Whatever Happened to Dog Houses?

Just a few decades ago, in America, many dogs were kept outside, free to roam during the day and housed in small outdoor doghouses at night. Nowadays, we keep our dogs largely on leash and indoors. We have strict leash laws, fenced-in dog runs, and very little opportunity for dogs to roam free. This change in circumstances, this loss of freedom, comes with a big pay off for dogs. We give them warm cozy beds (often our own), delicious food, careful grooming, and plentiful veterinary attention. These are major assets to a species that is often kicked to the curb and vilified.

The dogs who are lucky enough to be born or adopted into such unprecedented, luxurious circumstances lose a large degree of freedom of choice. We decide where they go, what they eat, and whether or not they can mate. We choose nearly everything for them, and that means a loss of so many doggy things that we have a hard time appreciating. No, you can’t raid bird and chipmunk nests. No, you can’t roll in poo. No, you can’t eat that dead rat. No, you can’t hump or mate. No, you can’t bark, like, ever. No, you can’t snarl at people you dislike. No. No. No.

I think that if a dog were given a choice, he would choose to be with his human despite the restrictions. I think the benefits of a warm, safe, affectionate home are so enormous that were I to let my dog out the front door every morning, he would return to my home forthwith (Indeed, my childhood dog did just that). Sometimes, given all of these benefits, it is difficult to remember that a dog needs doggy things. A dog needs to chase, and run, and explore, and chew things. Yes, a dog even needs to bark sometimes. These dog needs are so incredibly inconvenient and at odds with the way we expect dogs to conduct themselves in human society that people often find themselves in conflict with their dogs. 

How do we solve this conflict? 
We play with them.

Playing with our dogs is fun, of course, but it is also a window of opportunity for them to be truly dog-like. Playtime is when they get to bark and chew, and do all of the things their dog-heart desires. I have a responsibility to play with him. If I won’t let him chase chipmunks, I need to throw a ball for him. If I won’t let him run through the streets, I need to take him on long walks. If I won’t let him excavate a delectable rat carcass, I need to give him puzzle toys and Kongs to dig into. 

Playtime also helps ME. This year has been filled with pandemic stress, remote work, political extremism, civil unrest, and disconnection. I think I can speak for most of us when I say that taking a play break with my dog is the best thing I can possibly do for myself. Stop right now. Call your dog, and GO PLAY.