Tethering Dogs

Supervised tethering is an invaluable dog training tool and can be used for potty training and teaching your dog new skills, such as calm behavior.

What is Supervised Tethering?

Tethering means to connect a dog to a stationary object (wall mount, your body or heavy furniture) using a 4- to 6-foot leash. Supervised tethering means you are always able to visually watch your dog.

• Connect to dog. Attach tether to dog’s flat buckle collar or body harness. I prefer using a body harness so the dog is comfortable. Never use a slip collar, which can choke your dog.
• Tether. Use non-chewable materials, such as cable cord or thin chain leashes with a snap on one end and hand loop on the other end. Long tethers (longer than six feet) are cumbersome, tangle easily and become caught on furniture.
• Stationary Object
  • Wall mount. Chose an eye hook mount and drill in a wall. Always drill into a wall stud for maximum strength.
  • Heavy piece of furniture, especially useful if you are sitting on it, which provides additional weight.
  • Your body. Try leash around your waist or tether to a belt loop. I prefer to use a hands-free leash combo, which attaches the leash to a built-in belt designed to fit most people.

How to Use a Tether

You’ll need a clicker, lots of yummy pea-sized treats, your dog’s favorite chew stick or a food stuffed toy.

1. Click/treat while snapping the tether to your dog’s harness. Your dog learns it’s fun to be tethered.
2. Reward your dog when the leash is loose (he is not pulled against the tether).
3. When tethered, always provide a favorite chew stick or food stuffed toy so your dog learns that tethering means yummy stuff!
4. If your dog barks or whines while wearing his tether, ask him to sit instead and unsnap the tether. Never unsnap a tether when your dog is barking or whining. He will learn to bark and whine until you remove the tether. 🙂
5. When your dog is tethered to you, call his name before you begin moving. This will teach your dog to focus attention (by using his name) and prevent you from pulling your dog around.

For safety concerns, never leave your dog alone when tethered (either indoors or outdoors).

• When left alone, your dog can chew through the tether and escape.
• Tethers can wrap around your dog’s body and cause major damage. I’ve witnessed dogs jumping over furniture and hanging themselves.
• When leaving your dog alone, put him in his crate with a food stuffed toy.

When to Use Supervised Tethering

Potty Training

• Pet owner learns puppy’s cue for “I need to potty”: If your puppy becomes squirmy or stares at you, bring him outside. Your puppy will learn to cue you by staring at you that he needs to potty.
• Tethering provides supervision, which prevents your puppy from wandering off and pottying in inappropriate places.
• Tether dog while everyone is in the same room, such as eating in the dining room or watching a movie in the family room. This prevents potty accidents, your dog wandering off and your dog chewing on inappropriate objects.
• I recommend tethering in conjunction with crate training. When I leave, my dogs are in their crates. When I’m home and need to supervise a puppy, I tether him to me or furniture. This provides plenty of opportunities to learn calm behavior outside of his crate.

RELATED: Housebreaking a Puppy

Teaching Self-Control (It Pays to Be Calm)

• When watching TV, tether your dog near you, preferably to the chair you are sitting in.
• Click and treat when dog is calm, chews on his favorite chew stick or enjoys a food stuffed toy.
• If your dog gets up and pulls on the tether, ignore him. When your dog stops pulling on the tether, click and give him a treat.
• Every night, while watching TV, tether your dog, so he will learn to settle down while you are settling in for the night too. 

Multiple Dog Environments

• One dog harasses the other dog: Tether the dog doing the harassing dog. This works perfectly for a young puppy, which constantly harasses an older dog.
  • Example: Sobek (large puppy) would chase Stella (small adult dog), trying to elicit a play session. Stella refused to play and preferred a nap instead. I tethered Sobek to my chair, provided him a wonderful food stuffed toy and clicked/treated when he did not pull on his tether. Sobek learned calm behavior is more rewarding than harassing Stella for a play session. Plus Sobek learned to enjoy being calming instead of relishing the excitement of hyperactivity!
• Two hyperactive dogs: Tether both dogs. However, separate them by tethering them across the room from each other. Use visual barriers, so they cannot see each other. Examples of visual barriers could be furniture, a person sitting in between, etc.

More Tethering Options

• Tether your dog while eating dinner. This will eliminate begging at the table.
• If your dog likes to dash out an open door, tether him.
• Your dog bugs you for attention, tether him.
• Dog jumps up on guests, tether him.

Are Tethers Forever?

Nope! Tethers are a tool used to teach your dog polite behaviors. Once your dog learns how and can remain calm, then discontinue use of tethers. Dogs should earn privileges, which means if they remain calm, then no tether. If they begin harassing a resident dog or sneaking off and causing mischief, they are tethered until they learn calm behavior pays.

Now it’s your turn! How can you use tethering to teach polite behaviors? Comment in the section below. I want to hear from you!

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