I've always followed the family tradition of bringing in my dogs at dusk. Obviously it depends on the time of year and the weather, but in summer it will be around 9 pm. (we don't have the light summer evenings like you do in the UK). In winter it can be as early as 4.30pm. After they come in the front door is closed, curtains drawn and we settle down to play games or watch TV. They don't go out again until just after 6 the following morning unless one of them wants a pee-pee which doesn't happen very often. I know a lot of owners take their dogs out for a walk at night but it's something I've never done because the road lighting in the village is poor and I have difficulty seeing in the dark. If mine need to go out after dark they just go into the garden, where I'll leave them for about 10 minutes before calling them in. It's a routine both Georgina and Gwylim accept as normal and it suits me very well. I'd be interested to know what everyone else's routine is in the evening.
Unless it is bucketing down my door is open from the time I get up until I go to bed - although I obviously close it if I am going to have a shower or [I should be so luck] have a nap during the day. When the door is open [just enough for Pereg to go out, stay out, come in etc as she wants] Pereg is on her tether. She like to be able to look out and see the world, what there is of it here, go by, and I also like to see things and people, and as the only window in my salon is not very large and my bungalow set low down the open door not only gives me view outside but also brings light into the salon.
The hooligans & Skye have 24/7 access to garden as they use the cat flap (comical watching Zeus & Kobi squeezing through) plus they have last walk around block between 11pm & 1am depending on who's home with me, K9 will go out around 2am to go toilet before we go bed
Mine have always had their main walk in the mornings, usually around 11ish, unless its really hot then its earlier, in summer they get a shorter evening walk, in winter before it starts to get dark. I don’t take them out in the dark anymore as I had a head on collision with stationary car when Heiko spotted a cat under it ) the doors are open all day weather permitting, and stay open till we go to bed, in winter they ask to go out if need be and we let them out before we go to bed which is usually quite late .
I like to settle down in front of the telly at 9 in the evening, so let the dogs out into the garden just before then. I don't let them out again unless they ask. It's very rare that Bogie and Pepe ask to go out, but little Chico has me up and down like a yo yo. I'm hoping that as he gets older he'll grow out of it!
My dogs have outside kennels,but saying that I bring them in when the temp drops .but they have fur coats!only the very best so I know they're alright,common sense tells me other whys.
Just thinking - the last thing I do before going to bed is switch off my computer, take off my specs [if I have been using the computer] and put them in their case, cover my keyboard, and Pereg [usually] automatically goes out for a final pee. If she does not I tell her to go out and make pee pee and she does.
Mine are indoor dogs, but just come and go as they please. Last Quicky and Poo Poo's (if required) are at 10.30pm. Then we break out the biscuits and crisps!!!
I have one dog, a lab/basset hound cross, who prefers to be outside 24/7 since she was a tiny puppy so I let her stay out in the yard. She has access to the front porch all the time in case of rain or extreme heat, but I usually find her in the tunnel she's dug under the porch that goes to God knows where. I can't see the end of it!!!!! The six Chihuahua's prefer to stay inside. The back door stays open enough for them and they go out whenever they like.
