Improving the Quality of Life
For Animals In Our Community
 
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16 Ways to Improve Your Dog's Life Apr 25, 2007

16 Ways to Improve Your Dog’s Life

from the website: www.UnchainYourDog.org

1.

day, month after month, year after year. Dogs are social pack animals who want to be inside the house with

their “pack”: their human family. Read the attached tips on housetraining and behavior modification to help

your dog be a good “inside” dog. Also, inside dogs make the very best guard dogs.

2.

dogs, since they won't be excitedly jumping at the end of a chain. Fences don’t have to be very

expensive if you are willing to do some work yourself. You can sink wooden posts or metal Tposts

and attach inexpensive fencing to them for the cheapest fence (see following pages.)

Workers at home improvement stores such as Home Depot, farm supply stores such as Tractor

Supply, and hardware stores will tell you exactly what materials to buy and give you advice on

putting up all types of fences. Check with fencing companies, especially commercial fencing

companies, to see if they have leftover materials for donation.

3.

more freedom of movement than a chain. (see attached info sheet)

4.

Bring your dog inside! Dogs get bored and lonely sitting on the same patch of packed dirt day afterPut up a fence. Fences give dogs freedom and make it easier for owners to approach theirPut up a trolley system if you can't put up a fence. A trolley system is cheap and will give the dog muchIf your dog can escape your fence, do one or more of the following:

o

and attaching mesh fencing across the top half of the posts (see attached page.) You can also

purchase inexpensive bamboo or reed fencing, which comes in 6-foot rolls. Attach the bamboo fencing

to the existing fence. It is difficult for a dog to climb this slick fencing.

If your dog can climb over a short fence, extend the height of the fence by installing tall metal T-posts

o

kits for both fenced and unfenced yards. Some electric fences attach to an existing fence.

Other electric fences are buried underground.

Install an electric fence. At pet and home improvement stores you can buy electric fence

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or hardware store for advice on putting up a hotwire. Hotwires are commonly used to

contain cows and horses. They are a good deterrent to burglars, too!

Install a "hot wire" to the top of your existing fence for around $40-$50. Call a farm supply

o

sure to bend in sharp edges) or put concrete blocks around the bottom of the fence. You can also dig a

trough under the fence and fill it with concrete (along the whole fence or only in "trouble spots").

5.

tie-out to a strong stake that screws into the ground. Place the stake in a central location so that the dog can

move around all sides of the stake. Note: We have found that the Duckbill Anchor kit is a very strong stake.

6.

dog won’t try to escape to find a mate! Sterilization will NOT change your dog’s personality! Sterilization is

healthy for your dog: it reduces his or her risk of contracting certain types of cancer.

Investigate low-cost spay/neuter programs in your area. Contact your local humane society or Spay USA at

1-800-248-SPAY or www.SpayUsa.org to get a coupon.

7.

able to easily fit two fingers between the dog's neck and the collar. If you need to add a hole to a collar,

hammer a thick nail through it, or heat a pick and poke it through.

8.

can place a water bowl inside a tire or in a hole in the ground to keep it from tipping. You can also

attach a water bucket to a wooden doghouse or fence. Stretch wire, a small chain, bungee cord, or

twine across the bucket and secure the wire on either side of the bucket.

9.

discount stores,

you to sleep outside, your dog is going to be cold outside, too. If you can’t bring the dog

inside in icy winter, fill doghouses with hay or cedar chips to help your dog retain body

heat. (Cedar chips are preferable to hay because they are less likely to rot and don't contain mites.) If you

use hay and it gets wet and soggy, spread it in the sun on a sunny day to dry it out.

To keep cold air from blowing through the doghouse, the door should be covered with a plastic flap. You

can use a car mat, a piece of plastic carpet runner, or even a piece of carpet.

Dogs get cold in the winter just like we do, especially short-haired dogs. If it is too cold for

enough to retain the dog's body heat.

Doghouses should be large enough for the dog to stand up and turn around comfortably, but small

Flat concrete blocks are an easy way to raise a doghouse.

Wooden doghouses should be raised a few inches off of the ground to prevent rotting and keep out rain.

weeks so they don't get stiff with dirt.

10.

just like kids do. A big rawhide will occupy a dog for several hours (dog toys and

rawhides are available at grocery stores). Even a knotted towel or ball can provide hours

of entertainment.

11.

get of the yard, see new things, and smell new smells! Walking your dog is

great exercise for both you and your dog! If the dog is very strong or large, you can use a prong

collar or harness to make walking easier on you. Ask pet store workers to help you get the dog fitted

for a collar or harness.

12.

learn how to be a good “inside” dog. Most pet stores offer inexpensive dog training.

13.

miserable. You can purchase flea treatment at pet, discount and grocery stores. Most farm supply stores sell

wormers and vaccinations at much cheaper prices than vets.

14.

doghouse during summer months! Bring your dog inside during heat waves if possible. Plant trees to provide

shade. You can also create shade with tarps and pieces of plywood.

15.

as we do. What a cheap way to ease those hot summer days for a dog!

16.

if you cannot meet his or her needs. Talk to your

humane society, place an ad in the paper, or

contact friends and family about a new placement

for your dog. If you can’t provide for your dog,

finding him a new home is the kindest thing you

can do for him.

Dogs enjoy having towels and blankets to sleep on, just like we do. Remember to wash them every fewGive your dog toys and rawhides. Dogs need the stimulation provided by toys,Take your dog on walks! It will mean the world to your dog to be able toTake your dog to school! Obedience training can solve behavior problems and help the dogProvide your dog with flea treatment and annual worming. Biting fleas make a dog’s lifeProvide shade in the summer. A doghouse isn’t the same thing as shade. It gets very hot inside aFill up a plastic kiddie pool for hot summer months. Dogs enjoy cooling off in a pool as muchConsider finding a new home for your dog

Your dog deserves more than being

a prisoner in your backyard.

Consider give him some freedom.

farm supply stores, and hardware stores.

To stop diggers, bury chicken wire to a depth of one foot below where the fence meets the ground (bePurchase a 15, 20, or 30 foot lightweight tie-out if a fence or trolley aren’t possible. Attach theSpaying and neutering a dog will help him to calm down and stay closer to home. A sterilizedReplace ill-fitting, old collars with a new nylon collar. Be sure the collar is not too tight. You should beProvide food and fresh water EVERY day. Every day that you eat, your dog needs to eat, too! YouProvide proper shelter for the dog. Dog igloos can be purchased pretty cheaply from
SPCA of Martinsville and Henry County © 2010
132 Joseph Martin Highway
Martinsville, VA 24112
Phone: 276-638-PAWS (7297)
Fax: 276-638-0490
office@spcamhc.org