by Vanessa Calleja

Created on: December 28, 2008

How would you like to spend your day chained up outside? How do you think a dog feels when this is it's daily routine? If it is a matter of chaining your dog up so it wont run away I don't have a problem with that. I believe it is responsible when you are preventing the dog from being harmed.

I have never understood why people get a dog just to chain it up outside. Is it because this person doesn't know how to properly train a dog? Or are they just too busy?

When you give a dog a home you guarantee that the dog's welfare will be considered. How is this achieved if the dog is chained up outside?

Dogs don't require that much care. Food, water, a place to curl up and sleep. Some playing, a little attention. It really isn't that difficult.

But, if you have a dog and leave it chained up it never learns socialization skills. It is also prone to more diseases and illnesses due to the elements.

Some people don't know any better. They don't realize the companionship you feel when bonding with your dog. You run, you play, you laugh. You feel loved and you can freely love something.

As a kid my grandfather had hunting dogs in West Virginia. I always felt so sorry for them as he kept them chained up. They never were allowed to come in the house. Even if it was below zero outside. This to me, was cruel.

If you went near these dogs they were crazy. They were hyper. They didn't follow any commands. They were agressive with food. Not dogs that you would want children around. Most likely, with the proper training and nurturing these dogs would have made excellent pets.

I come from the belief that a dog is not a toy. It is a living, breathing thing that should be treated with respect. Of course, discipline is required. However, this discipline cannot be achieved by placing the dog outside chained up. Training a dog can be difficult. However, it is not impossible. It takes work. It takes consistency. It takes patience. It also comes with the reward of having a companion, a protector and a permanent member of your family.

I find it cruel when people don't take the time to train their dogs. They give up on them before they even get started. The first time the training doesn't work some people decide to give up.

Is your dog worth a little of your time? If not, don't get a dog as it is not fair to them! Especially if their life is going to include being chained up outdoors daily. It doesn't sound like much of a life now does it?

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