[yorkietalkjilly]

Oh, I would never leave a small, elderly dog with medical problems and probably arthritis to sit a long time out in the cold or tied to anything. Never. For one thing, I just can't leave my dog outside alone tied to things. I don't know why but it seems wrong - even if it weren't cold or there were no thieves. I always fear another, big, vicious dog might come running and attack the defenseless, tied dog before I could rise up and get to the dog. I just can do it and I have no good reason for that except what could happen while he's tied and can't run and it just seems a wrong thing to do. I guess I saw one too many tied-up dogs as a child, saw some of them pulling on the rope or collar around their neck and straining and it kind of marked me.

About leaving a small dog in the cold - remember, small dogs cannot retain body heat. They have little musculature or padding of much fat and Yorkies have no protective undercoat. Their rather large heads chill easily, as does the rest of them. When he's walking in the cold in his warm coat, he's generating body heat from his muscles moving continually, but just sitting, he could chill and his orthopedic problem areas could stiffen in the chill while immobile. Joints will swell. And believe me, old joints and muscles feel the cold and prolonged sitting in it is uncomfortable beyond a little after only a short time - I know! haha Besides exposing him to prolonged cold, by leaving him tied outside alone, he could have easily been grabbed and stolen - as a member's dog was not too long ago. Another Yorkie about a year ago was almost taken by a guy as the member was walking him on a busy sidewalk in front of shops and stores with a lot of people around! The potential thief was stopped by other men and told the police that he thought the dog was cool or something like that, as I recall! Yikes! Yorkies are small, cute and usually thought of as high-end dogs and many people want them to sell for drug money, pocket money etc. I would never leave my dog - even a big dog normally able to defend itself - tied up outside, even in warm, sunny weather. It wouldn't take a dog-thief anytime to cut his leash with a knife or chain cutter or just yank it hard and be gone with him. And besides, for me, there is that just can't leave a dog tied to anything problem.