[Brownie_mom]

Hi All,
I am planing to go to Florida with Ruger in a couple of weeks. Looking forward to outdoor plays with him, but need to insure that he is safe. I do not have a fence there yet (planning to install as soon as possible), so looking for a temporary solution for outdoor exercises. I come across the tie out cable on Amazon and was wondering if anyone can advise if it is an acceptable solution for a 4 - 5 moth old mini poodle. Here is the link to the cable https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07Y81PZ74/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A3N066G1D4BYFR&psc=1

Really appreciate your advise.

 

[Raindrops]

If you are out supervising him I think it would be ok. But I would not leave him unattended on a tie out. A young small puppy is too vulnerable to predators or thieves, and could eat something dangerous if they get bored.

 

[lily cd re]

I agree with Raindrops. I would generally not leave a small dog outside unattended at any age if there are high odds of predation from ground or air (coyotes, alligators, hawks, etc.).

 

[Johanna]

I really, really do not like tie-out cables. One better solution is an exercise pen with a cover. I prefer the ones made of wire that have panels that are 2 feet wide by 3 or 4 feet high with a top made of the same panels. Available from Chewy.com and Amazon.com. These are safe and easily portable - but not suitable for dogs who might dig out under them. Never had a poodle who was a digger.

 

[Ava.]

If you are using a tie out, I only like the ones that move on a trolly system, like this one Amazon.com : XMsound New Dog Cable kit 100 ft Heavy Weight Tie Out Cable with 10 Ft Runner for Dog up to 125lbs(with Turn-Buckle) : XMsound : Pet Supplies. One bit of the leash is up high, and the other part connects so your dog can move without getting tied up. Only use a harness so your dog doesn't hit the end and hurt itself.

I go camping with my dog every weeking during the summer. While we are at the campsite, he is on a tie out cable. He is 100% fine the whole time.

 

[Brownie_mom]

I was planning to play fetch, ball etc with him. Not just to let him be there by himself. We also have bobcats and snakes, name the few dangerous predators - I saw them myself. Plus I have plants that probably are not really eatable for a dog. So yes-he has to be under watch.
I was just not sure if the long metal cable is acceptable at all for a smaller dog. I do walk with him coule times a day and take him outside for the potty breaks, but he has so much energy that he needs to get out of him so I was thinking about a more involved way. Never used the cable before for my dogs - I always had a fence and they could run around happy.

 

[Raindrops]

I was planning to play fetch, ball etc with him. Not just to let him be there by himself. We also have bobcats and snakes, name the few dangerous predators - I saw them myself. Plus I have plants that probably are not really eatable for a dog. So yes-he has to be under watch.
I was just not sure if the long metal cable is acceptable at all for a smaller dog. I do walk with him coule times a day and take him outside for the potty breaks, but he has so much energy that he needs to get out of him so I was thinking about a more involved way. Never used the cable before for my dogs - I always had a fence and they could run around happy.

I think it would be ok but I would for sure have him in a harness and you may want to add a bungee section to connect him for added safety. The type Ava mentioned that ties between trees would be my preference as I feel they are safer.

 

[Brownie_mom]

I really, really do not like tie-out cables.

The more I think about it, the less I like the idea myself. But the play pen is too small for a really good exercise. We have one that is 24" high, I use it in the house to keep him in it when I cannot really supervise him. For outside probably I have to just get that fence as soon as possible. But even with the fence I would hesitate to let him run around until he is really good on recall. And he is not just yet there. So I guess the solution is to run more in the house and just walk on a leash outside. I also enrolled him in a puppy play group, but it is only once a week.

 

[Michigan Gal]

For such a s mall dog I would start with curtain cord/marine cord, and I would use a trolley system. I would use an old fashion harness. As long as you have another way to exercise him, it would be fine for potty.

I have used tie outs for temporary dogs as my fencing is to keep dogs out of, not in the pasture. I only use it for potty and it hasn't destroyed anyone's psyche.

 

[Basil_the_Spoo]

Your baby's not missing out by being tethered to mom. He's your little momma's boy after all. The fence will get there when the fence gets there.

