# Tie off or small dog run?



## Jaxmom (Oct 3, 2013)

Hi everyone! Our yard is not fenced. We take Jax out to potty and for walks. He loves it outside...loves, loves, loves it! I feel so bad now that we got him without having a fenced yard. I don't think we will be able to put up a fence this year, but I want him to be able to enjoy the outdoors. Would you think that a tie off or a small kennel would be better. I have mixed feelings about both. Any advice?


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## Jaxmom (Oct 3, 2013)

I should add that my last two dogs much preferred being indoors so I didn't think no fence would be such a bad thing.


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## Jennifer1 (Mar 31, 2012)

I would vote a big no to a tie-off. It is actually illegal here to keep a dog tied.

Maybe a small run until you can get the whole yard done?


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## Willow52 (Aug 14, 2009)

How about an invisible fence? We have part of our property enclosed with one and it's great.


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## Jaxmom (Oct 3, 2013)

Willow52 said:


> How about an invisible fence? We have part of our property enclosed with one and it's great.


I wondered about that. It would actually be great because when we bought the house we did not want to fence it because we like the beautiful bushes and trees, birds etc around the perimeter of the yard. Do they work well? No chance the dog can get out? I think I looked into one for my mom one time and read some dogs will go through it...is that a myth?


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## Jaxmom (Oct 3, 2013)

Jennifer1 said:


> I would vote a big no to a tie-off. It is actually illegal here to keep a dog tied.
> 
> Maybe a small run until you can get the whole yard done?


I'm not crazy about the tie off idea either. I am afraid he will get caught around something. I think I would only be able to use it when I am outside with him. I was just thinking the kennels do not give much space, but at least it is something.


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## Ruby13 (Dec 28, 2013)

Jennifer1 said:


> I would vote a big no to a tie-off. It is actually illegal here to keep a dog tied.
> 
> Maybe a small run until you can get the whole yard done?


I agree! It isn't illegal here to keep a dog tied, but I just don't agree with it. I've never seen a happy dog on a tie off. 

A small shady run would be the most humane thing, and even then he might not be too crazy about it once it gets really hot.


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## Jaxmom (Oct 3, 2013)

Ruby13 said:


> I agree! It isn't illegal here to keep a dog tied, but I just don't agree with it. I've never seen a happy dog on a tie off.
> 
> A small shady run would be the most humane thing, and even then he might not be too crazy about it once it gets really hot.


Neither one would be used for long periods of time. He is an inside dog. It would just be to let him enjoy the outdoor a little without being on a leash, and to let him be outside with me while I am doing yard work, etc.


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## GoldenMum (Mar 15, 2010)

I second invisible fence, just need to train Jax to understand it. Too many people get lazy on the training. I have it on five acres, mine will chase a deer and stop at their fence line. But I wouldn't leave him out there alone. The down side is, other dogs can get in your yard. Nothing is fail proof, and dogs should be watched when out.


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## golfgal (Dec 31, 2013)

I use a tie off in my front yard which is not fenced when I'm at home as both like to sit on the stoop and watch the world go by. I don't trust them to not see a dog or squirrel go by and take off across the street. They listen when I'm there with them but I'm worried that I go inside house to answer phone or something and they take off across the street. It allows them go from in the house, on stairs and part of yard. Maybe when they are not easily distracted puppies it won't be necessary. I figure better safe than sorry.


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## Willow52 (Aug 14, 2009)

Jaxmom said:


> I wondered about that. It would actually be great because when we bought the house we did not want to fence it because we like the beautiful bushes and trees, birds etc around the perimeter of the yard. Do they work well? No chance the dog can get out? I think I looked into one for my mom one time and read some dogs will go through it...is that a myth?


We've had ours for almost 4 years, Hank has never gone through it. It's all about the training IMO. I followed the recommended training schedule as outlined by the company and left the flags up for about 6 months to reinforce the visual. We don't let him out in that area at night or if we're not home.


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## Jaxmom (Oct 3, 2013)

Willow52 said:


> We've had ours for almost 4 years, Hank has never gone through it. It's all about the training IMO. I followed the recommended training schedule as outlined by the company and left the flags up for about 6 months to reinforce the visual. We don't let him out in that area at night or if we're not home.


Ok...thanks! I admit I do not know much about them. I will definitely do some research on it.


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## nyknicks4412 (Jun 18, 2013)

I second the invisible fence. Although we live in an apartment I purchased a wireless one for a gift for my parents. Both they and the dog love it. Dog was off leash in a week. Only issue with it is that it creates a circle boundary which may or may not work depending on how your yard is setup. My parents have a large property so it essentially just creates a big circle around the house. You can control how big the permitter is with settings on the device. Good alternative to a real fence or in ground invisible fence. Not too expensive either. 

Amazon.com: PetSafe Wireless Pet Containment System, PIF-300: Pet Supplies


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## golden_732 (Aug 26, 2013)

I like the invisible fence, but there is definitely more of an owner responsibility to having it. I started Cooper on it when he was 5 months old and he's been doing great. My last golden was also trained on it and did very well. 

