The transition from inside to outside living

You know applied behavior analysis works on people too.  [] (do it for a living actually).  Check out Karen Pryors Dont Shoot the Dog.

I thought marriage was between two people with shared hopes, dreams, and values.  Whether you agree with me or not that it is simply wrong to toss aside a dog that you have cared for and loved for four years and banish it to the outside, the reality is that, with dachshunds, this is cruel and unusual punishment.  Hounds tend to be packy - that is, they like to spend time with conspecifics (or substitute humans).  Almost every dachshund I know that gets left outdoors for any length of time is barky, whiny, and well - coyote bait, if you live anywhere where they are prevalent (and you need to ask state wildlife or your ACO - you can have them all around you and rarely see them).  Anyway, the doxie does not have an all weather coat, and extremes in temperature may bother the dog, cause early arthritis, etc.  Unprotected floors or outdoor areas may result in calluses that never go away.

if your dog scratches the door to be let in, then you're going to have to ignore this.

Yes, ma'am.-  ignore that your dog feels that the pack has abandoned her (means "death" to a dog).

If this dog were a Husky or a Malamute, outdoor living might not be so awful, especially if the dog is not a singleton.  But, with a Dachshund that has lived inside, and will probably live another 11 years utterly and totally alone for all intents and purposes, this is horrible advice.  What's going to happen to this dog when these people have babies????  Rehome the dog now before she's too old to find a home.
It is selfish to banish her - she could have the life she's used to elsewhere and the OP could get a cat or a stuffed dog and a husband.

I'm going to be frank - Your dog is going to have an absolute horrible time being outside by itself all day. I would not make that compromise if I were you. You are setting your entire family (new wife, you and the dog) for failure.
 
Dogs are social creatures and need interaction. If you attempt to leave your dog outside all day it will dig holes (under your fence to escape, in your garden, everywhere basically). It will start barking endlessly and may act out in other ways - aggression, etc.
 
If I were you, I would get a book or 2 and ask your future wife to read it. then ask your wife to spend some time with the dog by taking it to a training/tricks class or something. This way they can bond together and then your dog may be more welcome in the house. 

I would not even considering being in a serious relationship, much less marrying, someone who did not accept & love my dog.  My dog is part of me.  As you stated above, he's my best friend.  You're really going to kick your best friend out of the house?  After four years of being your #1 bud, living in the house with you?  I'm sorry, but I can think of nothing worse for the dog.
 
Someone who would actually ask me to move my dog outside obviously would not share the same values as me and is not someone I would want to spend my time (much less life) with.
 
My Luke is 3 1/2 and if I were to move him outside, even just during the day, I think it would kill him emotionally.  That is not fair.  You are better off finding the dog a home where he will be loved & appreciated.  Doxies are not outdoor dogs.
 
Or find a woman who isn't going to try to control you by making demands about your dog.  That would be such a deal breaker for me.

I'm going to further suggest that if you do decide to rehome, if you really can not get your wife to see this issue from your or the dog's perspective, DO IT NOW. Do not wait until you've put that dog out and it has developed all kinds of behavior problems because of that. Your dog now is quite adoptable with few serious problems and with the help of a doxie rescue a suitable home can probably be found fairly easily. If you wait, if you do this experiment and find that in fact your dog becomes aggressive, barky, overly-fearful, develops bad habits, looses house-training, the adoptability of the dog plummets and rehoming becomes a much more dangerous option for the dog. No one wants a dog who's fearful or barky or has lost housetraining or bites. But a dog who has been a cared-for and loved companion for four years, who knows how to live in a house and who has pretty good house manners, a purebred dog at that, I think rehoming will be much easier now than later.

Did you get her from a breeder? Did the breeder make you sign a contract that the dog must go back to them if you can not keep her? If so, please contact the breeder and return the dog to them.

Mrwndw, is rehoming a possibility? I was thinking about your situation last night and it's true, your dog would be much happier with another family or person than relegated to a life alone and outside. That's just so unfair. If you're willing to try to stradle this impossible fence, I would highly recommend finding a home where he can be happy. If your future wife can't handle him in the house, how is she going to be with the door scratching, barking, digging, biting and chewing that will certainly result?

I'm with KarissaKS. I wouldn't even consider a person who didn't accept my dogs. But I understand people have different priorities. And if your priorities include taking a person into your house and moving the dog out, I hope you can do what's best for him and move him to another home where he can get the love an attention he deserves... You may not be happier, but he will. And I think you need to put his happiness over your desire to keep him at this time.

Of course the very best solution, and the only one you should be considering aside from rehoming, is to integrate your future wife with the dog and to do some training with the dog (off the furniture and a crate to contain accidents and submissive peeing can all be addressed) so that she could learn to live with him and love him as her dog, too.

I'm sorry you find yourself in this position, I know it must be breaking your heart to consider putting him outside or rehoming him. Good luck to you in whatever decision you make.

Please do what is in the best interest for the dog and not the human.  Rehoming would to a happy home/inside inviroment where he will get attention and love is whats best.  I know you must love the doggie but outside living is not for a Doxie and I have seen this transition before with dogs and the human adventually start to neglect the dogs soical needs and ignore the dog more than give it love and attention.  Don't you have a mom, sister or someone in your family that may want the dog?

