Avoid Tying Dogs

We’ve all seen dogs tied outside cafés, restaurants, and stores in the city. While it’s a very good idea to include your dog in your day-to-day life and take them places, tying them up unattended is not in their best interest and can even be dangerous.

What’s the Problem?

Stress

Dogs depend on us, and it can be extremely stressful for them to be left by themselves in unfamiliar surroundings. Next time you’re out and about, look for the worried and anxious body language of some tied-out dogs.

Theft

According to the National Dog Registry, nearly one out of every five dogs in the U.S. is lost or stolen every year.

Accidents or Escape

A tied-out dog may panic at a loud noise and escape or injure themselves by entangling limbs or wrapping themselves around objects. Anyone attempting to free a panicked dog, even if the dog is otherwise friendly, is at high risk of being bitten.

Aggression

Not all dogs are completely comfortable around all strangers, and even mild discomfort can be seriously compounded both by the anxiety of being left alone and the tethered dog’s inability to retreat. Passersby, especially children, may try to pet the unattended dog. This could result in an aggressive incident. Tied out dogs are also at increased risk to lunge at moving objects, such as bicycles and skateboards, and may display frustration-related aggression toward other dogs who pass by, even if they are normally friendly toward other dogs.

Courtesy to Others

An unsupervised dog is much more likely to be a nuisance, which reflects badly on all dog owners, especially in an urban environment. Please do your part to make dogs welcome in our cities. Pick up after them, keep them trained, happy, and socialized, and don’t tie them out alone.

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