Tying up a dog for a short amount of time?

Why is he tying her up outside even when he’s home?

Why on earth get a dog at all if you’re unwilling to spend time with it and just banish it away from your presence?

I think tying up a dog is cruel. They are pack animals and the only “pack” this dog has is the two of you.

Your fiancé is acting like a selfish idiot, plain and simple.

Sorry to be so blunt but that’s the honest truth. What’s going to happen if you two ever have kids and he doesn’t feel like being bothered? And he “doesn’t care” whether something affects their personality or not.

What a peach~~

If I were involved with a guy like this, it certainly wouldn’t be for long. His insistence on constantly tying up the pet would be a deal breaker for sure.

BTW: what you’re describing certainly doesn’t sound like a “short amount of time”.

He wants to keep her tied up outside UNTIL we can get the area fenced off for her to roam free in. And, I agree with you. I didn’t want a dog to begin with but he insisted. And, unfortunately… the dog came with digging problems. Other than the digging; THAT’S her only issue and it’s the ONLY reason why he has her tied up because we’ve tried practically everything else. He walks her when he can (she still dug), we got her toys for her to keep her entertained while we were gone, she even has another playmate in the yard, yet somehow she still digs holes.

We tried the cayenne pepper and the citronella oil, but that didn’t work either, which is why he’s resorted to this “last resort” deal of tying her up while he’s gone.

Also; her formal obedience training doesn’t start for another two weeks…

To buttonstc; he plays with her and he does spend time with her. But, when the dog wants to go out… he’ll let her outside to roam free for a while, but when he wants to leave her outside (since she’s been in the house all day).. he’ll tie her up because he doesn’t trust her. That’s why.

Is the dog digging out of the yard? If so a “footer” of cement blocks buried directly under the fence line will solve that problem. If it is just digging random holes all over the yard, if you put the dogs own manure in the holes and fill them in, that will usually stop repeat diggings. I personally don’t have a big problem with holes in the yard if escape is not the reason for them. Just fill them in when you have time. Train the pup, give her hell when you catch her, teach her you don’t like it. You say he walks her when “he has time.” You have to make time to take care of the dog. Watch the Dog Whisperer, he says if the dog is tired, it won’t get into trouble, and that is usually true. By the way, I don’t think formal obedience training is going to cure digging.

it’s not digging out of the yard. It’s digging purely out of boredom or something. And, we’ve tried the method of putting her own feces inside the holes and that didn’t do anything.

And, it’s hard to make the dog tired before we both leave for work. Half an hour of walking or fetching doesn’t do the trick because we’ve tried that as well.

Obviously he didn’t do his homework before getting this dog.

Beagles are high energy dogs, scent hounds bred for hunting. It takes a lot to tire them out. Incredibly persistent. If they get it into their heads to do something they can be incredibly stubborn.

Rooey is right about training not necessarily curing the digging. There’s only so much you can do to fight genetics.

But I don’t understand why she has to be put in the yard unsupervised. That makes little sense. If he can’t spend much time with her on the yard, the just keep her I’m the house instead of isolating her.

You already know that it will not have a good effect upon her temperament. The dog want to be with you two more than she wants “fresh air”. You need to figure out how to get this across to him.

www.humanesociety.org

www.mysmartpuppy.com

The reason why he puts her back out in the yard is because she doesn’t really hang out or play with him when she’s in the house. She’ll stay in the house and he’ll play with her… But when he needs to do other things (house work etc)... After a while she wants to go back outside. So he’ll put her outside and play with her for a bit then go back inside. Then she’ll beg to come back inside again.

The dog wants our attention then doesn’t. When we give Her attention, she’ll play but only for so long.

Please understand that she’s not being isolated 24/7. She has another dog that she plays with and when she’s in the house.. She’s getting plenty of attention.

It’s when we are not at home when he ties her up because he can’t trust her to NOT dig.

We are currently working on fencing off our cement area off for her to roam free in so that she doesn’t have to be tied up.

