[jims69camaro]

that's a hard life for a dog, being outside all of the time. i believe it's better for them to be part of the family and be inside with the family. my dad used to have a lab-mix tied up on a chain outside. i didn't know better then, but i always felt something was wrong. i mean, he had a house, food, water, etc. but that's more of an imprisonment in my mind. once he brought the dog in the house, it was like he was never tied up on the chain. he learned his place in the family heirarchy and was the happiest dog i've known.

i met a woman a few years back that had two dogs tied up on chains outside. i brought her dogs in the house and it worked out very well. they acclimated to the family environment and protected the house from anyone they didn't know.

the dog i have now has always been an inside dog, since he was born. he was very well cared for until i was able to take him away from his mother. he learned who the master of the house is and always listens to me, even when he's giving one of the others a hard time. he is the coolest dog i've ever known.