Alternatives to Fencing
There are alternatives to the common fence. Some of these are good and some are less than adequate. It will depend on your particular situation whether a solution will work or not. Please note that just leaving your dog outside when you are not home is also not really a safe alternative. Westies are friendly, and much too easily stolen.
Just Let Him Out
At the bottom of the barrel is just letting Sam out for a quicky when nobody's around. This may solve the problem of the moment, but a second thought would discard that action. It is unsafe for the dog and there are possible consequences for the owner, such as irate neighbours, damage to other peoples' property and breaking of city by-laws. Any one of the above could lead to possible charges and a bad reputation in the neighbourhood. No thoughtful or responsible pet owner would do this after thinking it through.
Tie Him Up
Next is the 'long rope tie-out'. This doesn't substitute for a fence, because it doesn't keep the dog safe and it likely won't keep him in the yard either. When one end of the tether is attached to the collar and the other end to a post (swivel or stationary), it leaves the length of the tether dragging on the ground. This ruins the lawn, easily gets caught up in twigs, snagged under rocks, gets tangled around trees and lawn furniture etc. Then the tether gets shorter and shorter until the dog has only a few inches to move. He panics, causing damage to property and to himself, not to mention the noise that brings the neighbours. Some dogs will chew through a rope tether.
Use A Running Line
There are those who put one end of the tether on an overhead wire so the dog can run back and forth more or less freely. This is a little improvement. Westies are bred to chase varmints; and birds, squirrels, gophers, or grasshoppers fit that criterion. The dog runs after something to the end of the line, is thrown in the air and whacked to the ground. The collar can also cause severe damage to the dog's throat under these circumstances. I have seen children who, thinking this is a fun sport, tease the dog.
Harness Vs. Collar
Is it better to use a harness in place of a collar? The harness has its own problems. Most dogs can manage to get part way out of a harness if left alone for any length of time. The constantly wearing a harness will cause matting, torn hair and may hold debris, causing sores. However, there are times when dogs need to be tied, such as when the fence is being repaired, or at camp grounds. With the above information in mind, and a watchful eye on the situation, this type of tying-out can be successful for short periods.
Portable Fencing
There is available a type of portable fencing called ex-pens (exercise pens) at pet supply stores and vendors at dog shows. These are used mostly at dog shows, but are very useful for the pet owner too. They are made of a set of connected metal grill panels that can be folded flat for moving or storage. They are available in various heights. The Westie would need a 2 1/2 ' high pen for outside use. For use in the house, 2' is high enough. Some brands of pen can be joined together to make a larger safe space. The problem with these is that larger, loose dogs may be able to get over them.
Hardware and lumber yards sell larger kennel runs which are made of chain-link. These start at about 7' x 12' x 6' high, with a full human-height door. These pens are strong, moveable and cannot be knocked over, either by the dog inside or one on the outside. Both ex-pens and the larger kennel runs can be fitted with 'lids', usually sold separately. Please note that all outdoor ex-pens or kennel runs must, like the fenced back yard, have shade, shelter from rain, and a good supply of fresh water.
Electronic Collar Control,
also known as the "Electronic Fence"
Collar control fencing is a system of transmitters and receivers. One system has a wire buried in the ground which carries a radio signal. The dog wears a collar with a small receiver that beeps when he gets near the buried wire. If after the warning the dog goes still closer to the wire, the collar receiver will deliver a correction which can be either a mild electric shock, a piercing sound not audible to people, or a spray of citronella. (Citronella is a natural plant product with a strong odour offensive to dogs.) Another system does the same thing but without the buried wire. It uses a radio signal through the air.
Use of either of these systems raises several considerations. Do you want to use electric shock, however mild, on your Westie? What are the long term effects? This depends on the individual dog's personality, and you might not know the full results until after it was used, and you could not reverse it. The sound is not as serious as the electricity. The citronella is the mildest form of correction. It works because dogs have such an acute sense of smell.
Do these systems keep the dog inside the designated area? Yes, they do, a very high percent of the time. However, natural drives can overcome the corrections. A dog chasing a cat or squirrel will run through the correction and decide to continue the chase, ending up who knows where. However, once outside the boundary, the dog cannot get back home… unless a squirrel or cat runs past, towards the house!
Do the systems keep the dog safe? Not really. Anyone can come on the property, remove the collar and take Sam away. A neighbourhood dog can also come on the property. As he has no collar, he'll not get a correction. He may be friendly, or he may not.
The best solution is always a safe well built fence and gate and a well trained dog. It's all worth the time and effort invested.
Author: Anne Matheson