And trust me. She’s in the house most of the time when he’s home. But when she wants to go outside he will play with her, but he eventually has to go back inside. Nobody has the time of day to sit in the yard or 8 hours at a time.

I’m no vet, but from what I’ve observed tying a dog up generally isn’t harmful.

My brother has a big dog (forgive me, i don’t know the breed) that used to get tied up at night until it got used to the area and could be properly trained.

He’s a fulltime manager at Coles Supermarkets, so finding time was hard but now the dog is allowed to roam the yard freely after being trained.

In conclusion, I feel that tying it up is the opposite of cruel. While your fence needs fixing, your dog can escape onto the road and hurt herself. My advice would be to either make her a house dog, or fix that fence ASAP.

I concur that tying up is not a healthy thing to do for the dog.
Even a runner is less cruel but still not what should be done.
The dog is your pet and a part of your family. Part of getting the dog is to have a plan of action.
Every day you are not training it, is a day of bad habits.

Read the various post on here about getting a right sized kennels for the house.
Keep us informed on how is goes.

It’s when we are not at home when he ties her up because he can’t trust her to NOT dig.
So that means the dog is tied up for a minimum of 8 hours a day while you guys are at work? Does the dog have a place to go to get out of the heat or rain?
What if she knocks over her water bowl?

I don’t think obedience training will do anything for the digging. It’s an instinctive behavior and is difficult, if not impossible, to eradicate. I have had some luck with my dogs by deciding on an area that is OK to dig holes in, and not allowing digging in other areas. It’s not just boredom, although that certainly contributes(to say nothing of boredom-induced barking, which will almost certainly cause neighbor problems); dogs dig holes to lie in so they can cool off in hot weather, and it seems like it’s just comfy to them in general. She’s tied to the hose spigot?? I’d be afraid that would get broken and I’d come home to a flood! If she’s going to be tied it should be to something better than that IMO.

Yes the dog has a place to go get out of the heat. He ties her up in an area that’s covered in shade all day. And her water and food bowl are up against the wall at all times so it hasn’t been knocked down, ever.

The dog is in shade the entire time and has a dog house right next to her. She has toys, water, and food for her. And her playmate lays next to her.

We are currently working on getting the fence for just or cement area blocked off so that she can roam free once again and the digging won’t be an issue because she will be on concrete only.

So, until I can get the cement area of my backyard blocked off for her to permanently roam free in; we have no other means of keeping her from digging…

The dog has a house for shelter, is in shade constantly, has water, food, and toys for entertainment. She’s never knocked over her food bowl.

We let her run freely and we let her in the house as soon as someone gets home. On weekends; she is in the house 90 percent of the day with us.

Just throw up some cheap wire fencing. It’s unattractive, but it won’t take long and it will work, as long as the dog isn’t big enough to jump it.

Here’s another suggestion. Is there an uncarpeted area of the house that the dog can be gated into while you are at work? We we leave my dog gated in the kitchen when we went out with his water, toys and bed at hand. If the dog is housebroken, it seems a more humane solution than leaving him outside. And even if not totally housebroken, a linoleum or tile floor is easy to clean up.

Sorry to say but the home he is offering is not really one for a dog. Dogs do dig, chew, and poop that is normal for a dog. Restraining by tying up is not helpful at all. The only healthy way to tie a dog up is to secure a leash on a track. Whereby they can run up and run a good few meters. Plus offer shade and food. As you say has been done.

My friend is rather extreme she has 8 dogs, and all of them have chewed her furniture, my shoes, bitten her and ran bedlam. But she understands they are under a year and are still learning. She would report any dog that it tied up for more than an hour a day. Whether this is wrong right or helpful I don’t know. I just feel he hasn’t the patience or nature for a pet.

Winter is coming on and not only is tying not the answer, but…it is not okay to leave any animal out in the elements even with shelter. A dog house does little to really keep a dog warm and comfortable and as others have said, what’s the point of even having the dog if she is not going to be a major part of the family.
Will your fencing be done soon, in a few weeks?
Only a very short term tying situation is acceptable IMO.

