Can We Tether Our Hound?

[Guest Draco]

When we adopted our greyhound about a year ago we were told to never tether him because he could hurt himself if he took off running while tethered. When we spend time in the front yard, which is not fenced, we want to bring him out with us, but we haven't done it because of this worry.

 

So is this really true? Should we not tether him or would it be ok to have him out there with us tied up and secure?

 

Thanks for the advice!

[Guest TexasGreytMom]

Absolutely, positively DO NOT tether your grey. I'm sure the agreement you signed when you adopted indicated that they are to be on a leash or in a securely fenced and gated area at all times when not indoors. So glad you posted to confirm before doing so. Your grey is far too special to take a chance.

 

I know how you feel, though ... would be so much fun to be able to let them freely follow you around when outdoors. When I'm working in the front lawn, the girls can see me while in the back lawn - our fence is welded wire with horizontal boards (we live in the country) and extends beyond the sides of our house. But, they've never ever been outside our back lawn unless on a leash.

 

Enjoy your special pup!

Edited March 18, 2011 by TexasGreytMom

[kamsmom]

I wouldn't tether. Do you have an xpen? Maybe even two of them. Set them up and then she can hang out there with you

[Guest Ohiogreymom]

Definitely not! He can break his neck being tethered. I would suggest an xpen in your front yard as long as you're out with him. Xpens are pretty inexpensive if you shop around. Hope this helps! Darlene

[Guest Draco]

I guess I'm confused about what tethering actually is. (I don't have a lot of experience with dogs, can you tell?) So having him on a leash walking around and having him on a leash sitting in the yard different? Or is tethering something different than that?

[gazehund]

It is not something I would do. Agree with the x-pen suggestion.

[Guest Draco]

I'll check out the xpen, thanks.

[kamsmom]

Traditionally when people say tethering they are talking about a stake in the ground than then the leash is attached to that or tied to a tree or something. If the dog sees something and tries to jump and run they can potentially hurt their necks very badly.

 

Now if you are talking about tying the leash to yourself that is different and is something that I have done with my own dog but only after a lot of working with them. Not off leash but knowing that the dog walks with me and not ahead of me.

[Guest TexasGreytMom]

How tall are xpens? We live in the country and I could just see our girls jumping a 3-1/2 to 4 ft fence if they saw a rabbit or prey that interested them. Are xpens the short round pens that many use at adoption events?

 

To me, tethering is to attach a long lead, chain or rope to the collar and then tie it to a tie-out stake that is screwed into the ground, or to tie the end to a stationary object such as a tree, post, etc.

 

Walking a pup on a leash is far different than having it tethered. While walking and holding the leash, you will be able to sense if your pup is on the verge of suddenly sprinting away from you, and you have a good chance of reacting (pulling them in toward you) to prevent a potential disaster. On a tether that's secure and strong, the pup thinks they're free and if they suddenly jump up and sprint away, the tether will not give or snap - their neck will.

 

I think I've posted enough for everyone to know that I always suggest erring on the side of caution and opt for the alternative with the least amount of risk of losing or injuring our pups (or our families). Guess I'm not a gambler.

 

I'm also glad you asked this question - because it was something I thought sounded a little outlandish when we first adopted over a decade ago - I thought it was just "an old wive's tale" or something the adoption group personally didn't want us to do and said elaborated on the potential danger to scare us. Great question!!!!

Edited March 18, 2011 by TexasGreytMom

[Hubcitypam]

Tethering is attaching the leash to a fixed object like a tree, pole or stake. It is different than having him on a leash. If you have him on a leash and a squirrel pops up if he lunges hopefully you will both hang onto him and also slow/ the force of his lunge by at least slowing him down, even in a worst case scenario by falling down and hanging on to the leash.

 

If he is tethered to a fixed object that doesn't give he can break his neck if he lunges hard enough, tho I think the longer the lead is the more danger there is.

