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“Dogs, like humans, are social beings. They want and need to connect with other living things; many dogs prefer human companionship over canine.”

— Scott Sheaffer

Cultural attitudes about dog ownership have changed fairly dramatically in the 21st century, especially in western countries. When I was a boy growing up in the 1970s in the United States, dogs were considered something that you provided food, water and occasional veterinary care when needed. Most dogs lived in the owner’s backyard virtually 100% of the time. They were not commonly considered part of the family like they are in most households today.

Dog Houses

I find that some young people today aren’t familiar with the concept of dog houses since they were more prominent in 20th-century western culture. While more common in the past, they can still be found today. Dog houses are very small, enclosed, dog-sized buildings provided for dogs in the backyard. These were frequently built by the owner and there was commonly some degree of family ceremony associated with its construction. These dog houses were quite literally the dog’s full-time home. I’ve provided some pictures of what typical examples might look like.

Human-Dog Connection

In the last 25 years, dog behaviorists have focused a lot of attention on the attraction of humans to dogs and conversely the attraction of dogs to humans. What we know is that dogs and humans are similar in many aspects, which makes this inter-species affection understandable:

Dogs, like humans, are social beings. They want and need to connect with other living things; many dogs prefer human companionship over canine. Animal behaviorists refer to these behavioral predispositions as “affiliative behaviors.”
Dogs have significant cognitive skills that are similar in many ways to those of humans. Most behaviorists agree that the average dog has the intellectual capacity of a two-year-old human child. Impressive.
Just like humans, dogs have unique personalities and emotional lives, even amongst the same litter of puppies. These differences make each dog react to life in a different way, just like humans.
Dogs are excellent at reading human body language and inferring our meaning. Their understanding of us goes well beyond just our words to them.
Dogs don’t like being exposed to weather extremes for extended periods any more than humans do.

Behavioral Problems Associated with Dog Houses

Dogs want and need to be connected to their owners. Our connection to dogs and their connection to us is why we enjoy their company and why they enjoy ours so intensely. For this reason, dogs need to live where their owners live.

If you live in a tent in your backyard, then your dog needs to live there too. However, if you live inside, that’s where your dog needs to spend their time - with you.

While most owners never mean to cause their dog anxiety or fear by relegating them to the backyard to live, having them live in a dog house in the backyard can cause behavior issues. Aggression of all sorts, separation anxiety, compulsive behaviors, resource guarding and fear issues can all be caused or made worse by the isolation they experience when they exclusively live in the backyard.

Conclusion

Your dog needs to live with you in your home. That’s where they want to be, and that’s where you will get the most enjoyment from them.