Thought I'd just pop in here too, and voice my opinion.
On chaining:
I don't like chianing. But there are the excpetions.
Here is an example of what I don't like: I have a neighbor who has a Lab mix (or at least, it looks like a Lab mix) that is chained up to its doghouse by about 10ft of chain. (I think. Hard to tell from a distance.) I have never seen that dog off of its chain at all. It is out there
far away from its house, with little protection from the elements. (If there is a East wind, it isn't protected at all.) I'm thinking about offering to walk her for them, but I haven't made up my mind yet.
Here is the type of chaining I don't mind: We have a neighbor that has a white Boxer named Daisy. (She is the sweetest little thing EVER!
) When they are outside during the summer, their Chocolate Lab (Justice) sticks around, but Daisy wanders, so they keep Daisy on a 15' (it looks like that anyway) chain while they are out with her.
Another example: During the summer when it is really hot over on the side of the house where the dogs are, we take them and chain them either in the garage (not an ideal place because they can't go to the bathroom) or out under a tree that has wonderful shading and a wonderful breeze. I keep a very close eye on them, and once they start getting figity, I take them off and walk them a bit. (And they have fresh, crisp water to go along with that.)
About Penning: I don't prefer it, but there is nothing overly wrong with it as long as the dog is getting proper attention, food, water, shelter and exercise.
Both of my dogs are in a kennel outside. If I had had my way, they'd both be inside, but Mom and Dad are the ones that make the rules. They have a big enough kennel to house two dog houses, one table for Blackie to sit on (lol), a 'pooping corner', a place for a kiddy pool to go, and a place to dig, and some cement squares that their water and food dishes go on. They get one walk a day (two in the summer), and they get to run around in the evening while I'm out there with them.
And I'm planning on getting Blackie a 50' trianing line for this summer, so when I'm outside, he doesn't have to be on leash. I can just clip the line on him while I'm outside, so he won't wander too far, and if he starts to, I can grab him. Rose is a good dog, and aside from chasing cars that sometimes go by, she listens to me very well when off leash.
(Whew.......was that ever long! lol
)