dogs on chains is it really fair?

United States
June 18, 2009 5:13pm CST
i agree with leashes when you are walking them etc. but to put a dog on a 6 foot chain and left in a yard is just wrong in my eyes. i know aperson that has 2 dogs that she keeps on chains in the fenced back yard. the chains are short they cant get to each other and they have had puppies together and love being with each other. they are great dogs they dont bite, growl or anything just very loving. they break the chains or get lose sometimes and when they do they come to my yard through jumping on the dog houses and over the fence that doesnt bother me like i said they are great dogs and i tell her the dogs are fine when they end up in my yard no big deal. we havent been neighbors long just a month or so. well they have a puppy too and that one isnt on a chain and it gets in our yard all the time and in the house too. he is sweet and we love him like our own. we are always feeding the 3 dogs scraps etc. my husband cuts up rope for them to have something to chew on and etc. its just sad seeing them sit in the yard cant play cant run and no attention unless we strech hard with our hands through the fence to love on them. we talk to them all the time but they just look so sad. what do you think about chains etc
5 people like this
28 responses
@lumenmom (1986)
• United States
19 Jun 09
I think that dogs should have some freedom to run and play. It is in their nature and good for their health. I like to see the big yards with the fences around them or even the invisible fence which gives the animals plenty of room to roam. I when I was younger I had a dog that I had to keep tied up in the back yard, his lead was very long so he could move around but I was so concerned that it was too heavy on him. It was the chain kind, I don't know if they had the thinner ropes like they do now. The funny thing was there was a dog on a tie-out chain in the yard behind us and he learned how to get his loose. He then would jump the wall and take my dog's chain loose. Both dogs would go running up and down the street with these long chains attached to them. Of course that was not very safe because they could have gotten them caught on anything (which thankfully did not happen), but it was ingenius of the dog to figure out how to do that!
@olydove (1209)
• United States
19 Jun 09
LOL alright dog rebellion!! I can totally picture this happening I bet it worried you some at the time but it sure is funny how they deciding to get loose and have some fun. Dogs are much more than just dogs, they have feelings too and they give us unconditional love. I think having them on a long chain for a little while if need be is ok but not for the entire day and not on a short chain. My dog when I was young he had the trick mastered and was off the chain in ten minutes LOL boy he gave us our exercise and kept us busy. We didn't scold him for it because we knew he wanted to play and wanted attention. I sure miss my old friend.
@Wizzywig (7847)
18 Jun 09
I think it depends on how restrictive the chain is - 6 foot is too short. Unless a property is secure (which this one clearly isn't or the dogs wouldn't be able to get into your yard) it may be safer for the dogs as they wont run out into traffic. Not all neighbours are as easy going as you about other peoples animals and they would make trouble for the owners or do harm to the animal - or may have dangerous tools/weedkiller etc lying around. However, if the owner is giving these dogs no affection or attention, that is wrong. Perhaps you could ask the neighbour if you can at least keep the puppy since he's spending so much time at your place already.
2 people like this
• United States
19 Jun 09
well if they move the dog houses to a different part of the yard they couldnt get out. even if they do get out the only place they can get to is my yard so they dont have to worry with my yard we love them.
2 people like this
• Philippines
19 Jun 09
I disagree also. I have two dogs and they are never chained unless they will be visiting the vets. They can freely run inside the house. When they see some dogs on chains they bark like saying "your master is unfair, he or she don't want you to be free" and the other dog will answer back "yeah you're right" hahahahahaha. Dogs needs to be free to be loved and to experience life.
@robert19ph (4577)
• Philippines
19 Jun 09
hello easymoney75503, I agree with you. Dogs should not be put on leash when they're already in the house or backyard for that matter. They need also freedom and enjoy their life as well just like us. Unless if someone will take them for a walk, then they must be in leash.
2 people like this
@sid556 (30960)
• United States
19 Jun 09
i love dogs and haven't owned one in years for just that reason....it is unfair to have a dog if you don't have the time to give it attention and I don't.
2 people like this
@hazed3 (20)
• United States
18 Jun 09
i hate seeing dogs on chains. i have a dong and he is always in the back yard or in the house,and on a leash when i walk him. but having a dog chained to the ground is definately wrong in my eyes.
