bill c68 said:
I have been reading Game Dog By Richard Wolters. He seems to think that a good buddy/family member make a better hunting dog in the field. I as well have always considered my dogs as family members.
Most serious trainers/hunters that I know locally keep their dogs outside.
I have been training dogs, and been working in and out of animal shelters for just over 10 years so I agree with what the author is saying, as IMPO dogs are social animals, and function much better when in a tight social groups.
The most stressful thing to a dog is Isolation from the social group. This is why many Rural areas have dogs whining and barking outside all freaking night.
And worse yet to a puppy isolation says one thing "YOU ARE GOING TO DIE" This is why they express stress behaviors, and stress such as this leads to impaired development.
Also it has been well documented in Canines that Long term Isolation leads to social retardation, and anti-social qualities. I have seen this in one dog after another...from ones chained in the back yard 24/7 to the ones shoved in a crate by yuppies for 16 hours a day.
All 8 of our dogs are in the house with us, and are never left out side unsupervised...most of our neighbours don't even know we have dogs.
Now some dogs, and some dog breeds can tolerate more "alone time", but generally these tend to be the more Asiatic breeds...such as the Tibetan Mastiffs, Various Livestock guardian dogs etc.
And when you look closer you soon see that these breeds have been bred to "imprint" on their flock or village that they are protecting, and this meets their genetic need for a social group, and they also tend to have a great deal of personal freedom of movement etc.
In short the pack the lives and plays together works well together.
Just my two bitz.
