I don't have a dog at present, although I would love one, I am only interested in ONE breed of dog (an Alaskan malamute) and I know that to get one, I need Tegan and #2 to be old enough to not be scared of it because they are big dogs, and I need to have enough spare time on my hands to train my dog well, walk it, work it, and groom it.
Mallies are a breed of dog that are often kept outside because they are bred as sled dogs, they shed a lot, and sometimes they are used for working primarily and are not 'family' dogs. I believe if the dogs are kept as a pack (4 or more) and they have adequate housing and food/water, then keeping THIS breed outside is fine, as they have the coat for it, are fine without too much human interaction and as long as they are worked hard they get the mental stimulation they need.
However, on the whole, I don't agree with dogs being kept outdoors. A family pet should be kept within the home, where it is warm and safe. Dogs are stolen all the time. It's so cold out there - I don't even let my cat out, so no way would I leave a dog out!