2 people like this
• India
19 Jun 09
Yes it is a pathetic site to see the dogs on chains. But it cannot be let loose in the public as there are certain dogs which go rampant and crazy when they hear something unusual while they are being taken out for a walk and hence it is absolutely necessary to keep them in chains. But at home it is totally unfair to have keep them chained like a prisoner in a house. I have seen in many houses that dogs are being chained in the houses and they are always being tied up at the back yard of the house and it makes the condition of them quite pathetic. Dogs are Man's best friend and it is totally unfair to keep them chained at home. A stern action must be taken against those who treat their dogs like a slave at home.
@stephcjh (38473)
• United States
19 Jun 09
I think it is wrong to just leave a dog on a chain like that too. I know someone who did that and the dog ended up dying on the chin. They never gave the poor dog any attention but I think they did feed it. It is so sad.
2 people like this
@byfaithonly (10698)
• United States
18 Jun 09
Sounds to me like these people shouldn't have dogs - 6 feet of anything is not enough for an animal to live in. They are lucky to have wonderful neighbors like you but I feel so bad for these animals. You would think with a fenced yard they would let them run - move the dog houses so they can't get out but give them some freedom and that's what they need is freedom.
1 person likes this
• United States
19 Jun 09
So, where do you live? Check your local laws. You can complain to the Humane Society and in many places, it is against the law to chain a dog. Research shows that chained dogs are the ones who break free and cause damage. I would file a complaint. Get the dogs off the chains. It is cruelty and abuse. No excuses and not reasons for chaining a dog.
• United States
19 Jun 09
All states have cruelty laws and chaining comes under those laws. A person can be charged with a felony and go to jail. It is common knowledge now that mistreating a dog (or any animal) is a sign of psychopathology. Abuse your dog - abuse your children and your wife. Police will look for the signs. If you can't take care of a dog properly - don't have one. Whether you call it a chain or a cable it doesn't matter. Still wrong. Cruelty needs to be reported. You should have reported the neanderthal who killed the poodle. I am sure glad I don't live in your state. I would move from that neighborhood.
@lelin1123 (15595)
• Puerto Rico
19 Jun 09
I can't believe the cruelty that these dogs are going thru. I think I probably would call the authorities on them. Its just not right for any animal to go thru such torture. Why have animals if you can't take good care of them. I have a shih tzu and he has free will to run around the house and the big back yard and the front yard. He is only on a leash when I take him for a walk. He is fed twice aday with 2 to 3 dog treats a day. He gets a bath and groomed every 6 weeks. He is very much love and taken care of. If these people can't give an animal love, attention, and excellent care they don't deserve them.Iknow you are knew to the neighborhood but I would still have to report them it just breaks my heart that those dogs are treated so bad and that they are so sad.
@olydove (1209)
• United States
19 Jun 09
If the dogs escape as you say then them being on a chain might be for their own good. The question is do the owners let them in the house at all or leave them chained up day and night? If they are just on the chain for like 30 minutes to allow them to go potty and what not while the owner might have tasks to do then I think that is fine, though they should at least have a 12 foot chain. I wouldn't chain the two dogs so far apart at least let them be able to sit almost side by side but I am guessing they have them chained apart so that the chains don't get tangled and cause harm to the dogs. Chaining a dog for a short amount of time with a reasonable length chain is not abuse, it's when you just put the dog on a chain, don't interact with it or take care of it then in my opinion yes that is abuse. It seems to me from your other responses that if the owners just moved the dog houses it would solve the problem. So as not to be offensive to the owners you might ask them if they would be willing to let the dogs off the chains for a few hours a day to come play at your house make it like ( since I don't have any pets of my own, and I adore your dogs could we have play dates. ) Subtly ask the owners why they have the dogs on such a short chain, maybe they do have good reason. Try communicating with them find out what their reasons are, let them know you're not judging them, just curious. Last but not least check out www.unchainyourdog.org for more information.
@olydove (1209)
• United States
19 Jun 09
I forgot to put this link down for special tips about talking to people about their chained up dogs it's www.unchainyourdog.org/Talking.htm Your discussion gave me the idea of googling for a good site and voila I believe I've found one ***smiles*** thank you for that.
