One of the most abused pieces of dog equipment is a contraption that effectively anchors a dog to one small area. These things are called by various terms, depending on the region of the country and depending on the country itself. Sometimes they are called: tie outs, stakes, tie downs, drill downs and so on. Basically, it leaves the dog attached to a lead, hooked to an anchor. That anchor is cork screwed into the ground. With the exception of their use by experienced dog sledders to separate and secure their race dogs, I can think of very few other uses for these things. I think they are cruel.

It isolate the dog. Dogs are social creatures. The limited range of travel that the lead provides frustrates the dog and teaches it to fight against the lead. A dog that has been staked out repeatedly will pull at a lead and pull incessantly. This is ideal for the sled dogs, who, by nature, live to run and pull. It is hardly ideal for the average pet. A dog who has learned to fight the lead is a training nightmare for the owner.

The stakes are used usually in open areas. This does not provide any security for the dog. Dogs are, by nature, den animals. You will see that dogs like to have something above their heads. Perhaps their favourite place is under your computer table (as you read the articles on DogReader), under the dining room table, in their kennel or anywhere that affords them overhead protection. The stake out does not allow this. It is in the open and leaves them feeling vulnerable (and indeed they are vulnerable) to attacks by other dogs. And, if they are attacked, they are hampered severely in defending themselves by the limits of their stake out lead.

When these anchoring devices are used, it is often difficult to put them into the ground where there is shade. The roots of trees prevents placement in many shady areas. For some dogs who are placed in the shade, their misfortune is that the sun and shade moves. The anchor stays and the dog is at the mercy of the elements. And, with the heat of summer, this could be deadly for the animal.

These devices are available at pets stores and online. I think that the people that use these things, with the exception of the racing people, have neither the time nor the inclination to teach their dogs, so that they do not have to be tethered to the ground. They would rather restrain a dog rather than spend the time to train that dog. I just wish those people using these things would rethink why these stake out devices are necessary in the first place.

Catherine Forsythe

[tags]dogs, training, anchors, safety, isolation, heat, shade[/tags]