by Angie Nelson

Created on: April 12, 2009

I believe it should be legal to chain your dog outdoors, but certain regulations should be put in force. Some individuals, my mother for example, are unable to walk their dog regularly due to a medical condition. This should not prohibit anyone from enjoying the company of a pet. Her solution is to put the dog on a fifty foot-long tie-out when he needs to either do his business or get some exercise. The tie-out is long enough that he can roam almost our whole yard (we live in a mobile home community), but short enough that he cannot get into much trouble. She sits outside on the porch with him, provided it is not below freezing outside. I do not see any problem in this method of "chaining" a dog up, because on the other hand, my father and I walk the dog regularly, the dog spends most of his time in the house and gets plenty of attention, and is a rather well-behaved dog.

However, there are those people who chain up their dog outside permanently, and that should be a crime. Junkyard and watch dogs don't always get to come inside with their owners at the end of a hard day's work. Many of them do not get food and water as often as they need it. I have seen many of these dogs with serious injuries and wounds from constant restraint in the elements, and their owners see them as disposable so veterinary care is limited or non-existent. I cannot imagine the horror some of those dogs go through. It is animal abuse, plain and simple.

There are other scenarios where dogs are kept outside: farm and cattle dogs, large breeds, and dogs with behavioral problems. According to the Humane Society of the United States dogs have been bred to be our companions. "An otherwise friendly and happy dog, when kept continually chained and isolated, often becomes neurotic, unhappy, anxious, and aggressive. In fact, studies show that chained dogs are much more likely to bite than unchained dogs."(Copyright 2009 The Humane Society of the United States; www.hsus.org) The American Veterinary Medical Association also states that to tether or chain your dog can lead to aggressive behavior. Dogs are pets, and pets are family; you wouldn't chain your grandmother outside in the rain, would you?

If you must keep your dog outside, make sure it has all of the necessities to keep it safe and happy: shelter and shade, fresh food and water, plenty of exercise, and a lot of positive human contact. Outdoor dogs should have a fenced in yard, an electronic fence, or at the very least a large outdoor kennel.

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