Is It Safe To Tie Up A Greyhound With A Harness?

[Guest rennina]

Misty enjoys sunbathing, trotting, or just sniffing in the backyard. The problem is we don't have fence in our yard. All the neighbors use IF but I know it won't work for us. So when she's in the backyard I have her on a regular leash and follow her everywhere. The neighbors saw me doing this and suggested using a long line to tie her up and watch her to make sure she's safe. I told them it's not safe to tie up greyhounds because they can reach full speed and break their necks. But how about a harness? Would that be safe? Misty doesn't seem to have high prey drive. She's not interested in chasing bunnies or squirrels when we take our walks. But she's very interested in other dogs and people.

[Guest Clawsandpaws]

Well, I used a tie out with my guy, while being supervised while I was helping my mom with yard work. Basically, within 2 minutes he had hogtied himself, fell over and was screaming, he bruised his legs pretty bad, one was even a little cut up, and if I didn't get to him so fast, I can bet that there would have been some serious damage. Will your grey be supervised? I just don't think I could ever recommend it after seeing what happened to my guy in such a short time.

 

Couldn't you just buy a long leash and use that? I know there are some trail walkers here that have really long leashes, that seems to work fine, as long as you have control of the other end! Sometimes, they don't realize the way they are walking over and around the tie is slowly twisting around their lil feetsies.

 

ETA: Now I use a long leash and hook it up to my pants while I do yard work, I think it makes Dudley more comfortable to know that he is attached to mommy.

Edited May 14, 2013 by Clawsandpaws

[JAJ2010]

Not safe. But I've done it under extreme supervision and only with one of the pups. I never would tie Sunshine anywhere further than a few feet from me and for a few seconds. I think it's a know your dog thing and you need to accept the possible risks. How about a portable mesh play tent type play pen thing? Or even an X pen?

[Guest rennina]

I have a long leash, but I feel it might be safer to tie the other end to a tree or something, so I won't accidentally drop the leash if she bolts? I will be supervising her for sure.

[Neighsayer]

An x pen sounds like a better choice since she just wants to hang out in the nice weather!

[brianamac]

I agree, x-pen. If your yard is big enough and you want to give Misty a little more space, try attaching two together. I bet she'll love it!

[3vagreys]

I tied my first greyhound to a doorknob while I assembled his crate. Not a good move. He chewed right through the leash. I would never tie them out in the yard. A couple of x-pens are a wonderful solution, one which we frequently use when we are doing yard work.

[greyhoundlov]

I would worry about other dogs coming into the yard, even if there is supervision.

[schultzlc]

An x-pen is definitely the way to go. I have a soft-sided pen (that also has a mesh roof) that I can even stake to the ground like a tent that I bought for Luna on e-bay. She's modeling it in the photo below. I had her outside with me yesterday while I was trimming the hedges. She loves being outside with me, and this way I feel like I don't have to have my eye on her every single second. Although this obviously isn't ideal for regular potty breaks or just wandering around the yard, it serves its purpose pretty well.

 

Edited May 14, 2013 by schultzlc

[MaryJane]

Not safe, my second grey could chew through a leash in 30 seconds and did twice - once when he was in the car for a minute and the other was when I had him tied to the tree next to where I was working on my unfenced side. Never again. He also taught my third grey how to do it ...

[krissy]

I tend to do lots of things you are NEVER supposed to do with a greyhound. I off leash both my dogs (gasp) and I also tie them out (double gasp)... all the time (scream). But I should clarify before anyone has a hernia.

 

I do not tie the dogs out in the yard and leave them (we have a fence anyway). I tie them to an in ground stake when I play ultimate. I am within 100 meters of them at all times. Random prey is unlikely with all those people around (and honestly I've never had them take off after anything). And I have never had them tangle themselves up so badly they tripped, fell, or freaked out. They just lay down and go to sleep... including the 9 month old puppy.

 

Do I think tying out is a good idea for every person or every dog? Absolutely not. But it works for me in the few situations where I find it necessary... namely at ultimate practice/games/tournaments. I already lug a sun shade for the dogs, not lugging an xpen as well.

[RedHead]

I sometimes tie-up when I am visiting friends as well as when I'm up at the cottage in the summer. I know you're not "supposed to" but I personally think it depends on the dog and the situation. I always tie up on a harness, it is always when I am around (I would never tie up and leave him unnattended) and I use a relatively short leash (6-8 ft). He is used to being on a leash,and knows that he can't run and bolt. He usually just flakes out on his side and sleeps. To me, it is really no different than if I were holding the leash. There are definitely hazards to tying up if you do it to the wrong grey and the wrong way, so I think it will depend on your dog.

[Guest BlueCrab]

An x-pen is definitely the way to go. I have a soft-sided pen (that also has a mesh roof) that I can even stake to the ground like a tent that I bought for Luna on e-bay. She's modeling it in the photo below. I had her outside with me yesterday while I was trimming the hedges. She loves being outside with me, and this way I feel like I don't have to have my eye on her every single second. Although this obviously isn't ideal for regular potty breaks or just wandering around the yard, it serves its purpose pretty well.

 

 

I LOVE this! Where'd you get it??

[macoduck]

My greyhound slipped out of a properly fitted harness when she got spooked. Would never trust a harness for tie outs. A secured xpen may work An anxious one may still want to see you.

[Guest Clawsandpaws]

I sometimes tie-up when I am visiting friends as well as when I'm up at the cottage in the summer. I know you're not "supposed to" but I personally think it depends on the dog and the situation. I always tie up on a harness, it is always when I am around (I would never tie up and leave him unnattended) and I use a relatively short leash (6-8 ft). He is used to being on a leash,and knows that he can't run and bolt. He usually just flakes out on his side and sleeps. To me, it is really no different than if I were holding the leash. There are definitely hazards to tying up if you do it to the wrong grey and the wrong way, so I think it will depend on your dog.

A short leash should be fine, my scare was with an actual 20 ft tie out. I THOUGHT I knew my hound pretty well after a year, but I found out the hard way that he is not very good with extra yet tied up freedom! I might try it again sometime with my long leash

[OwnedBySummer]

I will tie Summer to a picnic table when we're camping, if I have to. I will put her harness on for this and only use a 6' leash. And I'm right around her. This situation only ever arises periodically and is because the campsite isn't fully set up.

 

BlueCrab, if you can't find them cheaper on e-bay, you can get those popup x-pens from here: Designer Greyhound. You can order online or they vend at a variety of greyhound events and you could arrange a pickup -- this weekend, she's at The GEM Event in Michigan. And I know she'll be at Beach Bound Hounds in Myrtle Beach in September. If you contacted her, she could tell you others. Note that these popup x-pens are NOT suitable for all dogs -- my Summer never tries to get out but a dog could certainly determinedly chew their way out or even tear a hole in the mesh.

[greysmom]

An xpen or two works great, though I would not leave her unattended even that way as they can easily tip or be pushed over.

 

Depending on how much work you want to do, you can buy a roll of what's called "snow fencing" (rolls of about 4 foot wide orange mesh) and set it up more or less permanently with those pound in fence posts. Though if you're going to that much trouble you may as well buy welded wire fencing and just make a fence! One side of about 50 feet of our yard is this type of fencing. It's not completely secure, but no fence is with a greyhound, and I never have them out there unsupervised.

[Guest rennina]

Not safe. But I've done it under extreme supervision and only with one of the pups. I never would tie Sunshine anywhere further than a few feet from me and for a few seconds. I think it's a know your dog thing and you need to accept the possible risks. How about a portable mesh play tent type play pen thing? Or even an X pen?

 

Is it unsafe because they can get tangled up and hurt themselves?

[Guest rennina]

An x-pen is definitely the way to go. I have a soft-sided pen (that also has a mesh roof) that I can even stake to the ground like a tent that I bought for Luna on e-bay. She's modeling it in the photo below. I had her outside with me yesterday while I was trimming the hedges. She loves being outside with me, and this way I feel like I don't have to have my eye on her every single second. Although this obviously isn't ideal for regular potty breaks or just wandering around the yard, it serves its purpose pretty well.

 

 

Wow this looks great! I can't use a regular xpen because she's a jumper. I had a 36H one and the first time I used it she jumped over it while I wasn't watching. But this one looks good for sunbathing.

[Batmom]

Re your question as to why it's unsafe: Yes and yes. A 4 foot or 6 foot leash, close to you, sunbathing or snoozing in the shade, is fine. A longer tie-out can be a problem with a dog who can accelerate as fast as a greyhound.

[JAJ2010]

 

Is it unsafe because they can get tangled up and hurt themselves?

Tangled up, rope burn, broken ribs, slipping out of harnesses, etc. The longer I have greyhounds the more I realize they will do anything to hurt themselves! LOL

[Yamaha_gurl]

I tied Bella up once, 3 ft leash to a fence while we had a crazy bbq party during the day (kids running around), and she chewed through the leash within 3ish minutes. I dunno, I say no. Unless you are 100% watching her like a hawk.

[Guest rennina]

I got it. Thanks for sharing your experience.

[Guest Wasserbuffel]

If you want to use a long line I would recommend tying her to YOU. I often put my grey in her harness on a 20' rope. We use it for camping, walking, or in any situation I want her to have more freedom than a 6' leash allows. If the dog is tied to something like a tree, there is no give when they get to the end of the rope. If it's you, you can react. I put the leash around my hips and through my belt loops, there's no way she can pull it away from me unless the rope snaps.

 

When we're camping she'll snooze on her blanket and I can move about and do things.

 

 

 

Another option is to simply take her crate outside, while you're working. She can enjoy being outside with you, yet safe while you have the freedom to move about and work.

[OwnedBySummer]

 

Wow this looks great! I can't use a regular xpen because she's a jumper. I had a 36H one and the first time I used it she jumped over it while I wasn't watching. But this one looks good for sunbathing.

Besides having the pop-up pen, Summer's regular metal x-pen has a "sun screen" that I tie on top. This makes it impossible for her to jump out. Perhaps you might be interested in that? it's like a see-through tarp with grommets all around the edges. Mine was made by the company who made her crate.