However:

1) Make sure you stick with the recommended training schedule, it really works.
2) Consistently check the battery, my neighbor's chocolate lab has gotten out several times before bc he constantly wears out the battery and then runs through it. In fact, just today while at the local dog park, I ran into a shepard whose owners didn't change the battery on the collar. The dog went through the fence with no trouble and ran into the dog park. 
3) Always keep your dog supervised outside, unlike a physical fence, this won't keep other dogs/animals from entering your property. I've had other dogs enter my property because they ran through the fence. Luckily I knew the dogs/owners and I was outside when it happened so I could call the owners and let them know. But you never know what kind of dog might end up visiting. 

Good luck!


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## TheZ's (Jun 13, 2011)

One of our neighbors has 2 labs on an electric fence. The smaller, a female always stays within the fence but the male who is quite large and strong just doesn't honor it if there's a person or dog in the street that he wants to greet. They've increased the shock(?) to the max and it still doesn't deter him. I've read some suggestions that an electric fence can make a dog more aggressive in defending it's territory (yard). This seems to be the case with our neighbor's female . . . while she stays in the yard, she also barks very aggressively at people and dogs walking by in the street even if they're minding their own business.


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## Shellbug (Nov 14, 2013)

I have a tie down in the front yard. I use it for when we are cleaning the garage, when my kids are riding bikes out front, or when I am just gardening in the front. He likes to be with us and I don't like leaving him inside alone while we are all out front. He just sits or walks around. It's not for really long periods of time and we are always with him. 


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## Alaska7133 (May 26, 2011)

I use tie outs when attending field events and I'm running 2 dogs. I can leave one and run the other dog. This only done for very limited amounts of time and I'm nearby. The biggest thing I've found is to use a steel cable, they will chew through a leather or other type of material. I would not leave a dog like that if I wasn't nearby. 

We do have a Invisible fence. The wireless is very nice. Plus the collars are adjustable shock levels now. I've had a total of 6 different dogs on the invisible fence. Everyone has been different, so I think personality has a lot to do with it. I wouldn't leave the house with the dog outside though.


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## laprincessa (Mar 24, 2008)

We had a tie out in the front when Max was a puppy. Long lead, hooked to a stake thingie in the ground. He would lay out there and watch the critters, and I knew he was safe, and when he came to the door, he was let in. He would stay outside all day if allowed! Now he's older, he just goes out and knows his boundaries.

Disclaimer - we are 700 feet from the road, through the woods, so there's no danger of him being stolen. The only real danger is him taking off after deer, and he never does that quietly.

He's also trained to the invisible fence - my best friend has that for her dog.


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## NikB8 (Feb 4, 2013)

We don't have a fence either and I kept feeling guilty because Molson LOVES outside. I called Invisible Fence and they came out but I ended up going with the Petsafe Stubborn Dog Inground Fence. We installed it ourselves and it took a few hours but it was worth it! Molson understood VERY quickly where his boundaries were- we have dogs on all but one side of us.. he will never go outside the boundary to get by the fence to see them. Even when we play fetch and his ball is starting to roll- he knows if he can get it or not and he'll stop if he can't. 

It's worked so well I'm going to put one in the front yard I think. We have people over in the summer a lot and play cornhole in the driveway- Molson is on a tie out but he can't reach where he wants and he's always getting tangled up with something or someone. Also, because my boyfriend's parents live across the street and if Molson squeezes his way by us through the door- he jets across the street to their house so I want to stop that.


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## Finn's Fan (Dec 22, 2007)

If you're really just looking to have Jax safely outside with you while you're gardening or washing the car or whatever, the twisty stake in the ground with either the steel cable or a couple of leashes tied together is really adequate for him to be close and enjoy the outdoors with you. If you're looking to allow him outside unsupervised, then I recommend a physical fence. Other animals and people can come into your yard with an invisible fence; the other dogs may be unfriendly and theft of dogs isn't unheard of. I have experience with this, unfortunately. We have a fenced backyard, but Finn likes to be out with me in the front, so he has a twenty-foot cable tie-out. Keeps him safe but he gets to enjoy the sunshine and keep an eye on his momma


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## GinnyinPA (Oct 31, 2010)

We use tie outs for Ben when we are outside either working in the yard or when my husband is working in the garage. He has broken free a couple of times, but since we were out with him, he didn't get far. 

The house has an e-fence but we don't use it. Ben ran right through it twice, ignoring the pain completely. We have several neighbors who use them with more success. One has three large dogs who are out all day, and they seem to stay put completely. One neighbor has had to replace the fence several times because it stopped working. But their dog is out most of the day and she stays in the yard, mostly. However, she attacked Ben twice., which is how I know about the issues they have had with their fence. Another neighbor said that either the battery in the collar stops working or there is a hole in the fence, so her little dog gets out all the time, but he doesn't go far, usually just into our yard to poop or to bark at Ben. I'm not a big fan of e-fences.


