Contents Topic: Life Style, Cost and Jobs, Space, Questions
Biggest Question: Are my dogs just fine staying on their chains (15ft. long) while I am gone (at school and night)?
My dogs (2 dogs) are tied up while I am at school because I am 14 yrs. old, only one taking care of them, and they aren't trained to stay in the yard yet. They get loose when I come home though. I live in the country (out of town), have cows (they don't chase them), and my mother refuses to keep an eye on them.
I have $0 right now because I had to buy them some other stuff. I am earning money right now by cleaning my granparents' homes. If I work at both of them, I get mostly $10 a week and plus I babysit in my community and I normally make $6 a time.
I already have a big space for a kennel that is bigger than 504 sq. ft. I just need fencing and the money to buy it.
I have a few questions. How much money do you think I need to earn? What is the best type of fencing to buy? If I want to leave it dirt so what can I do to prevent my dogs from digging out? (They are diggers, but not jumpers.) Should I get more jobs so I can earn the money quicker? Is 504 sq. ft. too small for them (It looks big to me)?
I think 500 sqaure feet is plenty big. (As long as they get out to run around every day.) That would be much better than being on a chain. I hate the idea of a chained dog. As for digging, you could lay a piece of chicken wire on the ground and cover it with dirt or pea gravel. They won't be able to dig through the wire. Some dogs can climb fences- keep that in mind too!
First of all....you can't leave your dogs on the chains because they could get hurt, they could get out, and they will MOST CERTAINLEY be UPSET. They will not be happy dogs. You need to figure out that next question on your own. The "How much money do you think I need to earn?" question...it depends on what you are buying. For the type of fence I would use chain link fencing but you want it to be fitted for your dog's needs. Question: What type of dogs do you have? You want to talk to your mom...ask her to bring the dogs inside. This is not a good atmosphere for the dogs. You might want a giant backyard size kennel. And also offer shelter if you are going to leave the dogs outside for night fall and morning. Why leave it dirt when the dogs will like it grassy. This will prevent dirtyness. This is a good idea to leave it grass and mybe concrete for them in an area.
YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN READY FOR THE DOGS WHEN THEY FIRST ARRIVED!!!!! THIS PROBLEM WOULD HAVE NEVER OCCURED. YOU SHOULD THINK MORE SERIOUSLY ON WHAT YOU HAVE DONE AND MAYBE START FRESH AND GIVE THE DOGS TO A SAFER HOLDING PLACE FOR A WHILE. LIKE A FRIENDS HOUSE OR A FAMILIES HOUSE. THINK ON THIS YOUR DOGS COULD GET SERIOUSLY INJURED, CORGISRLOVABLE
You should also look at the laws for keeping dogs tied up. In California it is now illegal for dogs to be kept chained up to anything for over three hours.
Now since it seems that you do not have a fenced in backyard for dogs you definitely are going to want to build some type of enclosure for them. I dont know what size dogs you have but if you have large breeds you need to make sure the space is large enough for them to run around and also do their business far away from where they eat and sleep.
The only way to possibly prevent digging is to lay down concrete where the fence it or build a low retaining wall. You may not think your dogs are jumpers but you would be surprised so make sure the fence is high enough
You will also want some type of shelter for them. A lot of states actually require that you have shelter if you keep your dogs outside. If you get a dog house make sure you position it so that it blocks the wind and other elements.
You really need to talk to your mom about this because if they do get out or get in trouble being tied up she will more than likely be responsible for the dogs. So talk to her about helping you pay for this enclosure
My dogs are both medium sized. one is a male basset hound/cocker spaniel mix named Heshey. He is 4 yrs. old. My other dog is a female border collie/samoyed mix named Tillie. She is 14 yrs. old. They are both active and love to run.
My mom says they are my dogs and I take responsibility for what I do with them or they do. I wanted them so I have to take full care of them. Only thing my mom does for them is buy their food because I am saving my money for a kennel. If they get in the trash, I get in trouble for turning them loose and I have to clean it up. Also my dogs panic when they are inside buildings and my house is too small to bring them inside. They love it outside and that is the way I want to keep it for them.
What they have right now:
shelter (3 doghouses and shade) 5 leashes a 20ft. leash 2 leather leashes choke chains (that are never used) dogfood food dishes a transportation carrier automatic feeder grooming tools (no nailclippers because I don't know how to clip their nails) 15ft chains (they can't get tangled in anything)
I am not worried about my dogs getting hurt because they stay around my property, but sometimes wander to the neighbors (they don't like my dogs). I just have them tied up right now because it is the safest thing I can afford until I get enough money to buy a kennel which I have to afford on my own . I just don't want them dragging the chains around all day while I am away.