In the mean time, it doesn't take much physical exercise to wear puppy out. You can walk ti chi slow and have little brownie sniff the ground back and fourth like a metal detector. 45 minutes of that + fresh air = [✓] good for the day. That's our secret.

We don't necessarily need to create a super athlete. We just have to exercise smarter. Just let them smell everything.

We can tell that you're doing great and Brownie is very lucky to have you.

 

[PeggyTheParti]

This isn’t a good solution for everyone or every situation, but we sometimes let Peggy drag a long light leash. I customized and ordered mine from Palomine Lines | BioThane Training Lines and Custom Made Dog Leads.

 

[cowpony]

The chew resistant metal cable and the shock spring at the end are the only improvements I see over a standard long lead. Personally, I would buy a long lead instead, as it would be more useful for beach walks, teaching recall, etc.

If you do find yourself in a situation where you need to tie him out a lot (for example, you want him outside within sight while you garden, but you don't want him in the flower bed with you) I think a harness and an zipline-trolley type of tie out might be better. This way he could run back and forth without getting the cable wrapped around things, and you could probably even play fetch with him by rolling the ball under the zipline.

 

[curlflooffan]

I think a tie out is fine when supervised. We did that with my sisters beagle when visiting dad who had no fence. We would sit on the patio in the summer grilling and eating. Put the beagle on the rope and he happily sniffed around.

But he definately would have gotten himself in trouble if we hadnt been out there with him. He would wrap the tie around things then he was stuck and would howl until someone came to save him haha 😂

 

[Brownie_mom]

Thank you ALL!
Unfortunately I cannot have a line between the trees - there are too many dangerous subjects around including the mulch that I am sure he will try to eat. And there are no trees in the grass area, so I guess I will just stick with the retractable leash for now. I am afraid to go to the dogs park. Probably it is paranoia, but my vet just recently had to stitch together a little dog that got bitten horribly in the dog park. I also walk at list 30 minutes twice a day, and play in the house with him. In Florida the lanai is probably a good option as well. It is pretty long, just tiles are a bit slippery.
Problems.....problems.....

 

[lily cd re]

Stay out of dog parks if you are not acculturated to them and if you don't know the personality of the dogs there. A tragedy cost a poodle's life in a dog park accident recently.

I also really dislike flexi leashes. I have them but only use them for training obedience exercises that require distance control. They can be extremely dangerous. I would train your pup to have a great recall and to understand that fetch means you have to recell with the ball once you've picked it up and then play gentle fetch off leash if there is no fence.

 

[Brownie_mom]

I also really dislike flexi leashes. I have them but only use them for training obedience exercises that require distance control. They can be extremely dangerous.

I use the 16 ft tape Flexi FLEXI Classic Nylon Tape Retractable Dog Leash, Blue, Small: 16-ft long - Chewy.com . It is not really long and relatively easy to control. Gives my boy some room to run around in the yard. I feel that it is safer then just let him run free. My yard is relatively large and has all kind off potential traps like firewood, animals, space under the fence that a small puppy can get through etc.
Why do you feel it is not safe?

 

[Ava.]

For the lack of trees, get two tie out stakes like this - https://rb.gy/jaucwy since your dog is so small, you don't need to drill it in all the way, so when you attach the lead to each end, the leash should be just a bit off the ground.

I used to watch "gone to the snow dogs' quite a bit. they have a very nice tie out set up for their dogs. I will link a video where tie out is featured.

the best situation would be to just use the picket line/long line for supervised potty breaks. You can do play indoors just fine c:

 

[lily cd re]

People have had finger amputations and dogs can be severely injured (or worse) by them.

 

[PeggyTheParti]

@Brownie_mom, another reason to avoid flexi leashes is that you want Ruger accustomed to the feel of a leash hanging in a nice loose “J” shape. Using a flexi leash teaches him that a taut leash is normal, that tension = permission to move forward. In others words, the flexi leash teaches him to pull.

 

[Ava.]

almost everything used on a dog has the chance of hurting your dog, or you

Flat collars - can cause collapse trachea

A normal leash - Can wrap around your body, whiplash

head halters - can snap necks

etc etc. I use flexis all the time. Its like a long leash that cannot get tangled. Its very useful, and with a proper foundation and useage, its fine