Most dogs love the great outdoors. If your dogs are like mine, nothing makes them more happy than getting to stretch their legs in the fresh air.
But what if you don’t have a fenced yard for your dog to play in? That’s the reality for many pet owners, and that’s when a yard leash or tie out comes in handy.
A tie-out is basically an anchor that you can put into the dirt of your yard and then attach a long leash to that anchor that gives your dog a degree of freedom without the need of a fence or constant supervision. This isn’t only great for your home yard, but also for when you’re visiting friends or family, or on a trip like going camping. The great thing about tie-outs is they are easy to set up and take out.
Let’s take a look at the best yard leashes and tie-out cables for the money, and then discuss more about the pros and cons of them as well as other useful tips.
Best Heavy Duty Yard Leash for Dogs
When it comes to the cable you use to hook up your dog outside, quality really matters! I highly recommend you go with the BV Pets line of yard leashes. They’re available in a variety strengths depending on the weight of your dog and have a variety of other great features that make them my top pick.
These steel cables are wrapped in protective vinyl to keep them from rusting or wearing down from being out in the elements. The ends of the cable have swiveling-clips, that help prevent tangles in the cable as your dog moves around.
- Reflective & anti-rusty vinyl cover for extra safety at night
What’s also a great feature is the vinyl has a reflective coating, so it’s easy to spot in the dark even with just a little bit of light. As the cables go up in weight-rating for the dogs, so do the weight of the cables and thickness. I wouldn’t be worried about going with a lower-weight cable as the odds of the actual cable snapping are pretty slim. The tie-out is or your dog’s collar are much more likely to be the culprit should something break.
This cable comes in a 25-foot length in most varieties from BV Pets, though the extra-small leash is 20-feet long and the extra-large leash is 30-feet long.
Best Extra Long Tie Out Cable
If you’re looking for an extra long yard leash for your dogs then you should buy a longer cable, don’t try to chain multiple together as that will introduce more possible points of failure with clips chained together breaking.
For that reason I recommend this 50 foot yard leash from XiaZ. It’s strong enough to withstand dogs of all sizes and has a lot of extra security features. Things like double-crimped cable ends and screw-locking clips can give you peace of mind that you won’t find your dog broke any part of the cable.
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Just be sure not to buy too much cable for your needs as that will only introduce more opportunities for it to get tangled and give your dog access to areas they shouldn’t be in.
Choosing A Yard Leash Length for Your Tie-Out
One of the key things to consider when setting up your dog’s outdoor leash is where best to place your tie-out and what length of cable to use with it. I’d recommend a minimum of 25 feet if possible, but keep in mind a 25-foot cable gives your dog a 50-foot area around the tie-out they can access.
If you have a long tape measurer, be sure to do some measurements around your space before choosing a spot. You want to keep a few things in mind –
- Try to avoid having a lot of trees, poles, and other tall obstacles near your tie-out. If your dog can wrap around an object multiple times, they’ll likely get stuck and will be unable to free themselves without your help.
- Be sure to leave plenty of leeway between the end of the cable and anything dangerous like a driveway or street.
- When placing a tie-out at home, it’s best to place the tie-out so your dog can walk right up to your door or even just inside your house – this means you don’t have to go out into the cold, rain, or snow to unhook your dog to let them inside.
Best Heavy Duty Dog Tie-Out System
If you’re looking for a tie out and yard leash for a big dog or for a strong puller, we’ve got the perfect set-up for you here. The SUREswivel is strongest and most versatile dog tie-out on the market – but it’s also one of the most expensive. We think it’s well worth the money for a few reasons, though.
The SUREswivel is different from most tie-outs as you can see immediately when you look at it. It has a swiveling ball at the core of it which moves with the yard leash attached to it.
If you have two dogs that you need to attach to the tie-out, this swiveling ball system becomes a huge lifesaver! Normally, two dogs on a tie-out will quickly get their leashes tangled up around each other, restricting both of their movements and forcing you to come untangle them.
With the SUREswivel, since the ball rotates around as the dogs move, it provides a tangle-free experience which is quite the improvement!
Also extremely important for those with big dogs is this tie-out system has been tested to withstand 1,000 lbs of pulling force. Instead of just one corkscrew that you put into the ground like most cheaper tie-outs, the SUREswivel has 8 long screws that you hammer into the ground around the base.
- Safe and Effective Tangle Free Pet Tether
- Full 360 Degree Dual-Swivel Motion
- Secure Anchoring System
The SUREswivel is made in the USA and can be permanently installed with metal screws if you wish as well – you could bolt it to a wood deck or even into concrete – some people pour a small patch of concrete in their yard to secure the SUREswivel into for maximum security.
At ~$40, the SUREswivel is more expensive than most other options on the market but you get what you pay for. Read more reviews on Amazon.
Best Dog Overhead Trolley
A final tie-out method we can talk about is called an overhead trolley. It works very similar to a tie-out, but instead of anchoring your dog’s leash to one point in the ground, you run a length of cable in the air and your dog’s leash slides along it.
This Four Paws dog trolley gives you up to 100 feet of cable and a 10 foot leash to go with it.
- Outdoor dog cable made of durable, vinyl-coated aircraft cable
- Long-lasting, rust-proof dog tie out won't fray
- Gives your dog freedom, safety & exercise
This setup does have some advantages and drawbacks to a ground tie-out. The biggest difference is the amount and shape of the area your pet will have access to.
You’ll also need to consider if you have the ability to mount two ends for the run. Most people will put one end on the side of their house or porch and the other on a tree or shed. If you don’t have another structure that will work you could also put a post up in your yard, but it should be about 8 feet high in order to safely work with a trolley system.
I have bought so many of these vinyl covered cables! They all do the same thing. the vinyl cracks very easily, then the wire underneath rusts. The one I have now is only 4 months old, and I will have to purchase something new very soon. I have a medium dog, weight 30 pounds, and a little guy only 12 pounds. They don’t even pull when on the tie out. They are used to it. And they don’t stay out for a long time unless I am outside with them.
In cold weather they are only out long enough to do their business. The vinyl breaks in so many places!! Then the wire rusts and before you know it, a new one is needed. I need something that will not break in cold temps. I don’t want to have to unhook the cable every time they come inside in winter. I do take most of it inside, only the hook that is outside attached to the bolt stays out and maybe five feet of cable. The rest is inside in the house temps. Still the vinyl breaks!! Have you got anything that works????