Home Alone Outdoors

Don’t leave your dog alone on a lead. She can easily become tangled in the lead and choke herself. If the lead should get wrapped around her leg, she could break a limb trying to get free. If the lead gets hung up somehow and puts tension on the dog’s collar, the pressure could damage her throat or choke her. If she wraps the lead around a tree or other object, she won’t be able to reach her water bowl and may become dehydrated. Even if no tragedy results, dogs suffer; chained dogs are more likely to become vicious, more likely to bite and bark, and will certainly turn their restricted space into a muddy mess.

An outdoor kennel or fenced-in area is safer than a lead. The fence must be high enough that your dog cannot jump or crawl over it. (Some Labrador retrievers can climb chain-link fences!) Secure the bottom of the fence with railroad ties, thick posts, large rocks, or bricks so that she cannot tunnel under it. A fence, if it’s sturdy and high enough and has a gate that locks, also protects your dog from people who might tease or steal her. Choose an area of your yard where it’s okay for the dog to dig holes or wear a track in the grass. If possible, put her in a grassy area. She’ll stay cleaner and, on hot days, cooler. Provide enough space for her to jog or walk back and forth a bit.

While outside, your dog needs protection from sun, wind, rain, snow, and extreme temperatures. Provide some sort of doghouse with a blanket or something comfy inside to sleep on. You can even set up her crate in this outside area. Make it denlike and keep out the elements by covering the crate with a waterproof tarp. Leave only the front uncovered or partially covered so your dog can go in and out easily. Secure the door in an open position so that it cannot close and latch accidentally.

Here are other considerations for your outdoor dog: