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Leash Tie Out?

12K views 35 replies 14 participants last post by  Sthelena 
#1 ·
Does anyone use a leash tie-out type thing in the yard when playing with their dog? I don't have a fenced in yard and am probably getting a dog sooner than I am getting the yard fenced. The dog I am probably going to foster from the shelter likes to play fetch so I was hoping to come up with a way to play fetch with her in the yard but have her still be "on leash" so she doesn't run off, obviously. The leashes i have are 6 ft leashes so I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations for leash tie-outs or long leashes or any experience in general with playing with a dog on leash in the backyard? Thanks!
 
#2 ·
We use a leash tie out sometimes, even though our yard is fenced in. If I can't watch our puppy, who is in a big digging stage in certain areas of the yard, I will put her on the tie out. You might want to get a longer tie out than 6 feet for playing...chasing a ball that goes farther than intended often results in the poor dog meeting the end sooner than expected (ask me how I know that...oops!). Our neighbor has one that's probably 15 feet.
 
#3 ·
That's what I was thinking. I was looking on Amazon at tie-out cables that are 30' even though I probably don't need that much. I guess you also buy like a metal stake to go in the ground? I see some people loop them around trees but I don't have many good sturdy trees in the backyard...does anyone know if these would be the "right" tools to buy? Or something similar? I also see that they sell the two together but the cable appears to be only 20 feet...that might would be enough for small games of fetch...any opinions appreciated!

https://www.amazon.com/Favorite-Tie...pID=51hbUX54AFL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

https://www.amazon.com/Dogit-Cork-S...511183254&sr=8-8&keywords=leash+tie+out+stake
 
#4 ·
We have two metal stakes...we started with a green one that you just push into the ground, but our dog would pull so much it wiggled holes in the dirt. So we got one that looks like a corkscrew and basically screws into the ground. It's held up much better. I now use the simple one to take with us if we're visiting family and I want to root her temporarily outside, or I can take it to the front yard and attach her lead there.
 
#5 ·
I used a tie out to play fetch with my older dog before she passed away and to train outside with
I don't have a fenced in yard either my tie out is wrapped around an old pole that use to be used for laundry from previous owner it's concreted into the ground so worked well
The only thing I didn't like about it was getting stuck or wrapped around things was kinda a pain in the butt lol but it was the only time she could run around outside somewhat free so she loved it
My current dog is a havanese I just use a 30 foot lead I hold on to with him for play and training but my older dog was a Great Dane mix and would snap any leads (I'm sure) if I tried that with her


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#8 ·
Thank you for the replies!! I will probably do that while I save to get my yard fenced - I just can't afford to get it done yet. #teacherprobs :) Thank you for the input! I got a metal stake from PetsMart and a cable off Amazon with really good reviews so hopefully it'll work.
 
#9 ·
wish i'd seen this thread B4...

.

tie-outs really aren't very safe, for reasons above noted in passing - Sudden hard STOPS! when the dog runs out of 'line' can cause serious injury, including paralysis, death, or other spinal injuries.
The abrupt force of their entire body-weight on their neck at speed is bad, bad, bad. :(

I would strongly urge U to send the new stuff back for a refund, & get an overhead tie-out, instead.
They provide more running-room, they don't tangle around obstacles & get shorter & shorter, trapping the dog in full sun or away from water, etc, & they let the dog shift from sun to shade, if the line is set-up to offer both.
:thumbsup:

Dog-trolleys are not a new invention, but they're a big improvement over any corkscrew tie-out, & unlike a ground-level tie, the dog won't entangle anyone who comes to visit them, nor can they flip over or knock-over their water supply, leaving themselves to thirst.

U can use the frame of the side- or rear-door as one end of the cable, & use a post of wood or metal as the other terminus - wood is simpler, as U can screw the eye-bolt into it, but galvanized or powder-coated steel is much more durable, & will last thru many dogs' lifetimes.
Be sure to install the safety-stops as explained in the instructions, so the dog can't go AROUND the post/s at the end/s - that's what keeps the dog free of entanglements & able to move the entire length of the free cable.

the usual cautions apply:
- don't leave the dog on the trolley when U're not at home.
- even when U *are* at home, Don't leave the dog solo if they're under 20#, or the area hosts dog-hostile predators.
Toy-dogs anywhere are potential raptor-food, & larger dogs are defenseless against bears, cougar, coyote, etc, or even other dogs, when tied.
- if U go inside for any reason, it's best to take the dog along:
malicious humans can drop by, or a curious child comes over, & Bad Things Happen. Ur dog will pay the price.
- be sure the water-supply is clean, cannot be tipped, & is plentiful; a flat-sided S/S bucket spring-clipped to an eye-bolt in the post at the far end, or clipped to the metal banister by the side- or rear-door, is a good option.
It's off the ground, it's well-secured, & the bucket can be sanitized.

