Every day, for years and years, as I drove my kids to school, or went to the store, I would drive by a lab chained to his dog house in the back yard. Rain, snow, heat, didn’t matter. He was always there. After a few years, there was a mud/dirt track around his house, where he’d paced a path. Not once in all those years that I drove by did I see him not there. I hope there were times he was off that chain, taken for a walk, or in the house, or played frisbee with or, well, something. But I never saw him missing from his small area.
One day when I drove by, he was gone and the dog house was gone. I’m sure he died of old age. I was SO happy for him. Finally free. And I prayed HARD there would not be another to take his place.
I want to please you, I just need to know how, and what to do!
Yes, some dogs prefer to be outside. Some dogs are working dogs, and have a job outside. I’m talking about living their lives on a three foot chain, out in the back yard. You know what, someone who wants in your house isn’t going to be intimidated by a dog fastened with a heavy chain to a sturdy house. Yeah, he might bark, but he’s probably barking because he’s bored, or at a squirrel or whatever. Its not going to alert you, so don’t try telling me he’s your watchdog.
I had someone tell me that when they got their puppy, he came home and peed on the floor. So they put him outside. Once a year, they let him in, and he’d pee again! So out he’d go again. “When he’s housebroken, he can stay in!” they said. Hopefully they mean it cluelessly and not cruelly.
I got a call from someone who has their dog tied to a chain in the back yard. Well, he used to be in the house, but then he got to be what I call “the magic age!” of about 8 months old, and suddenly he turned adolecent and ’forgot’ his puppy manners, got bigger, and it wasn’t so cute when he jumped all over people anymore. This is a normal stage, but this dog won’t be trained out of it, Because they put him in the backyard. Well, he got bored in the backyard and started digging his way out. So they chained him up. Bye, bye doggie. Now they want to rehome him because he ‘can’t behave’.
I was so cute and cuddly when I was a puppy. But I got rehomed 4 times in a year because no one could keep up with my exercise NEEDS.
Dogs do not learn anything because they are chained. Period. They don’t think “Oh, I’m on the chain in the back yard because I jumped on mommy and knocked her over. Guess I won’t do that again!” I PROMISE your dog will not come to that conclusion.
Go to training First. Training and More Exercise should be your first option. Not the chain in the back yard. Please.
Random thoughts | Kate July 25, 2012 | 
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