I have a black Labrador of about a year old and i'm a little worried about him. Over the last day or two he seems to be sleeping in the garden which is fine except it is storm conditions. I call him indoors but the moment my back is turned he goes outside and sleeps in the cold and the rain. I know that they like water but i'm concerned as to whether i should start locking him in the house, i assume it cant be good for him to sleep in that weather. I'm in London by the way so the temperature is 6 degrees C, but probably less with the wind chill and it is raining very very hard.
Re: Hi, new user Hi Dave, and welcome. When you say he is sleeping outside, do you mean during the day? Or overnight? It sounds like he may not be feeling well, or there is something in the house that is upsetting him. He could sleep outside, but he definitely needs a dry bed under a watertight roof, out of the wind. Lying down for any period of time in the rain is obviously not good.
Re: Hi, new user He can't get out at night but he tends to go out in the mornings when hes on his own. I'm wondering if for some reason he thinks he should be outside if i'm not here or not paying him full attention, or maybe i'm just giving him human attributes and in fact he just likes being outside.
Re: Hi, new user It could be he likes being outside - but I am confused how he can get out of the house if you are not there? If he really does like being outside when you are not there, he will need access to a dry warm area - either a garage, or a garden shed, or a warm kennel. Can you make sure he can get in something like that, if he wants to?
Re: Hi, new user I take the risk of being burgled and leave the back door open, i don't think it's fair to lock him in all morning. I'll set something up in the shed but i don't think it will work as he has access to the house. If he keeps doing i suppose i'll have to lock him in rather than risk him getting ill.
Re: Hi, new user Hi Dave and welcome to the forum It is true that Labradors like water, but it is not normal for a Labrador to choose to sleep outside in the rain. For many years all my dogs lived in kennels with an outdoor run to which they had free access, and though I have sometimes seen dogs chose to sleep outside in good weather, I have never known a dog choose a wet place to sleep over a dry one. So what I am saying is that this is abnormal. My guess is that either your dog is unwell, or there is something in his normal sleeping place that is upsetting him. Might be worth a trip to the vet. Pippa
Re: Hi, new user Yes, I think a trip to the vet. If the vet says he is well, and assuming you take him for a walk before you leave the house in the morning, I think at a year old he should be ok to be left in the house for a few hours. I'd be scared the house might be burgled - and your dog stolen!!
Re: Hi, new user OK, thanks for the replies. I'll book a vets visit and see if anything turns up, i'll let you know what they say.
Re: Hi, new user Hi and welcome from me and Harley (6 months). I think a trip to the vets is the best place to start. Harley likes being outside, but not lying down when it's raining!
Re: Hi, new user Hi Dave! Welcome from me and Lilly - 3 and 3/4 black girl - loves her home comforts and only will go outside to linger in the summer (under shade) or if she has a nice juicy bone or rawhide to chew. Hope all is well with your boy - please let us know what your vet has to say. Jac
Re: Hi, new user Welcome from me and Obi too I agree that it is not normal for a dog to suddenly want to be more distant from people and in an uncomfortable place. Let us know how the very visit goes
Re: Hi, new user Hi from Holly and me. Its just a thought, but is it too hot in the house? I have a friend from Spain who has the heating on continuously as she feels the cold. Her dog goes outside to cool down, but comes back into the shelter of the house after a while. Going outside to sleep in the rain is not normal behaviour. If that's the case I'd see a vet.
Re: Hi, new user Hi there from Lisa and Simba (18 months LabX). This does sound odd to me too, I hope you can get to the bottom of it!
Re: Hi, new user Potentially good news. I came home today and he was asleep in the armchair in the living room and nowhe is dozing on the sofa and hasn't shown any interest in being outside. Hopefully this was a fleeting thing and he will stop now. I'll keep an eye on him in case though. Thank you for all the replies, they were appreciated.
Re: Hi, new user That a sounds more normal. I hope it stays that way unless, of course, you want to use the arm chair!
Re: Hi, new user Hello and welcome from me and my boy Charlie! A lab in an armchair sounds much more normal than outside in the rain! My boy has been known to flatly refuse to get out of bed for his morning pee if it's raining. Actually, he often just flatly refuses to get out of bed... ;D ;D ;D
