Up-the-Creek Sounds like you are doing a fine job to me. Their are many kinds of dogs, for different reasons. Herding dogs: How could they do their job if confined. Show dogs: Should be well protected. Companion dogs: The little ones that get dressed up. They all have a purpose. We need to address the individual dog. Tethering an animal is not a bad thing. Usually it's for it's own protection, or others. It also sounds like the other animals that are around will do their jobs. The other dogs will protect, the chicken's will produce, etc. I had a Border collie that chewed through a chain link fence. I now have a coon hound that is a pet. He is the laziest dog ever, Does not much else but sleep and eat. .. lol We love him. This is a crazy mixed up world we live in now! Everything seems to be A_ _ Backwards.
Quote:Thank you Holly and everyone else! I do feel better about all this now. I have been a mess over it for a while now. Its funny how someone elses opinion can make you question yourself and your beliefs.
I don't like any laws that dictate common sense and especially laws that dictate what "some people" think is the right way. Because dogs are different in their behaviors they shouldn't all be bound by the same regulations. People posting here have common sense. From what I'm reading here the dogs that roam are tied or kenneled and the trustworthy dogs have earned the right to be on the property loose. I have dogs that are loose and need to be to do their jobs. (Ratting) And I have a roamer that showed up here as a stray that is kept tethered to keep him on the property. When he was a stray I couldn't chase him off of the property. He kept coming back and sleeping under the pine trees. Once it was obvious his owner wasn't looking for him and we decided to give him a home he started to roam once in a while. Even roaming once in a while isn't an option if he is my dog. So he is tethered in several different places during the day. I move him around so he has a change of scene and so he can be in the area I'm working so he has company. He is tethered in the barn at night. I do let him run in a fenced in pasture while I am right with him so he doesn't take off. At night he is tethered in the barn to sleep and alert us to predators or robbers. He hates being inside of the house for more than 10 minutes. He panics inside of a house. Anyway, there are animal regulations for dogs that are uncared for. We don't need anymore laws dictating to good pet owners how to care for their animals. There is more than one way to keep a healthy, happy animal. Grrrr...don't get me started.
Quote:hey appytaz! come one over and bring your tutu for my big ol' shepherd (Maximus Wolfgang Big Bear) and just try to put it on him..... sure i'd pay money to see that! hee hee hee hee very cute dog and i love the wig. my hubby and i broke up laughing over this - i just came inside and had to have both dogs keep our big ol' tom turkey off me while i rescued one of our baby ducks who got caught up in the fence.. we figured that Max could wear the ballerina outfit and flounce on over to fight the turk off... oh geez.. thanks for the good laugh whatever we do lets not legislate against a sense of humor!
my personal dogs are outside in my fenced in back yard during the day and inside at night, but at the farm we have a few farm dogs that are always out... that being said they stay on the property.( unless our neighbors have a dead cow at the fence line, and then our dogs will be dogs) Up-the-creek, please do not take this the wrong way I do not mean it to be rude, but is there a particular reason that you dont have a fenced area for them, I know some dogs are diggers or climbers etc? I think if they have food water and shelter then you are doing what is required to own a dog... and therefore anything else would be my own personal opinion. Even though we may not agree on the way they are kept thanks for giving them what they need to live, too many people in this world can not even seem do that.
I didn't read through all of the posts, but to me it sounds like your dogs are living a pretty good life...much better than being in a shelter (and not making it out...) My dog is an outdoor dog as well, although he does get let in for a couple hours daily before and after his walk for some family lovin', but anyway, we had to tether him inside of his pen for a little while. He jumped the fence, and luckily we are able to afford to put up a higher fence and un-tie him, but not everyone can. If you have a dog that can get out of the yard, tethering is a much safer alternative if you can't have (or don't want) them inside. I am opposed to people keeping their dogs on a 10 foot tether with little shelter, and no walks or attention, but if the dogs needs are being fulfilled, I don't think it is wrong to tie them up. Keeping a dog is not a replacement for daily walks however, and I believe that every dog, inside or out, tied up or not still needs to get taken out for a walk daily, if these things are done, I think a dog can do fine on a tether.
I don't understand the hoopla over tying a dog up. If it is well taken care of, shelter is provided, there is nothing wrong with keeping your dog on your property the way you are able to. I have had to teather my dogs in my fenced in yard because they started jumping the fence and I did not want them to get hit by a car, cause an accident I would have been liable for, get shot, destroy livestock - the list goes on and on of what my terrible dogs could get into. They were provided a dog house and lots of water and food. Dogs are dogs, dogs are not children, or people, no matter how much you love them. (and I love mine a ton) and other than that
Quote:I love my tons too, that is why I try my best to protect them. My girl dog, Precious, she is 12 yrs old, soon to be 13. My DH was working in a garage in town and she just kinda wandered in and made herself at home. She was just a few weeks old, his boss called the humane society and they came to pick her up. The lady who came to pick her up told my DH if he adopted her, she would pay for her spaying and all her shots. Well a few weeks passed and my DH brought her home. I never knew about her till then, she was a birthday present for me. She always had free roam of the property until she was spotted chasing deer. The threats were made and they got back to me that she would be shot if she wasnt contained. So she has been tethered since.She would not stay in a kennel, she would jump out. She comes in the house sometimes, she doesnt like it in here, but its her social time. She is right next to my porch and she always gets her daily doses of lovin and walks. I wish I could let her go and be free to run, but I love her too much to let her get killed. The same goes for Sammy, his is the other dog I have to have tethered. I found him on the internet by accident. My DH had just lost his dog (probably shot) never to be seen again. We loved that old dog, he was a cross between chow/black lab. So anyway I seen Sammy on the internet at some rescue center a good ways from here, he also is a lab/chow mix. To make a long story short, I ended up with him, but he was so sick, close to deaths door. I rushed him to my vet and he was kept for a few days. He finally recovered. I got so attached to him while he was sick. He was okay for awhile then he started running around. He kept going farther and farther, plus he was in on running the deer. After many attempts at keeping him home, I had to tether him also. He couldnt be kenneled, he likes to chew on chain link fence. I love both of them soooo much,..but to unfair circumstances, they are tethered. Even though we have too many deer and they eat peoples gardens and run out in front of people in their cars and cause wrecks,...people are still willing to end a pets life over a stupid deer. Sorry