I have 2 20" cotton long lines out in the back of our house (we have 15 acres -- not fenced), to use when exercising and/or restraining Kodee for brief periods of time (he's never left out there unattended, but occassionally I'll tie him to keep him out of my way when working in the yard or doing something with the kids.). One is almost brand new (maybe a month old), the other one I had for probably 5 years, but almost never used, and it was kept in a cabinet the whole time. Today I went out to exercise Kodee. I took his leash off and put his newer long line on, and when he trotted off I realized that only about 2 feet of the line was attached to him. When I looked at them, BOTH of the lines looked like they had been cut. They weren't frayed, just cut straight across. the newer one has some cuts that went partially through the width of the line as well.

My question is - do you think someone actually came into my back yard and cut them? Or do they look like that when they have rotted? (What are the chances that both lines (different ages) became "broken" overnight on the same night? (We use them almost everyday). Or did I just buy cheap cotton lines (they didn't seem cheap when I was paying for them - I forgot what they cost but I got the "newer" one at Petsmart, the "old" one at Petco.

Nothing else about the lines looked damaged. Just the places that looked cut. We live out in the country, and the lines have been laying out in the back for 2 or 3 weeks max. I think it may have rained twice in that time period.

When I buy a new line, I'll be buying it from Leerburg this time, and I will bring it into the house with me when not in use. But it bothers me that maybe some weirdo sabataged (sp?) the long lines so my dog would get loose? Or am I being paranoid?

Those sharp teeth can cut through a cotton line like a pair of scissors. Wouldn't surprise me that is exactly what happened, and it happens very quickly.

DFrost

 Quote: david c.frost

Those sharp teeth can cut through a cotton line like a pair of scissors. Wouldn't surprise me that is exactly what happened, and it happens very quickly.

DFrost

I was just going to say, "Sounds like someone has been practicing escape techniques..... ".

I don't think that's what happened. The last time I used either of them was a day or two ago, and I was with him the whole time. The older lead is attached to a tie-out stake, and he hasn't been tied out in weeks (since I stopped mowing the grass) - I don't think it was damaged the last time we were out there, but we haven't used the older one in a while, so I guess it could have been. The newer one is the one we use all the time when we're playing ball or frisbee - and he is always so involved with whatever toy we have, he doesn't even notice the long line, let alone bite on it. Since our yard isn't fenced, as soon as we're done playing/exercising, I bring him right in (using a leash), so he doesn't have a chance to chew on it when we're done.

Maybe another animal could have chewed on both of them? We live out in the country, and there are wild animals everywhere - we have raccoons and foxes come up on our deck at night occasionally, and coyotes/deer/etc are thick around here. Like I said, they don't looked "chewed" (aren't frayed or anything), just "cut" looking. Or maybe when they start to rot, the way they are woven makes it go straight across? I'm perplexed...

Hi Kori,

I would side with caution and not leave your leads outside. People do strange things and its not impossible that someone could have entered your property and cut those lines.

Take Care,