The Answer To Can Australian Shepherd Dogs Live Outside?

“Can Australian Shepherd dogs live outside?” is a question that many people are asking themselves. Australian Shepherds, like other breeds of dogs, do not need to be living in the house with their family in order to thrive. The answer lies within your lifestyle and what you want for your furry friend!

Now let me preface this with it really depends on where you live. If you live in a warmer climate or somewhere where it is not too cold, then yes your Australian Shepard can have a good life outside. The only thing to be mindful of is that they need shelter from sun and rain and will require plenty of space for exercise!

The Answer To Can Australian Shepherd Dogs Live Outside?

Think about this first – do you really WANT them to live outside? They are very social and loving dogs who bond well with their humans. By keeping them outdoors, you may hamper some of those socialization skills.

Dogs are domesticated.

They are bread to be around people – and you are looking at taking that away from them. As social beings, they require their humans for attention and interaction.

They will be harder to monitor for damage, jumping up, barking, and so much more when you spend less time with them. You might be opening Pandora’s box by moving them outside permanently.

Their Fur is temperature-controlled

DO NOT get them shaved because you think the weather is too hot for them. Their double-layer coat acts as an air insulator, like the feathers on a bird. By shaving them, you are taking away a lot of their UV protection too – and they can get badly sunburned.

The Australian Shepard’s coat also insulates against heat by providing an air layer next to their skin which prevents excess body heat from being lost through radiation or convection.

Australian Shepherds are also very active dogs, so with a good amount of exercise during the day they can be content in warm weather. You’ll need to give them plenty of water and shade from direct sunlight which will help keep their body temperature down too!

If you live somewhere that it gets cold, then your Australian Shepard will require some care to stay warm. They are not built for the cold, and can’t produce their own natural oils like other breeds do which means they need a lot of grooming in order to keep their skin healthy too!

Let them exercise

Do you have a fenced yard for them to run around in or are willing to take them out for walks and runs often? If so, your Australian Shepard will be content living outside as long as they get their daily exercise.

If your idea of letting them live outside is by being attached foll time to a tether, then you aren’t doing them any favor.

Skip the Dog park

Access to an enclosed dog park is something that a lot of city-dwelling owners look forward to. Here is the rub: Australian Shepard’s don’t really play well with other dogs. They are highly territorial and will fight to the death if they feel that their turf has been invaded, even by a canine not much larger than themselves!

Add in the fact that a lot of visitors don’t monitor their own dogs? This means that an Australian Shepard is at risk of being attacked by another dog.

If you have a fenced backyard, your Australian Shepherd will be perfectly content without the need to go to the park!

The time factor

How much time do you spend with your Australian Shepherd every day? If you’re lucky, the answer is more than five minutes. Keep in mind that if your dog spends most of his time alone outside, he will be much less happy and content when inside with you.

If this is going to bother you then you have already answered your own question. If your dog is only left alone when you’re at work, it’s worth giving him the opportunity to roam in a safe space.

Do you not have space in your home?

One good point to mention is that a lot of people do not have space for their dogs inside, so they live outside on an enclosed porch or patio. This makes them feel like part of the family while still giving them some room and fresh air.

Dogs are social animals who crave companions and by keeping them outside, you’re making them live on their own. They’ll probably be more content living in your home than outside alone – as long as the weather is mild enough for an outdoor dog house that they can call their own.

Get a Dog House

If you are someone who wants your dog outside but can’t provide that, then consider getting a dog house for them.

There are a lot of great options for a dog house and some companies will even rent them out to people so they don’t have the financial burden of buying one upfront.

They’re very likely to be happier inside with you.

In cold weather

In colder weather, your Australian Shepard will require a lot more care. They need to be groomed often and they also can’t produce oils on their own! If you live in an area that it gets really cold, then you might want to consider bringing them inside with you during the freezing months (or get ready for lots of grooming!)

Do Australian Shepherds like snow?

In regards to snow, if they’re not used to the cold then it will be a big adjustment for them. If your Australian Shepard is comfortable in this environment then that’s good news!

Our Aussie loves the snow and playing in it. She doesn’t like to be out there for more than 30 minutes though as her feet get cold. She is basically an inside dog so her paw pads haven’t toughened up enough to protect her.

But my neighbor does it

Um, is your neighbor a farmer? Farm dogs are SOOOO different from household family pets. They aren’t alone, they aren’t destructive, they are in working mode – where they are the most content.

Their social skills are being met, and they aren’t just sitting on the end of a chain, in the elements.

For the vast majority of Aussies, they can’t handle being outside for long periods without shelter. They need to be in a kennel or some type of dog house with an entrance that has been pitched to keep them dry and warm.

So, to make a long answer to Can Australian Shepherd Dogs Live Outside? short – Some breeds like huskies are more suited to colder temperatures but most Australian Shepherds are not.

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