ChainFree Asheville
Breaking Chains. Building Fences. For the Love of Dogs.
Outside Dogs!
The biggest misconception about dogs is the belief that they will be healthy and happy living in the backyard. Nothing could be further from the truth. Current studies in dog psychology show that dogs isolated in backyards are highly likely to develop serious behavioral problems that often result in euthanasia for the animal.
Fact: Dogs are pack animals that thrive on companionship. Much like their wolf ancestors, dogs are very social. In fact, dogs are more social than humans and need to be part of a human family. When you get a dog, you become the pack leader. Forcing a dog to live outside with little or no human companionship is one of the most psychological damaging things a pet owner can do to a dog.
Fact: Dogs are den animals. They like to have a safe, quiet, and secure place to sleep, rest, and hang out, such as your house. Your dog has a wonderful ability to learn and therefore to be housetrained. A dog who resides more in your house than in the yard is a much happier, contented animal, because of the security of a den.
Fact: Backyard dogs generally have more behavioral problems. Since your entire dog's instincts are telling him it is not good to be left alone or isolated from his pack, your dog can become very stressed or anxious. A dog exhibits stress by digging, barking, howling or whining, chewing, escaping, and exhibiting hyperactivity. These problems can become so troublesome that your neighbors may complain about the barking, howling, property destruction, or your dog escaping.
Fact: Backyard dogs are harder to train. A backyard dog does not develop a strong bond toward your family, so he is harder to train than a dog allowed to be in the house with your family. This also makes him less responsive to commands.
Fact: Backyard dogs make lousy guard dogs. As a dog becomes naturally protective of where he lives (his territory or turf), he will only defend the place he lives in. If he is never allowed in the house, then the house will not become a place to protect. Most people keep their valuables inside their houses, so why wouldn't you want your dog to protect the inside of your house? Unless allowed to live inside, your dog will not develop that sense of territory. He will not bark when someone tries to invade your house. It is not uncommon to hear stories of families being robbed while their backyard dog snoozed through the whole episode.
Fact: Backyard dogs have higher rates of euthanasia. Backyard dogs are given up more often than house dogs because they were never looked upon as family by their human pack. Sadly, that means they are easier to dispose of. Backyard dogs do not have the opportunity to become socialized to people and other dogs, and may become so fearful or even vicious that they may have to be euthanized.
What You Can Do!
Never tie up or chain your dog. Never tie up or chain your dog. Dogs that are tied up or chained outside suffer extreme frustration which can result in hyperactivity and/or aggression against you, your family or friends. Dogs that are tied up cannot escape from other animals or people who mean to do them harm. They can also easily become entangled and do bodily harm to themselves. It has been a sad tale to hear of a dog tied outside because he was a fence jumper, only to hang himself while trying to do so! If you must keep your dog outside, provide a secure, high fence or an enclosed chain link dog run, with a top for those fence jumpers or climbers. Panels of chain link (that can be easily bolted together to provide a dog run) can be found at reasonable prices at your larger home supply stores, such as Home Depot. Small pens are unacceptable. Aim for, at the very least, a minimum of 200 sq ft per dog. Provide a top with shade, a dog house for rainy weather, items to chew on, and plenty of fresh water. A dog should always be exercised before being left for the day in an enclosed area, such as a dog run or even your backyard.
Think about how much time you will devote to your dog. People who keep their dogs outside constantly rationalize it. They insist that they do spend time with their dogs, they do feed them, and they do walk them. Spending an hour a day with your dog is not enough for his mental welfare. Be realistic! What about when it is rainy, windy, cold, or just plain too hot? Are you still spending that hour daily with your dog no matter what? Making the backyard your dog’s only home does not make him a real part of the family.
Do you fit the statistics? Our lives have changed. It used to be that most people did spend a lot of time in the yard; playing, working, gardening, and socializing. Now with the age of computers, televisions, and hectic schedules, we actually spend about 75% less time outdoors in our yards, and therefore less time with our devoted friend, the dog.
Train your dog. If your dog is untrained, take him to training class so you can build good communication skills and teach him how to act appropriately in the house. If you have a young puppy, get him into a puppy training and socialization class as soon as he turns 12 weeks old. Don't wait until he is six months old and has already acquired a taste for tipping over the garbage can or chewing on your rug. If you acquire an older dog, training him as soon as possible will help him adjust to his new household and your family (his new pack).
Give your dogs a chance to be your best friend! Don't kick him out because you think he is not trainable, unruly, or because it is good for him to be outside. Instead, take the time to make him a part of your family, a part of your pack.
Responses to the Typical Questions
1. What about people who don’t want to bring their dogs inside – at night or any other time?
To some people, a dog is, unfortunately, not a family companion. However, our society is already well past the place where people can say, “It is my dog. Don’t tell me what to do with my dog.” Existing ordinances already tell people a great deal about what they can and cannot do with regard to their dogs (a) they can’t starve or beat it, (b) they must license it, and (c) Asheville now even requires spaying/neutering.
Responsibility goes hand in hand with animal ownership. It is simply time for Asheville to fill the hole in existing law and recognize that chaining a dog for its life is as much a form of abuse as starving a dog or beating it.
In any case, this provision simply tells people they have to figure out an alternative to chaining. They can build a fence, bring the dog inside, put it in a kennel, or, if there is simply no alternative in their minds: they shouldn’t get or keep a dog in the first place.
2. What about people who don’t have fences or can’t afford to build one?
The response is similar to the one above: responsibility and financial commitment go hand in hand with owning a dog, or any animal. Simply put, if the only way someone can “afford” to keep a dog is to keep it in chains around the clock, then public policy dictates that our laws should not encourage such types of pet ownership.
If properly enforced, the provisions of this ordinance should eventually cause more people to think through the implications of getting and keeping a dog. If 24/7 chaining is not an option, less people will eventually choose to keep dogs as “lawn ornaments.” In any case, countless people without fences own dogs, whether they live in single family homes or apartments. They walk their dogs.
3. What about hunters? Don’t they often chain their dogs 24/7?
Old habits are hard to break, it is true. But it also holds true that just because something has“always been done,” that does not make it right. Countless hunters also happen to be dog lovers, and they treat their dogs with kindness and respect, and many of these same dogs live in the home and are reported to hunt better due to increased bonding with their caretaker. In states like California, which limits tethering to 3 hours in any 24-hour period, hunting has continued without any noticeable issues. How to properly care for and confine a dog should be part of every decision to get a dog. With the anti-chaining provision, Asheville is simply telling people they must adhere to some minimal standards of care.