[kamsmom]

xpens come in many sizes. Get the taller ones Mine are 48" tall. I also stake the sides of the xpen down when outside with it.

[Guest TexasGreytMom]

Thanks for the info, Beth. That was going to be my next question - what would prevent the pen from flopping on its side if the pup jumped against it. (Reminds me of the hay rings we use to feed our cattle ... some of the cows lift them with their heads. LOL!) Appreciate the xpen info!

Edited March 18, 2011 by TexasGreytMom

[Guest Draco]

 

I'm also glad you asked this question - because it was something I thought sounded a little outlandish when we first adopted over a decade ago - I thought it was just "an old wive's tale" or something the adoption group personally didn't want us to do and said elaborated on the potential danger to scare us. Great question!!!!

 

Well thanks everyone! I knew I'd get the "skinny" here. I should come here more often. I learned exactly what tethering is and why it's so dangerous for a greyhound. I have thought this same thing (quoted above) and I'm glad to know it's not just an old wive's tale.

 

Thank you!

[Guest TexasGreytMom]

Hugs to you and your pup! DH and I have been failing at fostering (by that I mean that every time to foster, we adopted!) for 15 years and I'm continuing to learn from this wonderful forum! Welcome!

[Guest WarmheartedPups]

I wont even use a LONG leash.

 

My dog is usually very calm...a senior.....but last summer after coming out of the lake... on her leash..she laid down.....I was sitting in a beach chair next to her....she was rolling on the grass....and...she got a "Wild Hair"..... with the speed of a bullet...she jumped up....lurched....spun and took off...supersonic.....I had to react quickly to keep her from potentially injuring her neck...and getting tangled legs in the leash.

 

I then realized what would have happened if she were tied out.

 

We got a large outdoor pen....so she can be outside near us when we are outside....alas....all she does in the pen is dig holes to China

[kudzu]

I've tethered using a harness & short lead on rare occasions when we were right there. If you are using a regular 6 ft leash but attached to the collar your dog could still hurt himself. With a harness it is less likely if their isn't a long line attached. However, dogs can still back out of a harness quickly if they want & with a dog staked out you may not know until the hound was speeding away.

 

So since doing it even marginally safely means not giving your dog much room my preference is to tether them to me at the waist or with an over the shoulder leash. OR I use an xpen. Mine stay in a 42" xpen without a problem. Since our fence is 48" & no one has gone over it even with rabbits & deer running on the opposite side I'd not worry a bit about 48". YMMV. I also have a playpen similar to this one that has a floor & zippered mesh top. Works well for events but not ifyour dogs try to claw or chew their way out. You can use ground stakes to secure the pen in the yard. You could also hook two together to give them a larger area. If they need shade just get some tighter weave mesh fabric or shade cloth & attach using spring clamps or some such.

 

Lots of solutions available for them beside traditional tethering. Enjoy your pups. I'm sure they will love spending time in the yard with you.

[Guest TexasGreytMom]

 

 

My dog is usually very calm...a senior.....but last summer after coming out of the lake... on her leash..she laid down.....I was sitting in a beach chair next to her....she was rolling on the grass....and...she got a "Wild Hair"..... with the speed of a bullet...she jumped up....lurched....spun and took off...supersonic.....I had to react quickly to keep her from potentially injuring her neck...and getting tangled legs in the leash.

 

I then realized what would have happened if she were tied out.

 

 

Our very first grey was a 12 year old senior girl - She was normally totally laid back, practically comatose and almost lazy-like most of the time. She NEVER ran anywhere - not even to her food bowl - she took retirement VERY seriously. If there were ever a grey we thought could be let outside a fenced area safely, it would have been her (even though we never intentionally would).

 

One day a friend who was visiting accidentally left our lawn gate unlatched (it didn't catch). When our 12 year old senior girl bumped it, it opened and she escaped. We were all standing outside and were shocked as she ran at top speed around our pasture - we would never in a million years have thought that she was capable of that at her arthritic age.