Those of you who think that I wasn't prepared when I got my dogs, I couldn't do anything about it. I was 7 when I got Tillie (she was 7 when we rescued her from a shelter). And I was 10 when I got Hershey for my brother who refuses to take care of him.
The only better thing I can do right now for them is to train them to stay in the yard ALL THE TIME. If anyone knows how to do this without hitting them, you are a lifesaver.
Does anyone know how to train them to stay in my yard without hitting/kicking/yelling at them? Please tell me. It would make my dogs alot happier.
I also do have a fenced in yard but I can't leave them loose in it because they try to get out because they want freedom. (Hint:they get hurt more being in the fence than they do chained up.) And how do I convince my mom to have them loose in the yard during the day and just tied up for the night so they sleep in their doghouses? Her answer always is, "It gets tiring to open and shut the gates all the time." But she will allow me to have them loose all day if I train them to stay in the yard all the time.
I have had really good luck with invisible fence systems. I have had it installed at two different houses and with two different dogs. It is a much less expensive alternative to metal fencing. You could even run it along your existing fence. There is special training that needs to be followed so as not to emotionally/physically harm your dog.
I have a problem with the whole "my dogs want freedom" statement. In my experience dogs get out of their fenced in yards when they are bored and for other reasons but the whole freedom angle does not work for me.
I keep both of my dogs in my fenced in backyard all day without being tied up (its illegal now in California) .and they have never once tried to get out and they have been in the backyard from day one when we got them both as puppies. I have this theory that if your dogs are happy then they wont want to leave their yard....its a pretty simple thought
How often do you take them for walks? Do they have toys in the backyard?
Have they been in obedience classes?
Im worried about the fact that your neighbors do not like your dogs and you let them wonder over their. That is just asking for trouble.
I live in the country (outside of town). It is not illegal for dogs to run free anywhere they please. But only when they are bugging your animals are you allowed to shoot them.
My dogs are used to being loose and the gates being open. My dogs hate going from being tied up and then turned loose just to be trapped again. They find any possible escape hole in the fence because they are tired of being in the same place day after day. I want them to stay in the yard, but I don't know how to train them. My older dog Tillie has been through obedience classes for 3 years. My youngest dog Hershey is going through them this summer.
My dogs don't and have never liked toys. I don't know why.
I am not worried about my neighbors shooting my dogs because they also have dogs but their dogs chase our cows and my dogs just walk in their fields.
The 2 things I need to teach my dogs:
[LIST]How to stay in the yard [LIST]How to come when they want to explore
Have you considered an invisible fence? It would be less expensive than a chain-link kennel. You could run the wire along your existing fence. The dogs already know the boundary (for the most part) so the training process would be much easier.
I agree with Shaiya, an invisible fence would be a great idea. But, I used it once when i had a Bichon Frise, he was a RUNNER!, he would get passed the little zap (totally humane!)and would keep running. So if any of your dogs are great runners i wouldnt recomend it.
My dogs are RUNNERS. I locked the gates one time and they ran in to them, broke the chain, and kept going. My dogs will break anything in the yard that keeps them in.
When they are in their area (where I want to put the kennel), they are just calm and don't try to get off their chains. If I move their chains to the yard they just get hyper and try to get off of them. It is strange and I don't know what to do.
So my mom says (for the sake of our fence) to just let them loose with the gates open and keep an eye on them, which is what I would do anyway.
Lately since they keep going out of the yard, I took them out of the yard and across the street to a big field. There I let them run for about an hour off-leash. Then I put their leashes on and go for a long walk in another field. (This helps them calm down a lot.)
1.How much does it cost? 2.Does it have to go underground? 3.To make the zap work, does the dog where a collar with the thing on it? 4.Is this invisible fence something you can move or take down easily without any experts help? 5.Is the voltage in the zap too strong for medium sized dogs (boder collie and cocker spaniel sizes)?
Please tell me eveything you know about the invisible fence. I need to know more so I can decide whether it is for my dogs or not.
The system I have cost about $350.00 (this includes the collar, base unit, charger and wire). The wire is buried undergound about 6". We had someone bury the wire (another $300 for 5 acres), but the first system we had we buried it ourselves. The dog does have to wear a collar. There should be adjustments for the correction level(Mine goes 1-10). There is an audible warning signal that the dog hears before receiving a correction. In the training process you also place flags around the boundary area. For the first couple weeks the dog learns his boundary by seeing the flags and hearing the signal while on leash. You make the correction by telling him "NO!" and pulling him away. Only after he has a good understanding of where his boudary is do you put on the collar. I live in an area with lots of wildlife and my dog has never crossed the boundary. This invisible fence system was the only option that would work for me. My dog can climb metal fences and will dig under wooden fences. I couldn't bring myself to chain her. We have 5 acres and I wanted to give her as much freedom as possible. It has worked out great...I am very happy with it.