If the dog is outside solo despite any warnings i offer, at least CHECK on them frequently! - silence may not be a good sign. :eek:

- terry

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#10 ·
Thank you for the advice! I'm just looking for a temporary fix until I get a fence. I only foster dogs so they're only with me temporarily. Typically, they always are on leash with me when outside but this one really likes to play fetch so I was trying to come up with a way to play fetch with her in the yard while she is still technically "on leash."

Do these overhead leash tie outs have to be tied to trees on either end? I'll look into them!
 
#11 ·
trolleys & posts // a temporary zip-line, made safe for trees

Thank you for the advice!
I'm just looking for a temporary fix until I get a fence. I only foster dogs, so they're only with me temporarily. Typically, they always are on leash with me when outside, but this one really likes to play fetch, so I was trying to come up with a way to play fetch with her in the yard, while she is still technically "on leash."

Do these overhead leash tie outs have to be tied to trees on either end?
I'll look into them!
.

actually, for the sake of the trees, that's not a good option. :( It will slowly but surely kill the 'outside' side of the tree.
There's a linear relationship from root-tip to branch-tip, & interruptions will kill the overhead branch/es - the pressure from the outer curve of cable-noose slowly crushes the thin layer of cambium under the protective bark, & the cambium is where food & water travel upward.

Cambium is why deer or rabbits can gnaw a shallow girdle all the way around a young tree, & kill it - dead as a stone.
The bark of a sapling isn't sufficiently tough & thick to keep their teeth out, & the cambium is the tasty living layer that they gnaw thru the thin dead sheathe to reach, & eat.

U can use a post set in a poured wet-mix concrete, as is usually done, or skip the messy mixing -- set the post, add gravel & dry 'crete, wet and mix it "in place".
Mix dry small gravel with double the volume of powdered concrete well, so the gravel is distributed; pour the dry mix evenly into the hole around the post while someone holds the post upright. Pour water over the dry mix, & use a thin piece of rebar to poke thru the dry-mix to create the slurry: stab, 'open', pour, pull, Repeat: stab, open... etc.
Depending on the ambient temp, curing takes longer in cool weather; concrete must entirely set-up before it's stressed.

TIPS for cold-weather curing -
https://www.concretenetwork.com/cold-weather-concrete/curing.html

Use wooden posts & screw the eye-bolt in, or metal posts that were drilled to accept a bolt-style eyebolt that takes a hex-nut & lock-washer to secure it, opposite the eye.
Or U can use a 'collar' type fastener with an eye - the curved collar is in 2 halves, with a hinge, & the eye goes vertically into a shaped slot. The collar fastens with a bolt & wing-nut.

For a fastening system that goes ON TOP of a square metal post, go to 4:15 on this how-to video, & check out the anchoring system used for the shade-sail.

https://www.thisoldhouse.com/how-to/how-to-install-shade-sail


here's another option:
a zip-line of climbing rope running horizontal, using a LOCKING carabiner as the metal 'loop' overhead.

http://blog.gopetfriendly.com/making-a-zip-line-for-your-dog/

however, i wouldn't use a leash, as seen in the photos - too many dogs can shear thru their leash over time, by gnawing a little each time they bite it. I'd use a drop-down cable of nylon-coated bike-cable, which any big-box hardware store can tailor-make to a custom length.
:thumbsup:

Don't forget, the rope ZIP-LINE won't have 'stops' to keep the dog from getting tangled around obstacles!
Overhead trolleys that come pre-packaged for installation, include the safety-stops.

But the zip-line, being temporary, goes up & comes back down each time it's used -
the trees will be OK, so long as U pad the outside curve with eggcrate-style heavy-duty foam under the rope. That inexpensive camping-mattress that U never use is a good source - cut 4 full-width slices, 1-ft deep, & stack them facing each other, flat sides out, egg-crate inward.
Wrap the stacked foam pieces in abrasion-resistant backpack material [U can cut-up a GoodWill-sourced back-pack & not cry over it], duct-tape across the gap to secure the wrapped foam at the height where U want it on the tree, & then wrap the rope zip-line entirely around it, securing it to itself with the spring-clip at the end.
Do the same at the other end. // If they don't look too hideous, the foam-pads can stay in place - just take the rope off every time U finish playing 'fetch'.

Periodically, every month or 2 for fast-growing young trees, or for big mature trees, every 4 to 6-months, cut the tape at the center & bridge across it with a new piece of duct-tape, to allow the tree to continue growing.
Tree trunks don't grow UP - they grow <=== OUT ===>, with the tree adding girth. Anything that doesn't expand, slowly strangles the tree.


Connect the drop-down to any inexpensive sturdy Y-harness, adjusted to fit snug & flat; test the fit by pulling with both hands to the same side, one hand on the shoulder-strap & the other on the heart-girth; it should only slip an inch or two, not roll to one side.
No hardware should touch or even get close to the dog's tender 'armpits', where the elbows swing - no buckles, no slides.
The harness protects the dog's spine from serious injury if they HIT the end of the line with force.

