Retractable Dog Tie-out

I needed a way to tie my dog outside for short periods of time, but didn't want the eyesore of a cable or rope strung across the sidewalk or lawn, especially since I'd have to pick it up every time I mowed. I did find some retractable cable tie-outs available commercially, but they didn't get great reviews and were a bit pricey, it did however provide some inspiration for this solution.

All supplies were purchased from my local Harbor Freight, but you could use your existing leash or yard stake.

• 24' retractable leash - $5.99
• spiral yard stake - $3.99
• 5" carabiner - $1.50

I already had a retractable leash, but it was only 16' long so I decided to buy the longer one to give her a little more range.

• Find a suitable position for your stake. I decided to put mine in the rock bed so I wouldn't have to mow around it or remove it.
• Clip the carabiner in the ring of the stake
• Clip the leash handle in the carabiner

You also want to extend the leash fully and walk the path to make sure that your dog will be confined to a suitable area and not able to reach the street, driveways, etc.

Now I can tie my dog out to do her business while I get ready for work in the mornings.

There are several benefits of this setup:

• The leash comes in the house with the dog so it won't have to withstand the elements
• No unsightly cables or ropes spread across the lawn
• Auto retracting so no tangles in the leash
• No need to pickup before mowing
• Gives more time to get ready in the morning without waiting for nature's call for my dog

If you'd like to watch the video, it's here.