Whoa!!That is expensive don't you think? But it is probably worth it. Do you know what the total cost (tax not included) would be for a 1/2 acre yard? That is how big my yard is, but we have 230 acres all together. I just want to see the price and if I can afford it I will buy it.
Questions: How much would it cost for 1/2 acre yard? If dogs dig under the wire, will it still correct them?
Unfortunately, the amount of wire you use doesn't have much effect on the price. The system should come with enough wire to do 1/2 acre, so it would be around $350. (There are many systems out there, so the cost could vary a lot.) That price is if you bury the wire yourself.
The dog would not be able to dig under the wire. Typically you would have it set so that when the dog was appx. 4 feet from the wire there would be a warning signal. If he still approached the wire he would get a correction. Even if he was smart enough to start tunneling from five feet away he would have to dig 4 feet down. They really can't jump over either.(Unless they're a super jumper).
As far as being expensive... have you looked into a metal chain-link fence? That would cost a couple thousand. Even a chain link kennel would cost more than that. Compared to the other options, I think it's very inexpensive.
I am getting some fence in the next week or so. I hope it is big enough. I really am looking forward to having my dogs fenced instead of chained.
My dogs have started digging holes, again. Would putting bricks/cinder blocks UNDER the fence help so they can't dig out of it.
I decides that a wireless/shock fence is not that good. I really don't want my dog to be shocked, and personally, when I did my research, I found out that most dogs become immuned to the shock. I don't want my dogs to do this. I also talked my mom into letting me turn the dogs loose with the gates shut (during the day while being watched) and in their [future] kennel at night.
If you have any other things that to say that I could put in the kennel, I would be "oh so" grateful. I am going to leave the kennel dirt so the dogs can dig into the cool ground (I will fill in the holes).
I have:
shelter water bucket food dishes
I was thinking about putting the following in:
one small kiddie pool big autofeeder
Please reply if you think the cinder block/brick idea is a good idea and if you have any comments about putting the kiddie pool and big autofeeder in the kennel with the dogs. Also feel free to say anything else I could put in the kennel to make my dogs happier while I am away.
I wouldn't advise putting an auto feeder in there because dogs really don't know when to stop eating and I don't want your dogs to be overweight! Maybe you could put 3 or 4 kongs with treats inside the kennel, too. Hope things work out!!
If you are already free feeding your dogs, and they don't have weight problems, an autofeeder will be o.k. There are certain breeds of dogs, like beagles, who don't know when they're full and have to be carefully rationed, but many dogs do just fine.
animallover1993 - I think it is very admirable that you want to do the right thing for your dogs and you are working so hard at it. I have to say though, these dogs should not be entirely your responsibility. Your parents got you a dog when you were 7. No 7 year old can be completely responsible for an animal and your parents are being unfair in leaving it all on your shoulders. You HAVE to go to school, and they should have thought about that before getting you the dog. Legally, you cannot be held responsible for the dogs until you're 18, and even then your parents will be responsible because they are the property owners.
I don't understand why your mother can't keep the gate shut and leave them in the yard. That is not much to ask. As for your claim that your dogs want to be outside all the time, I don't buy it. Dogs are social animals and want to be part of the family. I don't see the point of having a dog and keeping it outside all the time. Aside from the emotional stress of being separated from their family, outside dogs are prone to discomfort and health problems caused by fleas, ticks and heartworm from mosquitoes. Since it seems like the only way you can keep your dogs is to have them outside, you should be applying a flea and tick repellant like Frontline and giving them heartworm prevention monthly. Your parents should pay for this - not you. You are 14 and can't reasonably be expected to bear this financial burden. If they won't do it, I think the kindest thing would be to try to find a new home for your dogs where they will be treated as members of a family and get the care and love they deserve from EVERYONE in the family. I know you're trying to provide everything for them, but it is just too much for you. Wait until you're older and independent, do some research about what it takes to have a healthy, happy dog and then get a dog on your own.
By the way, yelling/hitting/kicking will NEVER teach your dog to stay in the yard. It will only teach them to fear you. Why would they come to you when you call them if they think they're going to get hit? Remember, they're dogs, not people. If you hit them when they return to the yard after being gone on an adventure, in their minds you're punishing them for returning. Dogs live in the now - they can't possibly understand they're in trouble for something they did an hour ago or even 5 minutes ago. The way to train them is to reward them immediately when they do something right. It sounds like you would never hit your dog, and I applaud that. If someone has told you the way to train them is to hit, don't listen. That is compelte ignorance speaking.
. I just don't want them dragging the chains around all day while I am away. 