Yes, basic obedience training will have no impact on her digging habits, other than to tell her ” no” only when caught in the act.
You guys really have to get this situation fixed asap, or, find the dog a home with a big fenced yard and people that want her to be a major part of the family.
Single dogs absolutely have to be part of their human “pack” or they are depressed, destructive and yes, will possibly turn aggressive too.

I think you guys should have gotten a cat, considering your lifestyle and digs. Pun intended.

My dog used to dig, it’s not actually a “problem”, the dog is just bored, beagle/collie means 2 things hunting and herding the dog will be active, take it for a long walk instead to tucker it out and it won’t want to dig. If that doesn’t work then you may need to give the dog training in either some hunting oriented game or a herding one. If you don’t have the time you shouldn’t have the dog. I think it is ok to tie the dog out to go pee, but for lounging around..the backyard is not replacement for exercise. My dogs go in the backyard on a leash because I have no fence only to pee, I take them for an hour walk everyday. My lab still likes hunting & retrieving games which we play indoors she hasn’t dug a hole in over 4 yrs. My dogs are 8 & 9 and I’ve had them since they were 7.5 wks & 10 wks. If I think they need more time outdoors, then I sit with them and hold the leash..supervised. My lab has a great sniffer and now likes to eat first taste later, which has caused her to have stomach issues.

So, we’ve gotten up a part of the fence so far and we haven’t tied her up in about 2 days now. Our last resort is to tie her up because we have no other means of keeping her from digging (if she decided to). And I understand that her breed is notorious for digging. I don’t mind the digging, but it’s starting to become destructive because she uprooted 4 rose bushes.

I just bought a small sandbox and filled it up with dirt and I’ve been teaching her to dig in just that designated spot and she’s picking it super quick. No holes yet so far.

@trinamishh That’s a positive. Maybe bury some big bones or other scented toys and that will really help her learn where she is allowed to dig. Mostly she needs a LOT of play and exercise and attention and things to do when you are not home. Hope it all works out. :-)

Is it possible she is digging, trying to catch gophers in the yard? I live in Gopher land over here and dogs go nuts for them.

@Coloma there aren’t any gophers or anything of that kind in the yard whatsoever. my fiance and i have had countless fights about how we’ve been raising her because he does the bare minimum when it comes to her. And, at this point, if he cannot man up, I may have to find a new home for her because i cannot be doing all the work.

@trinamishh You may want to think about marrying this guy then. If he won’t man up and help with the dog, do you think he will help if you two have kids? Just something to think about.

And, I am not going to put this dog through hell because one man cannot man up to responsibilities of owning a dog. I will definitely find a better loving home for her if he cannot straighten out because i CANNOT be the man in this crap.

@chyna i think this dog did me a few favors by coming into our lives, honestly. it made me see a different side of him that i was unable to see. I have A LOT to think about.

Well a pet IS a family affair and everyone has to be on board. It is not fair to the dog or you, especially if he was the one that over ruled your negative vote to get the dog in the first place.
@chyna Makes a really good point. A lackadaisical dog dad is likely to be a lackadaisical partner and father too. The fact that he did not take your feelings into account and went ahead anyway is not a good thing. What’s next, the car or boat or motorcycle you are against or cannot afford?

@coloma; I had arguments about him walking her everyday when I was unable to and his response was, “I am not walking her every day. That’s just not going to happen. My feet are killing me from work.” And his response for whether he plays with her or not?: “By play with her, you mean letting her in the house and sitting on the couch and relaxing while she runs around, sure.”

I’ve had to make up for every non action he doesn’t do for her. The ONLY thing he does is give her food, water, and the toys I buy her. He will occasionally go out in the yard and play fetch with her or play tug of war with her. But, MOST of the time he doesn’t give her the actual attention everyone is talking about. And, I have to make up for all of it when I can.

