Wondering if anyone has any ideas... we have a 7 pound Yorkie terrier and in the past have tied him out to a 20# weight. He loves being outside, but he's a playful little dude and once in a while the neighbors dogs come just near enough that he just about chokes himself trying to get to the other dogs. We tried the harness but he's so small he wiggles out of it so he has to stay on a collar/leash tied to the weight. I'm toying with the idea of some kind of enclosure. Can't be more than 6ft x 6ft which believe it or not is plenty big for my little guy. Campground rules dictate no erecting of fences of any kind so that is out. Was going to get one of those kiddie corale things but my little guy is a jumper and he'd knock that over in a minute. The ground there is rocky so would be hard to secure it by driving stakes into the ground, not sure I'd be able to get far enough down to be able to do that.
Any ideas on how to let my guy be outside but not choke himself on that weighted tie-out? Teaching him not to strain is not an option, he's a friendly little dude and wants to get at anyone and everyone who approaches. We used to use a 10# weight but he could pull it!
Um.... get an ex-pen? That's what most people do for this kind of stuff. It is in fact a "fence" but not something that is installed and probably most CGs will allow it as long as you don't leave the dog loose in it.
If that does not suit another option would be a large wire dog crate. The largest size they have at Wallworld will hold me and my two dogs who are not small. Same size is a reasonably adequate cage for two rabbits that are probably about the size of your yorkie to live in. The Walmart ones are not so very heavy as the "better" ones and thus easier to handle. He'd be safe and secure from approaching hostile dogs, but able to see out and be with you.
susan
What I want to know is, when are they going to start selling Comfort Zone for HUMANS????? 'Cause some days...
I agree with the ex-pen suggestion. My dogs are extremely athletic working bird dogs and a small ex-pen works just fine for them when we want them to be able to be outside in a campground setting. It’s not big enough for them to actually get any exercise at all (that requires a daily run of several miles), but they enjoy getting some scents and looking around. Frankly, they have never been tied out (they have a 3 or 4 acre e-fence area at home) and I don’t like the idea of tying up a dog.
I keep the ex-pen in the back of the toad when it is not in use, so dirt, etc, doesn’t get in the moho. Each dog has a bed and I keep fresh water in the pen, too.
Obviously, they could leap out of the ex-pen in a blink without the slightest effort; and they could bark at every passing person and dog. Those issues are quite simply dealt with through training and they do neither.
The only problems we have had with the ex-pen arrangement have been caused by uninvited campground busy-bodies. As “versatile” hunting dogs, my dogs are bred to dispatch small varmints, in addition to finding, pointing and retrieving upland birds. That’s a useful attribute when you live in the country as we do. Too often someone walking by with their foo-foo dog takes their dog right up to the ex-pen to “say hello” and allows it to stick its nose in the pen, sorely tempting my dogs to break their training. When I explain why that is a VERY bad idea and that I don’t want them to force me to discipline my dogs, the busy-body is usually offended and huffs off. Sigh.
2008 Winnebago Journey 39z DP
2004 Jeep Liberty toad
Len and jane:
Whenever, I register for a site, I email a few photos like below. I have yet to be denied because of the dogs or fencing. However, I am curious as to what campground you are referring. Let me know if you are interested in the panels, they are adjustable to available space.
Good luck,
John
Have you tried the harness/vest. My friend has a tiny dog and the harness does stay on. Freedom Vest & Harness Vest
Be very careful because Charlie took a back flip once. We had to rush him to emergency. He did some damage to his growing plates in his legs. I could kick myself not having him in his harness.
Thanks all for the ideas...I had actually never seen or heard of ex-pen before, but I figured something like that had to exist. Being 5'2" and having a little little dog, that wouldn't work b'c there's no door...I'd have to get the highest one so he wouldn't jump out (little dude can JUMP!) but wouldn't be able to reach him in there to scoop him out.
Happily, the solution we came up with works great, we just did it this past weekend. We made him en enclosure using chicken wire and stakes. Copied the idea from some neighbors. The chicken wire has no metal ends sticking out for my guy to get hurt on, it's flexible enough for me to bend into it to scoop him out but high enough that he can't jump out of it. It's perfectly safe, he LOVES it and it's worked out to be a great solution.
Thanks for your ideas and I loved the pics as well.
PS I have finally found a harness that is working well for him-fits properly and he hasn't been able to Houdini out of it and no more choking!
Thanks again! Spyro says thank you too!
-Jane
Len, Jane, Danielle and Spyro
seasonal at Cold Springs Camp Resort
Weare, NH
The responses you are giving the OP, while well-meant, may not help. The anti-fence rule sounds a lot like the ones we've run into that made us get rid of our ex-pens early in our full-timing life. We just ran into too many places that wouldn't let us use them, so they became more trouble (weight and space-wise) than they were worth. They WERE considered fences at these places--places like Lakewood in Hendersonville NC. Any other ideas out there?
(I wouldn't leave mine out without companionship, especially a little one.)
No, the ex pens are allowed, it's anything erected that would be considered permanent like regular yard fencing that isn't allowed. Even our pen that we made that is staked into the ground is ok, we found this out from the neighbors who asked mgmnt before they did it. I guess b'c it's so easily removed and takes just a small amt of space it's ok.
I hope you weren't insinuating that I leave him without companionship by penning him or tying him out. I don't leave my dog without companionship. When we leave he either goes with us or he goes in his kennel indoors. He is never left out alone if no one is around. For his safety he is penned or tied and b'c I am responsible and abide by the laws/rules in our area and don't just let him run free. He is the kind of dog that people would steal, and he could easily get hurt if allowed to run free. He is happy in the pen, happy when tied out, is just a happy go lucky dog.
That's nice. (I rarely "insinuate," BTW! Sounds so nasty--and I was only trying to help.) I was thinking he could be endangered, either by being stolen or by other animals. So many people DO leave their little ones out alone, including some people right across the road from us now. Theirs is out alone for hours at a time.
I'm glad you can use the ex-pens. We were very disappointed that we could not in so many places.
Wonder why places won't let you?? It's not like they're permanent or would cause a hole or anything. Strange. We looked at the baby gate kind of thing, white plastic enclosure, he could push that over in a second and it was much too small.
I do know what you mean about ppl leaving dogs out alone to bark and be lonely. The one time I tied him out at home I was a nervous wreck and when I went out to check on him, sure enough there was a hawk or something circling over head, and I don't live out in the sticks or anything that would be considered hawk territory. No more tying out since then. That's just not for us. He's very much an active part of our family. If he wouldn't pull so much when he sees other dogs or when people come to visit we'd just keep him on leash, but I'm so afraid he'll choke himself or at least hurt himself trying to pull pull pull. Plus he manages to tangle the leash up under and around everything in sight. Having him penned is so much easier on everyone, including him.
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