HTH,
- terry

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#12 ·
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#14 ·
together? // A trolley, with a long cable on it?

You can use the long cable like you see on Amazon, and you can also make a cable run, using line and pulleys.
.

I'm not sure if this is meant to describe a combination of the 2? -
IOW, install a zip-line with an overhead trolley, & then put a long-cable on the trolley, instead of a short vertical drop-cable, to clip onto the dog's collar.

A long-cable on a trolley creates the same hazards as a tie-out at ground-level -
it tangles around obstacles, it can overturn the only water-source, or it can kink & shorten, but even-more dangerously, it allows the dog to BUILD MOMENTUM on a long run, then run out of cable, & hit the end of the line with jarring force, possibly causing serious injury.

Just like a Gentle Leader headcollar, which cannot be combined with a long-line nor with an extending leash / retractable reel / Flexi, some combinations of tools create hazards for dogs, & a long cable on an overhead trolley is one of them - the longer the cable, the shorter the trolley must be, as the posts at each end are meant to be blocked-off so the dog can't encircle them, & get stuck.

If U have a long narrow yard, with a solid wall or a privacy fence at the far end, a short trolley going side-to-side with a long line would still not be as safe or as usable as a trolley going the length of the narrow yard, if that makes sense?

If i've misinterpreted, i apologize - I'm just not sure how the 2 go together, or maybe U install both separately? :confused:

- terry

.
 
#17 ·
.

@SpicyBulldog -
the confusion is - i think!, i could be wrong - easily clarified.


A "long-cable connected to an overhead trolley" was what I thought YOU were suggesting -
the short vertical-cable that comes packaged with the trolley, is the one that I would use - & is also what i'd suggest.



All clear, now?
- terry

.
Yes think I get what you mean. Though I'd never trust a pre packaged one myself.
 
#21 ·
Wanted to add even for dogs that don't chew through the cable damage is still being done from them chewing on it. I'm not a fan of broken cutters. I don't like using cable, but a custom cable run works well because the cable is overhead out of the dogs reach and ability to chew.

The snaps on what you (leashed4life) show in the photo, yeah I wouldn't pay money for something like that. The springs fail leaving them to hang open and the collar on the D ring easily will be out in seconds. Also the swivel section wears a lot faster than bullsnaps or the like. Those eventually will wear out too, just not near as fast.

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#25 ·
Forgot to ask where did you give 3/4 dog cable tie out? I don't go around measuring them or checking put every product since I'm not interested, but most look thin and one I know is stated for big dogs is 1/5" and I'm not even sure if that's the cable or including the coating. Eyeballing and having bought thicker cable the ones I've seen are not near 3/4. Not that it matters much to me personally because all of them have hardware that isn't too durable that I've come across regardless of cable thickness.
 
#27 ·
I have a leash tie outside for one specific reason, when I'm out doing yard work and my younger dog is out with me. 99% of the time, we don't use it, but if I'm out there and can't watch him like a hawk, I tie him up. Our chow mix is old and just likes to lay on the deck. When I'm out with both dogs where I'm focused on them, then neither are on the tie, and sometimes neither are leashed.

We don't have a fully fenced yard because we live in a secluded forest on a few acres of land that the land is not flat. We have no neighbors behind us for miles, but at the very end line of our property there are active railroad tracks. So if it's a nice day, and I want to work in the garden but will be making trips back and forth to our barn, I tie up the dog that I cannot trust 100% yet for his own safety. We are so far back and the land has many trees, you can't hear the train go by. There is chicken wire on the property line, but that's more or less to keep our neighbors' properties separated.
 
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#33 ·
Huh?

...
Okay when you have time I'd like the info to find the cables.
.

Find what cables?

I installed ordinary, commercially-made, pre-packaged overhead trolleys.
I didn't custom-make some 1940s Packard version, with beefy hardware & cable double or more the thickness of OTC versions.

The only 'custom' cables I've had made for me, were for double-ended tethers to be installed on eye-bolts in baseboards.
I chose my cable, the dude at the Big-Box Home Improvement Store cut it, clamped the swiveling spring-clips on it, & i took it home. // It's been way-too long for me to recall what the thickness was, it's over 20-years ago. I just picked something substantial that wasn't ridiculously thick.
The tethers are under 2-ft long, they aren't running between posts & only serve as a station for the dog.

- terry

.
 
#35 ·
#36 ·
3/4 inch cable would be enormous...... Like as big around as my thumb.
Although lugging that around would result in one heck of a muscular dog!!
These tie outs used to be very popular in my area. Have seen dogs chew through braided metal cables. They grind the cable in the back of their mouths. One strand lets go at a time. They cant just bite through the cable, but can 100% work their way through each strand by grinding it.
Once the coating is chewed, water gets into it and is trapped between the cable and coating, the cable starts to corrode from the inside.
Just putting that out there.......
 
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