 

I called her and it didn't phase her. Visions of her running into traffic ran thru my head and I was terrified.

 

Then, I recalled how some use a goose call, etc. to make a sudden sound that might get them to stop for just a sec - long enough to possibly grab them. I didn't have a goose call, but I can tell you that I yelled as loud and shrill as I could to get her attention and she did, in fact, stop and stand in place ... close enough for us to grab her.

 

That event was enough to make me the most overprotective grey mom ever. I will never, ever, put our pups in a situation where there's even a CHANCE that they could escape - I could never forgive myself if I did and they were hurt or worse. Along with being latched, all of our lawn gates are chained as well for double-protection. And, we installed automatic door closers (you can get them at Home Depot or Lowes) for our doors - one from our laundry room to our garage, and front entry door. We had a near escape once when a relative didn't close the door behind them to where it latched. Now, we feel confident that visitors can't accidentally contribute to a disaster - our doors automatically close and latch securely each time.

 

Even those pups who are older, etc. are capable of great speeds if free and the thought on their mind is NOT the bond you two have - it's running and catching an object or prey if there's one in its sights - regardless of what obstruction (barbed wire fence, traffic, train, ledge, etc.) may be between it and its goal. I honestly don't mean to scare anyone, just wanted to share the scariest grey experience we've ever encountered.

Edited March 18, 2011 by TexasGreytMom

[OwnedBySummer]

We bought a pre-made sunshade/top for our X-pen. Basically, it's a tarp material cut and hemmed to size with grommets all around it. So you can tie it onto the top with whatever you like. I'll be using ribbons so that I can take it on and off at will. I think (not sure) that it has to be off in order to collapse the X-pen. I have both the 48" and 42" X-pens. She's never shown any inclination to jump out of the 48" but that size is harder for us to take camping. So I bought the 42" and will keep the sunshade on it so she can't jump out.

 

And yes, I have tethered her. But only on her harness so it's safer (do not insert "safe" in place of "safer") and on a 6' leash wrapped around a picnic table leg. So it's probably 5' by that point. They won't get up to break-a-neck speed in 5'. It's something, though, that I *ONLY* do in a pinch and have only done it a couple of times and not for very long. Get an X-pen, it's so much safer and your houndie will like it better anyway. Summer gets onto her comfy bed in the X-pen when we're camping and she's just fine there and I don't have to worry about her. But don't leave them unattended even in the X-pen!

 

Edit: Unlike other non-grey dogs that I've had, I find Summer is a RETARD regarding being tethered and keeping her legs clear. Not sure if it's just her or all greys are like this but it certainly wouldn't help to tether them and get a broken leg, too.

Edited March 18, 2011 by OwnedBySummer

[Guest Sunset123]

Mine has fence anxiety and is a jumper, so in my case I don't (and won't) use an ex-pen.

 

In the summer I like to have her out with me in the front yard while I do yard work, so I use a long rope leash attached to my belt (or sometimes actually tied around my waist). She's tiny, so she doesn't have the force to pull me down if she lunges, but she can move me enough so she doesn't hurt herself.

[Guest sheila]

the most I have ever done was attach the 6 foot leashes to the picnic table I was sitting at during a BBQ so I could eat. My hounds were so rapt by the food they were hoping would fall they had no inclinations of dashing off.

[AndysMom]

If you go the x-pen route, you can bunge cord the pen to one or two solid objects -- trees, etc. It will make your set-up much more stable in case somebody pumps the pen.

[robinw]

I tether mine to the bike rack at Tim Horton's every morning. I know my dogs really well and can also keep an eye on them from inside. Everybody in the neighbourhood knows them well, also. I've tethered them outside when I've gone into Starbucks, but once again, only long enough to get my coffee and take it outside to drink. I've also been blasted here on GT for it . If it was a situation like you've described, I'd definitely go the x-pen route.

Edited March 21, 2011 by robinw