Should You Put Your Husky On A Dog Tie Out? A Chain? Or Build A Fence?

Before I cover the topic of a dog tie out, a comment about warm weather and huskies...

If you live in a warm climate you will most likely never be able to keep you husky outside. Even with plenty of shade and water. Huskies are built for cold weather (really cold...20 BELOW ZERO COLD), and asking a husky to endure life outside in hot weather (above 78 degrees fahrenheit) will not only be miserable for them, but can be life threatening. In this circumstance it is best to keep your husky in air conditioning. If you do not have air conditioning it would be best NOT to own a husky.

That being said, if you live in a seasonal climate, should you keep your husky outside?

Yes.

Huskies are very curious and easily bored, so keeping a husky inside while you are gone all day allows them to take their boredom out on...your stuff.

Keep in mind your unique living situation. What works for your neighbors german shepherd may not work for your husky.

Because huskies are so curious, keeping them outside can also be a challenge!

Why?

Because they are ESCAPE ARTISTS.

It takes our eleven year old husky Kyra less than 5 minutes to get out of a fenced in yard. I have seen huskies dig, climb, unlock gates, jump, and squeeze thru fences. And don't think the invisible fence/shock system will be fool proof...a determined husky will run thru the shock for the curiosity of the outside world!

Unless you are prepared to monitor your husky at all times, don't bother wasting your time trying keep your husky in a fence.

SIDEBAR

Most dogs get bored when they are left alone. Even if a dog has an enormous fenced in yard, they still get bored. What is missing in their life is YOUR ATTENTION. If a dog is left in a fenced in yard all day, on a dog tie out, in a dog run, or in the house it doesn't make any difference to the dog because attention is what they need.

Leaving your dog in a fenced in yard all day is not a substitute for exercise. They need human interaction WHILE exercising. A bored dog becomes destructive thru barking, digging, whining, pacing, fence fighting, escaping, or ...(name the behavior you have seen a dog display).

Example: A dog that is running around barking at squirrels all day is not exercising herself, she is obsessing. She is creating something to do out of boredom. She is stressed. She needs relief from being confined. She needs human interaction.

This statement may seem obvious if you keep your dog in a crate while you are away, but is just as important for a dog confined to a yard.

Cable Dog Tie Out A plastic coated cable dog tie out can be really handy because it can give your husky as little or as much running room as your yard allows. The biggest drawback is the cable that is attached to the dog can become wrapped around roots, trees, or around your dog! I have seen a frozen dog leg on more than one occasion because the cable became wrapped around the dog during winter. Use caution with the cable method, and know your dog. If your dog is hyper, a cable dog tie out may not be right for you.

Chain Dog Tie Out The Chain Dog Tie Out has been in the news more and more. Some city ordinances do not allow a chain dog tie out, so check with your local animal control if this is a hot issue in your area. These city ordinances have to do with dog fighting trouble and neglect. Not the healthy dog owner.

As I stated above RELIEF from being confined is the most important issue around confining your dog.

Tying your husky outside is the method I use and recommend. Keep in mind that I am specifically talking about a dog tie out for a husky. A German Shepherd trainer would have different recommendations because of the shepherd personality.

This is what my dog yard looks like (our dogs are always allowed inside the house, and they sleep in the bedroom with us).

I like this setup for several reasons...

1. The first is safety. They can be near each other and touch, but have their own space. They cannot chase cats, birds, squirrels, cars, or other dogs.

2. They cannot chew thru the chain. I do not have to worry about them escaping while I am gone.

3. They are allowed to dig, this is their area. Of course if they dig too much, they are letting me know they need more...exercise, entertainment, or interaction.

4. They get fresh air. I think this is important. If you think about it, there isn't much difference between your dog hanging out on the couch all day, or hanging outside all day while you are gone. Either way, they are left alone. And a husky loves the cooler weather outside.

The umbrellas are used when the trees do not provide enough shade (spring usually). If you use umbrellas make sure you know your dog. Make sure they cannot reach the umbrella to pull on it, or get caught in it.

Kyra (the black dog) likes a blanket in her dog house, or a towel in the summer. Larry (the white dog) pulls out and shreds anything we put in his house, so he let us know he doesn't want bedding in his house.

Another reason I like this set up is I do not necessarily make it home at a certain time to let the dogs out.

Clean up dog poop every day!

Under some circumstances, dogs with separation anxiety do better in an outdoor situation. I know an Akita that was severely neglected and starved using a crate. After her rescue, the new owners could not crate her AND she had separation anxiety. They fixed her up outside in a set up similar to the one above, and she is as calm as a well adjusted dog when they leave.

There are always exceptions to these guidelines. As you get to know your husky, you will know what works and what does not.

The picture above shows a swivel. It is a device made out of a bent piece of rebar that turns as the dog moves so you can avoid the tie out twisting into a tight knot.

Make sure all your snaps ALSO have swivels on them. A tie out that does not twist freely can and will hurt your dog.

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