[BCozhunter]

I know this is the hunting dog forum, and my St Bernard probably isn't going to hunt much unless I use her to retrieve dead deer.

Some of you know I just came back from many years in Germany. I knew the state passed the tether law, and even before it affected me I thought it was a poorly written law. But now that I'm here and subject to it I found out that even the local county animal control officer agrees with me. How do I know this? Because I had a visit from her a few weeks ago. Seems one of our neighbors called on us because my dog was out for longer than 30 minutes when the temps were under 32 degrees. One, she's a St Bernard who is well suited for those temps. Two, she's on an overhead zipline that gives her half of the yard to play in, with her comfortable doghouse right there, and access to fresh drinking water. Three, when I do bring her inside she fights me to stay out. Even still, she's probably inside more than she is outside.

I get the intent of the law, because I know there are people out there that don't properly care for their dogs, the county officer and I had a good talk about that. She stated it was quickly and poorly written, and when I mentioned the Facebook warriors who influenced the politicians, she told me I was preaching to the choir but she still has to enforce the law as written.
I doubt anyone worries more about their dogs than my family, but we also understand the difference between dogs and humans, as well as the differences between breeds of dogs. Heck, even with the ridiculousness of some of the laws in Germany, they wouldn't even suggest that this is a good law.

Because of the visit by the county, I've done some research on the difference between tethering and kenneling. Most things I found were opinions, of course, but I did find a couple of resources that got into dog behavioral traits, and those supported tethering in the manner that I use. They stated that a caged dog, regardless of the kennel size, is going against their natural traits. Now of course, if the weather is bitter cold and/or blizzard conditions she'll be inside regardless. Same as she was in the Summer when it was scorching hot.

The difference between the breeds is one point the animal officer and I discussed. The other is how the dog can stay outside without violating the law.
I have several issues how the law is written and enforced, as does the county enforcement officer I spoke with. The biggest is that, I can't leave my dog on her overhead zipline which provides minimal impedance to her running around half the yard, but it's ok to put her in a fenced kennel of as small a size as I want. I have a kennel but purposely didn't put it up because she has more freedom on the zipline, but to stay within this law I'm allowed to restrict her space of movement, or bring her into the house that's too hot for her.
She is happy coming inside, but only when the wife is standing at the door with a hot dog! :grin2:

Sorry for the rant, but this morning the temp was in the 20s and I'm looking at her laying in the kitchen looking like she's suffering.

I don't know which neighbor called, but now when I take her out or bring her in, I announce very loudly the current time and temperature. >

 

[coyotejohn]

Dog owners should be the ones who write "dog laws" not bureaucrats who know nothing about nothing.

 

[twistedoak]

I have a fenced area and a dog door
when my dog is sleeping in the snow , its cause she wants to
the law becomes irrelevant

 

[bad primer]

I know this for a fact, a gentleman has 2 dogs that love to be outside. there is a kennel for the dogs with a nice dog house.
both dogs prefer to lay outside rather than use the dog box. someone turned him in because the dogs were in the kennel all day during
below freezing temps. the "enforcement officer" only gave the man a warning but stated the dogs could NOT be out overnight and

or all day in that type of weather.


FYI, ASPCA and the SPCA helped our lawmakers with these new regulations.....

 

[jimsdad]

More evidence of law over reach.

The person/s that introduced this law needs to be called to task and their record in government looked at to see if stupidity is part of their record. If so then they should be dis-elected ASAP.

 

[Woods walker]

I know this for a fact, a gentleman has 2 dogs that love to be outside. there is a kennel for the dogs with a nice dog house.
both dogs prefer to lay outside rather than use the dog box. someone turned him in because the dogs were in the kennel all day during
below freezing temps. the "enforcement officer" only gave the man a warning but stated the dogs could NOT be out overnight and

or all day in that type of weather.


FYI, ASPCA and the SPCA helped our lawmakers with these new regulations.....

My first lab was a female and I had a 4x8 kennel which was attached to an insulated dog house, 3 inches of insulation between the walls and the roof was insulated as well. Well she proceeded to rip out all the insulation in the walls and put it outside in the kennel. I was worried about her being cold until I stuck my head inside when she was in there. It must have been 80 degrees inside the doghouse.

 

[Zeke]

It's hard to even find anyone that will return your call if you try to contact authorities about the new dog laws. I called the PSP about some dogs I know of that are outside around the clock in all types of weather. The officer I talked to said the tether law only applies if the dog doesn't have a box to get into. If it can reach a box the tether law doesn't apply. Some people have their dogs tied to boxes that are falling apart with no bedding all winter long, but according to the officer I spoke to it's okay as long as it has a box. Poorly written law and no one seems to want to enforce it when it really needs to be. Some people should not be allowed to own animals, IMO. I am not referring to any of the previous posters because I know nothing about their situations, but there are some I do have first hand knowledge of and I believe they should be kept in the same conditions they keep their animals in.

 

[Retiredusne8]

I would like to see the people who wrote this Tether Law , go to Alaska and see how people care for there dog, and ask them what they think of our Tether law.

 

[flintlock hunter]

Winter isn't much of a problem for me and the dog, it's simple...If she's out she's with me, and if she wants in she lays on the back porch, (enclosed) and watches me.

Summer might be a different story. We hunt groundhogs. The weather is hot when you do this, and "inside" is a figment of an idiots' imagination. We sit in shade, and have ice water in a thermos, and that is all there is. From what I've heard and read on this, the only way to comply with this law is leave the hunting dog home! Tell that to Tessa......I DARE you!

 

[BCozhunter]

The officer I talked to said the tether law only applies if the dog doesn't have a box to get into. If it can reach a box the tether law doesn't apply.

That's how I read the law too, but the enforcement officer that was here said that's not so. Her interpretation is that whenever they're on a tether they have to have access to a coup, but the 30 minutes in "extreme" temps, and nine hours total any other day, still applies. She's the one who's going to write the citation, so I have to go with her interpretation.

I just came in from hunting, and my dog about ran me over trying to get outside! :grin2:

Woodswalker, the doghouse I built for the St Bernard isn't insulated, but when she's in there it's like a sauna!!

Stupid law written by and for stupid people.