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## Willow52 (Aug 14, 2009)

GinnyinPA said:


> We use tie outs for Ben when we are outside either working in the yard or when my husband is working in the garage. He has broken free a couple of times, but since we were out with him, he didn't get far.
> 
> The house has an e-fence but we don't use it. Ben ran right through it twice, ignoring the pain completely. We have several neighbors who use them with more success. One has three large dogs who are out all day, and they seem to stay put completely. One neighbor has had to replace the fence several times because it stopped working. But their dog is out most of the day and she stays in the yard, mostly. However, she attacked Ben twice., which is how I know about the issues they have had with their fence. Another neighbor said that either the battery in the collar stops working or there is a hole in the fence, so her little dog gets out all the time, but he doesn't go far, usually just into our yard to poop or to bark at Ben. I'm not a big fan of e-fences.


As with anything, the fence system needs to be maintained as well as the dog properly trained. Our daughter/son-in-law come to mind...they never trained the dogs to the fence, only used the flags until the first grass cut, 'forgetting' and leaving the fence unplugged for long periods of time, in some spots the wire isn't buried, don't check the collar batteries, then wonder why their dogs run through the fence and blame the dogs :doh: Clearly, invisible fences aren't for everyone!


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## Altairss (Sep 7, 2012)

I like real fences myself so others can't go in. I don't mind tying the dog out if I am out there with them. I know people whose dogs work fantastic with invisible fences but there are those stubborn dogs like my neighbors that will go thru them. They do the training, check the fence regularly and change out old batteries but when she decides what is on the other side is worth it she goes. And yes it working cause she screams when she goes thru it but still does it. Then she doesn't want to go back.

They are across the street from us and I watch her sometimes and she weighs the pros and cons of going after what she wants, sometimes she just walks away but way to often she just goes for it, yelping all the way. She is strong willed and her personality it just that way. You know your dog and its personality best.


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

I would only recommend tie out or invisible fence if you are going to be always outside with him. And he won't enjoy being outside if he's just stuck in a small kennel run. If it were me I'd get a long line to let him run some, but never ever leave him outside unattended.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Still deal with neighborhood dogs who run through the invisible fence line and then won't go back home because when they approach the line they get the warning. 

I was walking a neighborhood dog back home on a regular collar from my dogs and literally had to drag the dog across the line to get him back into his yard. Got zapped by the collar in my and bit by the dog on the other hand. 

And owners were not home. 

I put the dog in the garage like I normally do and showed a lot of control in not leaving a message for the idiots.  

@OP - tie-outs are a good option if you are stepping inside the house momentarily and your dog is out there zoning out. My one neighbor used a tie-out for their pitty mix for a couple years before they finally invested in invisible fencing. With invisible fencing it was a must have for her and solved many of her running/evading issues that she had when she'd get loose before. This dog is never outside when her family aren't out there too, so perfect use of invisible fencing. This girl has not been loose in the neighborhood in over 3 years since they put the wire in.


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## CStrong73 (Jun 11, 2012)

In my experience, the invisible fence works great if it is professionally installed, the dog is trained properly AND you have adequate space for it. 

My parents lived on an acre that backed up to open woodland in Connecticut. They had an invisible fence put in for their lab and it worked perfectly.

We tried one with our shepherd/rottie mix when DH first got out of college and was living at his Mom & Dad's house. They live on a corner in a busy suburban neighborhood, on a very small lot. That dog was constantly escaping. There were two issues...there was way too much temptation in a busy neighborhood on a corner like that. AND, the fence is more successful the wider the "warning zone" is before the actual shock. Because that suburban lot was so small, the collar didn't beep til the dog was practically over the line. She just got a running start and jumped over.

At my parents, they had tons of room, and there was maybe like 3 feet on either side of the line where the collar would start beeping. It worked much better that way.

We tie Rocket up if we are all hanging out in the front yard (back is fenced). I would never leave him out there unattended though.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Tina - we all have big properties. The one with the dog that bit me sits on 3 acres. The still find ways to get over that line and because there is a warning sound near the line, they refuse to go back home on their own.


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## CStrong73 (Jun 11, 2012)

I don't doubt that at all Kate. I was just trying to illustrate that some properties, particularly smaller ones, or those in busier areas, lend themselves to the electronic fence less than others.


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## Jaxmom (Oct 3, 2013)

Shellbug said:


> I have a tie down in the front yard. I use it for when we are cleaning the garage, when my kids are riding bikes out front, or when I am just gardening in the front. He likes to be with us and I don't like leaving him inside alone while we are all out front. He just sits or walks around. It's not for really long periods of time and we are always with him.
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


Thank you...this is kind of my idea of when I want to use it. I don't want to just tie him up and leave him out there all day. I just want him to be able to be outside when I am working in the yard etc.


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## Jaxmom (Oct 3, 2013)

Thank you everyone for your input. I think Jax has a very strong will and I would be scared to death he would go through the invisible fence. We live on a very busy street and if something happened to him, I would never forgive myself. I think a tie out will be our option for now...only when we are out with him of course. It will allow him to be outside with mommy and daddy and we can still work in the yard, etc. I agree that a dog run will probably not be enough space for him to really enjoy himself. Hopefully by next summer we can have a fence put up and he can roam free.


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