ORIGINAL: KarissaKS

I would not even considering being in a serious relationship, much less marrying, someone who did not accept & love my dog.  My dog is part of me.  As you stated above, he's my best friend.  You're really going to kick your best friend out of the house?  After four years of being your #1 bud, living in the house with you?  I'm sorry, but I can think of nothing worse for the dog.

 
My thoughts exactly.  It brings me to tears just thinking about what it would do to Max to be suddenly pushed out of his home, his (also my) bed, away from his family.  Since he is so used to coming and going at will through his doggy door, I don't think he'd even have the wits to seek shelter from the heat or the cold - even if I provided a dog house for him, I'm sure he wouldn't know what to do with it.  I do believe that it would destroy him.
 
Joyce

Thanks for everyone's support and suggestions.  FINALLY we have come to an agreement on the living situation.  My fiance realized that if we put the dog outside then her feelings of being anxious would still be there and that it would not solve the REAL problem.  We are both going to work on my doxie's "bad habits" and hopefully this will lessen my future wife's nervousness. 
 
Also, does anyone out there crate their pet during the day while they are not at home?  I was wondering what is a limit on keeping a pet in a crate?  I would hate to have her in there for 8 hours at night and 6 hours during the day?  Thanks everyone.

Oh, that's good news. I reeally hope it works out for you all.

Plenty of people crate their dogs while they're at work. As long as your dog is getting plenty of exercise, dicipline and affection, they can be very happy being crated. Especially for "nervous" dogs, the crate can be a place of comfort. Just be sure to introduce the dog to the crate in a very positive way, feeding him in there with the door open and making all kind of happy associations with it and never use it as punishment.

You can get a lot of help here on crate information and training, as well.

Congratulations on your decision!

Hey, welcome back. I am so glad to hear you and your fiance have decided to try and compromise on this. I'm sure your dog is glad as well!!! There are lots of people on this board who crate their dogs during the day while they are at work. I know how you feel about it being a long time but at 4 years I imagine if she is like any other dog, she probably sleeps all day anyways. For a young puppy it might be too long. I see no problem putting her in a crate for 8 hours. Just make sure she gets a GOOD walk in the morning before you leave and again either after work or before she goes back in for the night. I know those who do crate will be by with more suggestions. Again, I applaud you and your fiance![sm=clapping hands smiley.gif]

I don't crate at night, but I do crate one of my dogs (Conrad who's handsom mug you can see below) due to seperation anxiety. He does great in his crate (the plastic vari-kennel kind, the wire kind tend to be a bit too open and vulnerable for anxious dogs--instead of feeling safe and hidden, they feel exposed and trapped), chooses to go there frequently even when we're home because he just likes it.

We walk the dogs twice a day, once before we go to work and once again when we get home from work. We contain the dogs (my other dog has his own room) with puzzle toys containing thier breakfast before we go to work so they have to spend an hour or two after we leave eating and figuring out how to get the food out of their toys (Kongs with kibble+yogurt frozen inside overnight, Petstages Orka Jack, Busy Buddy Twist n Treat). Doing this--the walks and the puzzle toys--prepares the dogs to after they finish their breakfasts to just take a nap and chill out for the rest of the day until we get home.

Is there a potty training issue that requires your dog to be crated at night?

I don't really agree with crating a dog for majortiy of the day.  I would use it until your certain she won't poop in the house and for a few hours at a time when necessary but considering the fact your fiance probably won't want the dog running around even when your home along with being gone for work all day I'd try to setup a dog proof room or area.   The dog could end up in the crate for practically the entire day and night in that case but a small dog like that shouldn't be too hard to confine.  If you don't have 1 room she can be in try to find a larger room where you can fence part of it off with an indoor pen.  That way the dog is still inside, can move around and get some excercise and mental stimulation, can see the humans in the area, but is not running around loose to stress out your fiance or poop in random places in the house.  Plus I think it would help if your fiance can interact with the dog on her terms even when confined.  You can't pet a dog in a crate very well but you can reach over the side of a pen and pet a dog who still can't reach you.  I would bet after a few months of that she would be much more forgiving toward the dog and possibly even come to like it.  The dog would also be much happier than constantly crated or especially locked outside.

I would hate to have her in there for 8 hours at night and 6 hours during the day?

I would, too.  There's always dog day care.  Many of them have separate areas for small dogs. 

It's great to hear that you and your fiance are going to work on your dog together!
 
As far as crating goes, I crate my pup for 8 hours per day while I'm working. Sometimes I come home at lunch to let both dogs out, sometimes I don't. However, they both do fine. The key is to make the crate a really good place to be. For instance, my puppy only gets his stuffed kong in the crate. So, that makes the kong and the crate a special place. I also feed him all of his meals in his crate. So, he goes running in there when he sees me with his bowl of food. If you stuff a kong and freeze it, that'll keep your pup busy for a few hours then he will most likely just sleep until you get home. It's pretty much the safest thing for a anxious dog (and for your belongings!). As far as crating at night goes - I do that to my pup sometimes - typically when he has a really big craving to chew. I'll stick him in their with his bone and let him chew then sleep. Otherwise he'll chew on things he shouldn't - my shoes, my dresser, etc. Mostly though, I just let him sleep on the floor at the foot of my bed or in the bathroom on top of the AC register. You have to figure out what works for you and your family + dog.
 
Be sure to do some things that helps your fiance bond with your dog. She should take it for a walk, maybe take it to a training class and so on.
 
Good luck!