knees and have a good look, you will be surprised at how small your dog can make himself - fix all holes your find!  

His environment must be clean; bacteria that is present in your dogs urine and faeces can cause serious health problems for your dog and you, so you will need to clean up after him daily.

Contrary to popular belief, dogs do not need alot of space, nor do big dogs or working dogs need to be kept outside.  All dogs make good house dogs if properly trained, no matter what size or breed they are, plus it is much easier to fulfil all their needs when they are house pets.  Even if you do have space for them to run and play they will still need their walks.

Company

Dogs are social animals.  In the wild they lived in packs, which are groups of animals that live together, in order to do this successfully they needed a strict pecking order and rules.  Since then, dogs have given up their independence and now share their lives with people, but whilst some of their needs have changed, they still have some of the same needs as they had as wild animals. 

One need they have kept is the need for company, as social animals they do not do well when left alone for long periods, the company of another dog or even the cat is good but since we domesticated them they need the company of humans even more.  On average most dogs can cope happily being left alone for around four hours a day, depending on your individual dog he may last longer than that.  If your dog lives outside, you will have to make extra effort to go out and spend time with him, it does not count as company if you are in the house and he is outside - sorry.  Signs that your dog is not coping by himself include excessive barking, destructive behaviour and soiling in the house - remember, chewing and soiling are typical puppy behaviours that with training, he will grow out of, not necessarily a sign of stress.   If you do have to leave your dog for long hours, why not consider asking a friend or relative to call in during the day to keep him company, or you could employ a dog walker or book your dog into doggie day care.