If I bring up the issue about him ACTUALLY playing with her, he’ll give me another excuse about how he’s too tired and how NO ONE has the time of day to play with a dog like that.

My overall impression is that he likes the “IDEA” of having a dog more than he likes what is entailed a responsible pet relationship.

It really is like being responsible for a child. When we bring domesticated pets into our lives, we assume full responsibility for every aspect of their care, not just the minimum of food water and shelter. It really is a relationship.

Maybe it’s just that he’s incredibly immature, but someone that immature shouldn’t be having a pet. They aren’t toys for our amusement. They are living beings who have real needs other than just the bare minimum (in terms of time, companionship, emotional needs, etc.)

Your instincts may be correct. This pup may well be better off in another home with people who understand ALL of her needs unique to the breeds that contribute to her heritage.

BTW: you refer to him as your fiancé.

Are you seriously contemplating having children with this guy?

What happens when he’s “too tired” to deal with them? Are you willing to be , in effect, a single parent?

Are you aware of how damaging it is to a child’s self esteem to continually deal with a disinterested parent? They take it very personally, unlike a dog who will usually forgive practically everything.

A child will require at least 10X more of him than a pet. If he can’t even scrape up the energy and commitment for a cute little dog, how do you think he’ll be able to handle a colicky baby crying all night and pooping diapers?

And where will he be when they reach school age and need help with homework or sports skills?

This guy is a real peach, isn’t he~~~

@Buttonstc; His response to every single argument I’ve had about this dog’s care is: “I’ve had many pets in my lifetime and I don’t have any remorse for animals. If she’s going to destroy property that is worth more than her, then she deserves to be tied up.”

When I brought up the argument about not just taking care of her basic needs, he said, “She’s a dog. She will be fine. She’s not going to die from being tied up for a few hours.”

Basically, he feels that since her basic needs are being met (food,water,shelter) and some play time from him is enough for the dog. And, I KNOW he has more than enough time every day to ACTUALLY play with her, but he doesn’t want to. He has other things that are more important to him. So, like a few days ago… when he got tired of playing with her after a certain amount of time; he tied her up outside while he went and did something else.

The fact of the matter is, he “tries”... he plays with her. But, he feels the play time he gives her is enough. A total sum of 1–3 hours AT BEST is the amount that he spends physically playing with her. Any other time he just lets her run around the house while he’s doing other things and not even that because he doesn’t want to deal with her, which is when he will tie her up outside.

@trinamishh Eeee..well girly, take it from an older woman, if something is a problem before you get married it will only get worse, or, if you’re really lucky, stay the same.
I should have divorced my ex and kept my parrot. I did divorce him but after I gave up my bird because he didn’t like him. Bah!
This dog is a good “test” for the future, what happens when his poor wittle feetsies are too tired to get up and help with a baby?

That excuse won’t fly.
It’s a test for you too, and you are showing him you will pick up the slack so he has no motivation to take more responsibility. I see a rocky road for you two. :-(

@Coloma; The funny thing is… last night he told me I overreact over how he takes care of her. He told me that me worrying about her being tied up is petty. He made ME feel like just because he gives her the basic needs and that he does play with her…“she’s fine”. He repeatedly told me last night, “She’s fine. I know how to take care of a dog. She’s happy.” AND, he had the audacity to tell me that my concerns aren’t necessary.

His view is that a dog is an animal and to get upset over it being tied up or whatever things I get upset about is “stupid and petty”. He clearly has no remorse for animals whatsoever.

@Coloma

Hopefully, for now, she’s being diligent about birth control.

Can you imagine a poor kid in the middle of all this.

Hopefully, she’ll do some serious rethinking about this guy’s potential as a parent.

There are definitely better fish in the sea.

What happened to your parrot, btw ?

@coloma; I am DEFINITELY on birth control.

@Buttonstc He went to a great bird family with a mate for him and I was very happy for that. I would not have rehomed him had I not found a perfect situation.
Yes, lord….well…@trinamishh won’t be the first woman to ignore red flags and forge ahead. :-(

So he thinks that your being “stupid and petty”

Clearly he has no regard for YOUR feelings as well. I think this goes far beyond mere immaturity on his part.

