An Easy Way to Keep Your Puppy From Getting Into Mischief All Over the House

Puppies have so much to learn, and we have so much to teach them: “Keep your mouth busy with this Kong but not with my shoe.” “ Pee here but not there.” “Play with this tug toy but not your blanket.” And the list goes on.

Anything that makes it easier for them to learn all the basics of life in the human world is a gift to us all. One strategy (with so much unused potential) is tethering, and teaching your puppy to be comfortable with it will pay dividends later. Tethering is just what it sounds like: attaching your dog with a pup-approved cable with plenty of length to something sturdy like a heavy chair or table, piano, or couch leg. This is not usually done with an outdoor leash. Many dogs will chew through a leash, so unless your dog is never the sort to do so, use a cable that prevents that behavior. (Regular leashes can be used short-term in an emergency, but it’s not Plan A, only Plan B.) 

To tether your pup, make a loop with the cable around the leg of a table, chair, couch, or something sturdy. Then, thread the end with the attachment hook through the small loop on the other end. Next, attach the hook part of the cord to your pup’s harness (more on why you should use a harness later). This will secure the cord while still giving your pup enough slack to move around within their designated area.

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Why is tethering useful?

When tethered, puppies are limited in how far they can move from the spot where their cable is attached. Tethering is a useful training and management tool. As a short-term method of controlling your dog indoors, it is incredibly practical. Tethering is a great way to help many puppies settle down, to get some peace and quiet, and to minimize issues with possessiveness between dogs. 

Teach your dog to like their tether, and you will be able to use this technique for everyone’s benefit throughout their life. If a puppy has been happy while tethered, they can be happy as an adult, should it be necessary or useful to keep them in one spot for any reason. 

You might tether if you are taking your dog to the home of someone who isn’t super into pups. Or you may use the technique if, for example, you have 16 fourth graders over to decorate cupcakes, and you don’t want your dog getting in on the party. Generally, dogs who are tethered as puppies are less likely to develop bad habits and may not need to be tethered much as adults, but the option is always there if needed.

Unless they are tired enough to sleep or at least rest while they are hooked up to the cord, give them something to do by providing a stuffed Kong or another safe chew toy. Tethering is helpful for encouraging your dog to act as you would like and preventing them from acting in ways you don’t like in many situations. Here are a few:

To help your puppy chill out while company is over or you they are a guest at someone’s house

Tethering can help you train your puppy to do what you want and helps prevent unwanted conduct. For example, a puppy who is tethered can’t jump up on visitors who are out of reach. Giving your puppy a chance to calm down before any visitors come over also decreases the chances that they will jump on anyone. When a puppy is encouraged to do the right thing, you can reinforce that behavior, making it even more likely to happen in the future. 

To manage them when they’re bored

Boredom is the enemy of good behavior, and a bored puppy is likely to go looking for things to do. When a puppy is on their tether, they can’t wander around, so it’s easier to prevent them from stealing items or from chewing on things they shouldn’t. You can easily clear the small area they’re in of anything they shouldn’t have, and offer them something to chew on to keep them occupied. Tethering helps prevent dogs from chewing on shoes, blankets, books, and anything else you want to protect from their teeth.

To contain them when you are trying to get something done

One of the challenges of life with a puppy is trying to get through your to-do list without interruptions. Puppies are generally less than helpful when you try to do yoga, assemble furniture, make art, or use your floor space in any other way. Tethering allows everyone to do their thing without being bothered. If you aren’t able to, just make sure that someone is watching your tethered pup while you have your much-deserved “you” time. 

To prevent accidents

It is easier to prevent the common house training problem of the puppy running off to potty out of sight of everyone. They still need to be taken out frequently; tethering them won’t prevent accidents in general.

To keep them from eating food that isn’t theirs

Another benefit of tethering a dog is to prevent them from getting into snacks or other yummy things they shouldn’t have. This could mean human food on the table or counter (especially if they tend to counter surf during food-prep time). Or, if you have more than one pet in the house and you want to prevent food aggression, tethering your puppy will keep them away from the other animals while they chow down. 

To prevent two dogs from getting aggressive

Sometimes, it helps to tether dogs who struggle to be in the same space. For example, you could tether one dog to the far end of the couch and the other to the piano on the opposite side of the room so there is plenty of space between them. Each dog can have their own treat to chew on; this way, no one is trying to help themselves to what the other dog has. This only works with pups who are comfortable being in sight of one another and in the same room at all.

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Make tethering a positive experience for your dog. 

To make that happen, tether your puppy in a comfortable spot. Let them have a blanket or bed to rest on. Use a spot where they are not in the way of people moving around your house so they can relax and not be stepped over or bumped into. In general, I recommend that you prevent other animals in the house from approaching them while they are tethered. Because they have a limited range of motion while in this position, it’s not fair to them if another dog or cat tries to entice them to interact or play. 

Start with very short sessions of just a couple of minutes and begin by sitting down with your puppy and keeping them company. Don’t sit with them the whole time, but remain near, where you can see them. Gradually work up to tethering your dog for 10 to 30 minutes. It’s not meant to be a lengthy experience. 

Keep your tethered dog safe. 

Tethering keeps your dog in one spot, and that can help keep them safe. However, tethering comes with its own safety concerns. It’s no good if the dog gets tangled up in the cord or becomes upset. That’s why rule one is that any pup on a tether needs to have eyes on them at all times. A dog who is not being watched can get twisted up in the tether — a problem that can be dangerous and scary, and even cause an injury. 

Other guidelines are to attach the tether to something too heavy for them to move. For a little dog, that may be a 20-pound weight. For a large dog, that may mean wrapping the tether around the leg of a piano or some other heavy piece of furniture. Using eye bolts properly attached to the walls of your home and using that to anchor the tether is another good option, as are products specifically designed for tethering. On the dog end of the tether, attaching the cable to a harness (rather than a collar) is safer, because there is no chance of any force accidentally being applied to the neck that way.

Tethering is not a punishment. 

Tethering does not mean you tie your dog up when you leave the house. You should not put your dog outside where they are unprotected from whomever seeks to approach them. A tethered dog must always be supervised to prevent them from getting tangled in the line. It’s not a way to reprimand them and should never be used as such. I don’t believe punishment is a good way to treat any dog ever, and in accordance with that approach, I only use tethering to create positive experiences for dogs.

Tethering can be a wonderful way to keep dogs safe and everyone in the household happy. However, not every dog tolerates it well. If your dog is still upset, even after introducing the tether gradually and making every effort to make it a positive experience, don’t do it. Some dogs panic when restrained or otherwise object to being tethered. No technique is right for every dog, and that’s OK.