@flzmlady (418)
• China
19 Jun 09
dogs on chains are unfair with people wandering freely around,but unchained dogs are sometimes dangerous to elders and children. i agree to walk dogs with leashes,but locking the dogs in 6 foot chains and the two cant reach each other is such a cruel thing, let alone they have a puppy. reading this reminds me of one of my neighbors.she is an old lady, and she have two puppies or young dogs with her.she just keeps the two puppies by very short chains and gives them almost nothing to eat.the puppies look for food in the garbage box and run up and down through the dirst.one day, the clever puppy was stolen by someone.all of us said that the puppy would have a better life.then after some days,the other was stolen too. we never complain about who stole the two puppies,only thanks to them for freeing two poor thing from a terrible master.
1 person likes this
• United States
18 Jun 09
Keeping dogs confined in a small area is wrong! They need to run around, and have an equal balance between being indoor and outdoor. They must have some kind of contact with humans and other dogs! Also, if they're chained up for too long, they will go to the bathroom within that small 6-foot radius, and dogs hate soiling their space. I even hate seeing dogs in pet stores who are locked up in their little boxes, sleeping in their own pee. I was talking to a friend from Europe, and she was talking about how cruel it is that we have dogs in our (American) pet stores.
2 people like this
@vetiver12 (163)
• Spain
19 Jun 09
I donĀ“t like to see people in chains. but sometimes you are not alone in this. Neighbours and people walking in the street......there are other things to considerate
• Spain
19 Jun 09
I mean dogs in chains, sorry for the typo
@BlueGoblin (1829)
• United States
19 Jun 09
I think dogs under buses, trucks, and car is even more unfair. Dogs on chains is for their own protection. Perhaps not all people use them this way but you can't fault all dog owners that uses chains to protect their animal. Sometimes dogs run away and need to be chained until they learn not to. The owner needs to think about himself as well. That dog runs away and bites someone. Well that owner is getting a hefty fine and maybe even jail time.
• United States
19 Jun 09
Yeah it really ticks me off when people have dogs and they chain them up in the yard. What's the sense on having a dog outside if you're gonna ignore them most of the time? If they are left outside they should be in a fenced yard with no chain. At least they'll have room to roam. It just doesn't make sense to me. If you're gonna have a pet keep it inside so you can enjoy each other.
• United States
19 Jun 09
I can see leashes, and chains being good for walking. I can even see it being okay for the dogs to be on chains. But its better to at least let them off of those chains for a little while. Never leave them on. One thing that could really hurt the dog is if she has the chain directly around the dogs' necks without a collar on. The chain can get imbedded into the neck and that could be horrible for the dogs to go through. As long as she's feeding and watering the dogs properly, then no worries, but if she's not, maybe you should call someone. I hate seeing dogs go through stuff like what you're talking about. We used to have a pit bull / chow mix and he would stay on the chain, mainly because we didn't want him to get out of the yard and bother the neighbors. Our neighbors weren't as nice as you guys are, lol, and I don't believe my dog was as nice to them either. He wasn't used to anyone except us. But we did let him off the chain most of the time and sometimes, he'd break it, guess we never moved at the pace he wanted us to about letting him off. But either way, chains aren't that bad, if they're allowed to be off the chain or at least walked every once in a while. Otherwise, I hate them!!!
@sjvenden27 (1840)
• United States
19 Jun 09
I think it is ok if the owner is putting the dog on the chain because there are small children outside.. I love dogs and hate to see them on a chain.. But I also know when a dog is around a child they can get a little wild which scares small children.. Other then that I do not believe dogs should be on chains period.. Especially chained away from each other, not being able to even interact with each other is wrong.. That is setting the dog up to become hateful, and mean towards humans in general.. Some owners do not realize what they are actually training their dogs to do...In this aspect dogs are no different then children.. If you are mean, and sag gate the dog from human contact, the dog will learn to dis pies and hate humans.. Basically Owner Beware!
@AndrewBoi (369)
• Philippines
20 Jun 09
That's not good. Those dogs deserve to be free. Maybe the owners are afraid that they might lose their pet dogs that is why they have to tie them. They use chains because they are stronger. Also for security and safety purposes, maybe those sogs serve as guards and they're just being careful that their dogs might bite somebody when they are free running on the neighborhood. However, dogs should be treated kindly.. I love dogs.
@myx_03 (540)
• Philippines
19 Jun 09
@superchoque... I agree with you. But thats only for the safety of the other people. So if you know that your dog has a bad attitude,better to put some chain. :)