How does it feel to have your genuine concerns treated so insultingly and dismissively? Where did you find this guy?

But if you don’t stick up for yourself, none of us can do it for you.

Listen to Coloma. She’s been down this road. You don’t have to do the same.

The way someone treats animals is a really accurate indicator of character. There’s even a quote by Ghandi along those lines.

@Buttonstc I have never been so frustrated in my entire life.

@Buttonstc; I don’t know what to do at this point because he feels her basic needs being met are enough.

@Buttonstc; I simply asked him the the ONLY TIME she be tied up is when we are both not at home. If he’s EVER home, he needs to bring her in and keep her in the house and if not in the house… at least play with her outside then bring her in the house.

His response?: “that’s not going to happen”

Well, you know that’s not accurate (about her needs being met.)

And what about your needs ? Doesn’t sound as if he’s even giving you basic respect, at a minimum.

But, as Coloma mentioned, he knows you’re willing to take up the slack. A basic truism in life is that we teach people how to treat us.

If you’re continually willing to be disrespected, that’s what you’ll get. You have some serious thinking to do.

Men are stupid.

Look up information on beagles as a breed. They have an instinct for digging just as some dogs have herding instincts. Beagles originally dug to find prey. You need a dog of a different breed, but check first to see what characteristics the dog’s breed has naturally before choosing.

One thing I feel I must say is that a dog does not need constant attention and playing with when they are in the house with you. They can be content just lying at your feet while you read or even sleeping if they have had adequate attention and stimulation at other times. But as we’ve all said, tying out in the yard for several hours a day is not right. That is a very old-fashioned idea of what dog ownership entails. Do use this as a red flag and really look at the man you are thinking of marrying. Maybe you each have been guilty of some impulse “buying.”

@Coloma “poor wittle feetsies”—thank you, I was at a loss for words for how to express my scorn for this man’s position. He could at least throw a ball around in the yard for a while.

OP: men are not stupid. YOUR man is stupid, or maybe just behind the times as far as dog care goes. And it sounds like this problem may have become a power issue in the relationship, further clouding his judgment. BTW when I was growing up I had similar problems with my mom, who more than once rashly brought home a stray dog she felt sorry for that I got stuck taking care of.

I ALWAYS walked my dog when I came home after 4 hours or more, even when I was working as a roofer and had spent 8+ hours shoveling rocks and pouring tar in August in MD.

That’s another possibility: leave the dog inside all day. Leaving a dog inside for more than 6 hours is not ideal, but an adult dog can handle it if trained properly and given plenty of exercise before and after. Dogs sleep 16 hours a day, so the dog will mostly just sleep while you’re at work if she gets enough attention when you’re home. Some people leave a radio on turned low. Another thing you could do is hire somebody to walk the dog halfway through the day, or come home for lunch and do it yourself if you feasibly can, which is what I often did in grad school.

Another problem with leaving dogs outside unattended for long periods of time in an urban or suburban area is the dangers posed by other human beings. There are some very cruel people out there.

He wants a dog that acts like a cat. They do exist, but it’s easier to just get a cat.

He plays with her for 2–3 hours a day and will walk her. not every single day; but he does walk her. And she’s usually in the house when he is. He gives her attention and such when she’s relaxing on the bed and he’s doing work.

We have the fence completely up and now she’s roaming freely on our concrete patio (out of the sun completely). She has her playmate, plenty of toys, food/water, and her dog house. The digging won’t be an issue anymore.

Ideally the space isn’t as big ad her running rampant in the ENTIRE yard (I.E grass). But the space is about the size of a whole alleyway. 4–5 feet wide and about 30–35 feet long.

Want my advice? Think twice about the fiance. He sounds like a douchebag.

@Mama Cakes

You’re certainly not the only one on this thread who feels that way :)