do you really NEED a garden/yard?

most rescues and some breeders insist one has a garden/yard before you are condidered for adoption/ownership of a dog...

I think that a garden/yard is a bonus, not a necessity, so long as you are taking your dog out for walks.

My dogs would still have the same high quality of life if I didn't have a garden/yard
A garden is not a substitute for a walk.

Having a garden/yard is too often an excuse NOT to walk a dog for many
people, and rescues that insist you have a secure garden/yard may be
condoning leaving the dog out there all the time.

What are other people's views on this?

i totally agree that some people use the garden as an excuse for not walking dogs ... it is handy to have a garden, especially for me, if im having a bad spell with my back i cant always get fred out for a walk... this happens very rarely now, but when he was a pup i suffered frequently...

my mum lived in a flat for 12 years with her dog..... it gave my mum an excuse to get out

I do agree some what, Mine only us the garden to poo in really all their training and exercise come from their time out of our home, I also agree people say that they have a huge garden and their dogs are happy in that. But I also think maybe people who are dedicated to their dog would take them out whatever size the garden is and those who can't be bothered wont anyway

I dont think you need a garden to own a dog but it is definately a big bonus

We want to move somewhere with a large garden so that we can do more training without the worry of having the dogs run off or get attacked by others etc They would still get their walks aswell If my Dogs didnt go out i think they would die of depression they love their walks

We have a garden but Marley and Kala only go in it to pull out the plants or for a bit play but we have half the garden blocked so her ladyship doesnt go in the pond!!
Marley and Kalas training is done on their walks, they only really go in the garden to have a bit play and I bring them in when the plants have been pruned beyond recognition!!!

my friend across the road has a huge garden, i would die for one that big, she never walks her dog, shes left outside all day to do as she pleases ... if i had that garden i would turn the bottom half into an agility course.... or have a few kennels for foster dogs ...

Thats a really good idea Shelley You could help out without the disruption of having more dogs running around your house

I thought about the agility stuff aswell but have you seen the price of it

I hate it when people have a large garden and just let the dog get on with it

yea i priced it up in PAH.... it wasnt cheap :nhy: ... you could make it for cheaper :2431: .....

she wouldnt have loads of dogs in her garden, she cant pick the poo up for one let alone several :nhy:


some people dont know how lucky they are with their gardens...

Id like a garden big enough to have two sections

A nice patio area for sitting relaxing in the sun with nice flower and plant borders then a large lawned area for the dogs to run around on

You would get the best of both worlds atm my dogs have ruined the lawn so we will have to re turf before selling good job it isnt too big

i only have a titchy yard but it's big enough for their late night and morning toilets, then its full up i would love a big garden but i think thier walks would be reduced if i had one

luckily we got rid of all our grass before we had fred ...the decking used to be fenced off,but boss was never a pain so we got rid of the fencing and opened it up... i wish we hadnt now.... freds a pain when youre sitting down.... i couldnt cope with a smaller garden though... fred would drive me mad in the summer :2431:

Im not greedy an acre would do

same here

Our garden aint massive, big enough to play in though. I dont think they "need" a yard but its a bonus when they know they can let off steam out there instead of in the house

Im quite lucky i have a huge long garden. The bottom grass bit has my veg patch and is for the kids ONLY - no dogs allowed as they dig up my veggies and poo on the grass and i hate the kids playing anywhere i think is covered in poo - have you seen the state of our local parks, disgusting.. anyway... then i have a few runs where my hairy kids go do the toilet, then i have the human adult patio where i can sit and sip a glass of wine in the warm summer evenings.... lol .. when i get 5 minutes....hahahahha.... but i always take my girls out into the fields they can let of steam in the garden but there is no substitute for a good run...hee hee.. love watching then run... we have fantastic woods and fields round here seems a shame not to take full advantage...

Paula wrote:

Our garden aint massive, big enough to play in though. I dont think they "need" a yard but its a bonus when they know they can let off steam out there instead of in the house

and pooh can be very steamy too

:2445: :2445: esp on a slabbed yard!! Easy to clean though