Considerations for a Farm Dog

This is Chloe. She’s a Beagle Mix. Because of whatever she’s mixed with, she doesn’t have that annoying beagle howl. I’m grateful for that. She’s a special sort of outside dog, a farm dog. Instead of the constraints of a fenced in backyard, Chloe as the freedom afforded to her by a dozen open acres of land. She takes full advantage of this with her favorite form of play: running.

Drinking Water

Keep the water bowl in a shaded area, and never use metal bowls. They heat up very quickly. Wash and refresh the bow regularly to keep it clean and to prevent mosquitoes from breeding.

Scheduled Feedings

If your dog knows to stop eating when he’s full, that’s great, but while her leftovers will attract scavengers. Never leave food outside. If an open door is an invitation, then a bowl of food outside is a free meal for any animal with a nose and an empty stomach, such as cats, raccoons, possums, coyotes, cats and other dogs. Luckily, the only problem I’ve experienced so far are ants.

Breed and Physiology

Long haired dogs have an easier time in the cold, but are worse in the sun. Short haired dogs are better in the sun, but freeze in the cold. Remember the simple rule: If you’re cold, so are they, and likewise for hot summer days. Brachiocephalic dogs such as bulldogs and boxers have shorter snorts and thus are more prone to heat stroke. Keeping them as outside dogs is generally a bad idea, especially during the summer.

Shelter

Most pet supply stores offer prefabricated dog house and other with some assembly required. Like humans, they need a place to call “home”, a place they know they can go to relax out of the hot sun or cold wind.

Oddly, Chloe never cared for store-bought dog houses. She preferred to lie on patches of tall grass, under cars and atop of tables in the barn. I caught her on the hood of my car once. Between the plethora of trees, the open air shed, elevated house and her neglected dog house, she has several places to choose from.

Health

Inside or out, all dogs require their standard set of vaccinations for distemper, parvovirus, rabies, canine hepatitis and others. Outside, preventative medications for fleas, ticks and heartworms are even more of a necessity. Cost add up, but remember that preventative medicine is always more affordable than treatments. Depending on where your dog calls home, rattlesnake vaccines even be necessary. Consult your veterinarian to determine the exposure risks and what vaccines are needed.

Even farms dogs should be neutered or spayed in the event that they become “friendly” with neighboring farm dogs or even strays.

The acreage that she calls home includes heavily wooded areas and dense brush. It isn’t uncommon for her to disappear for hours at a time to return with minor lacerations. She’s prone to chasing wild rabbit through thick bushes, receiving scratches and cuts order propecia finasteride against dry branches and thorns.

Safety Hazards

Is there anything outside that you don’t won’t them getting into? Power tools, paint buckets, a puddle of coolant, scrap metal or machinery? Curious and bored dogs will get into anything that peaks their interest.

Training

There is no excuse to have no control over your animal, though being an outside dog can be an obstacle. Without training, regular reinforcement and daily contact, your dog may suffer from loneliness and develop destructive behavior. Take time out of everyday to throw a ball, go for a stroll or just sit and pet them; let the dogs know that they’re loved

Chloe’s temperament allows her to befriend anybody she meets. She is a danger to nobody and is useless as a guard dog. She spends every day traipsing around the farm’s half dozen acres with one human or another. She comes when called and waits on command, which is important when it’s time to…

Let your Dog in the House

No responsible pet owner will force a dog to spend their entire lives outside, just the majority of the time at most. There will be days when the dog must be brought in, such during the recovery period after a surgery, inclement weather or days of extreme cold or extreme heat when their dog houses (no matter how well-furnished) just isn’t enough, or just to spend time inside.

Chloe spares no time reminding us how much of an animal she is. Outside, she charges through the brush, tail up and nose down following scents only she’s privy to. I’ve spotted her favorite paths by the worn down grass. However, the moment she steps through a door, she is calm, docile and, most importantly, holds very still. Her favorite place to relax inside is under the coffee table.

Playtime

No amount of toys and acres can substitute for genuine attention. Most dogs understand when a human is outside to work or to play. They may or may not mind waiting.

Hearing the sound of the gravel round crunching under the wheels of our truck, Chloe never fails to greet us at the driveway. Often, her patience fails and she follows along the car while we park. We can hear her whining, pining for us to open the door. She squeezes in between our legs and looks up expectantly for a petting, a neck scratching or belly rubs. We never refuse her.

Adoption

In the 2014 Public Animal Shelter Report published by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (NCDA&CS), hundreds and even thousands of dogs are taken in by shelters every year. A few shelters have the unfortunate distinction of euthanizing half or more of what they take in. This number can be reduced by neutering and staying your pet and by looking to shelters to adopt. When you’re closest neighbors are half a mile or half a dozen miles away is no argument against adding a four-legged member to our families.