Have you ever used your telephone and discovered that over time the length had dropped from three feet to six inches? It happens when you pick up the phone, use it, then turn it around when you hang it up. The cord twists and twists until you can hardly reach your head anymore.

It's the same thing with dogs on chains that do not have a little device called a swivel on both ends. The dog runs in circles and the chain simply winds up until there is only one huge knot in the chain and the dog can no longer reach its food, water or shade.

We do not recommend keeping a pet on a chain 24 hours a day. These pictures show why.

As you can see, the chain that was originally long enough to let the dog get to her water and shade was wrapped upon itself until it got too short to allow the dog to escape the heat. In her attempts to get free the chain wrapped around her left rear leg and she became immobile.

Being realists, we know that some dogs refuse to be confined in a yard with just a fence or they are too aggressive to simply allow to run in the yard. Therefore, we recommend a tieout that has two stakes in the ground with a strong cable that runs in between.

The stakes can be tall (like a clothes line) with a pulley that allows the dog's tether to not get entangled on anything on the ground. Or the stakes can be short, like those used to play horseshoes. Somewhere along the length of the cable run, the dog must be able to have protection from the sun, rain and temperatures (hot or cold!). He must also be able to reach food and water. Having a cable arrangement allows the dog to run and exercise without ending up tied six inches from a stake.

Choke chains are not allowed for permanent use when confining a dog. Choke chains were designed for use while in training with the owner and not for wearing all the time. Too many dogs have choked to death when their choke collars got entangled on some immovable object and the dog could not get loose. Don't let that happen to your pet.

The following pictures show what happens to a young dog whose owner puts a collar, or in this case rope, around a puppy's neck without checking it later. This baby was still able to breath, but had started choking and that's what alerted the owner to the problem. Owners must actually LOOK at their dog to ensure that the dog is still in good health.

These other photos show dogs that are in danger depending on the time of year and ambient temperatures. This section could be entitled "Why Do I Bark?"

Dogs can't help but move around. They bark, they run, they are very social and inquisitive.

It's up to the owners to ensure that their pet is not endangered by becoming entangled on objects in the pet area. Dogs don't consider the outcome of their actions. It's up to you.

Next, we have a dog who could have easily lost his life because he jumped back and forth across the fence until his lead was so short he could no longer lie down.

Notice where his lead originates from at the bottom right corner of the photo. Then it goes up and over the fence and around the fence post several times.

This boy also had an additional problem that you can see upon closer observation.

His food pan was overturned and his water pan didn't show any signs of recently containing water. The temperature this particular day was over 95°. Despite this, he was a happy boy and was adopted by a different owner. He now spends most of his time inside his new home, sleeping on the couch and being totally spoiled!

This little guy didn't know his life was in danger. He just wanted to party. Unfortunately his play mate was his empty water bucket.

This pitbull mix also had a chain problem. You can see it wrapped around the tongue of the mobile home in the left picture. Then you can see how far he is from his water and food above.

Tangled chains and heat are a deadly combination in our part of Arizona.