Quote:I knew the hunting dogs thing would come up. And I guess I understand that, as long as they are cared for. I'm sure YOU know I was referring to someone that gets a dog as a family pet and pretty much tosses it the back yard.

Yes.  I think most of us have seen a neglected pet more or less abandoned in someone's backyard that's obviously lacking in basic care.  

 

Growing up - our family dog lived outdoors 95 percent of the time.  It received an old blanket on the enclosed back porch in the "winter" to help it better retain body heat and we utilized a leaky outdoor hose bibb to keep it's water fresh.   There was always a variety of shade and it received flea/tick heart worm treatments. 

 

For me -  ^ that's pretty much "bare-minimum" but I choose to make my dog more comfortable than that. 

 

On the hunting dog topic, I ironically have a 60 pound Walker Coon-Hound that much prefers sitting on the couch with me to digging out a cool spot under the oak tree in the backyard. 

---