Your opinion on proper chain setup

I know theres been many theady started about yard and chain setups, but I wanted to get an up to date opinion by ppl who use an axle and chain setup.

Im setting up my first chain spot. I just finished my fencing around the dog area. and Picked up an axle yesterday.

What im asking is, in your opinion whats the best configuration for the chain setup. with rings, swivles, where to place them?


Thanks for the advise.

 

all's you need to do is use a post hole digger about a foot deep. get a good thick o-ring and connect a closeable quick link (something like this http://www.lowes.com/pd_147914-3767...t_quantity_sold|1&facetInfo=The Hillman Group )around the o-ring and base of your chain. MAKE SURE YOU USE LOCTITE ON THE QUICK LINK. it won't go anywhere, i'm using this based on a guy' set up he showed me that's had these dogs without fail for a long time. slide your o-ring with the chain attached up the axle. pound the son of a into the hole all the way using a maul or something. hold your chain vertical and pack the dirt in around it. on the other end of your chain, hook another quick link around the chain and through a swivel. again use loctite. from the swivel to the collar you have a couple options. i used to use two caribeaners facing each other in case one failed and hooked it to the d-ring on my stillwater collar. i eventually just put a quick link with loctite from the swivel to the d-ring.

some folks seem to prefer one method of hooking the chain to their hardware over another (ie - cold shuts, clamps, etc) but i like and trust this set up. i still go over it every day, and make sure the collar is snug still. like i said, the guy who showed me his setup has used it without fail for a long long time. so take that for what it's worth. and you shouldn't have to worry about the chain pulling up without concrete; if you think about it, the dog will have the chain extended to the end of it's spot most times...you can hold onto the end and spin in circles like a crazy man if you want and you'll see it's not going anywhere.

best of luck to you, and thanks for trying to have a responsible set up.

 

make sure if your dog is fenced and on a chain that it can reach the fence. thats the number one thing

 

Im sure Widerange meant to say CANT reach the fence. You do not want any obstruction that the dog can or could possibly go over or under anywhere in the chain setup area. Thats how dogs get choked and die!

 

thanks that is what i meant to say. sorry just got off work should have re read that before posting.

 

there's some really good info about great chain set-ups in Cali Jack's Indispensible Tips.

 

thanks guys, I have a good idea on what to use now. thanks

and yes when we setup the fence we made sure that dogs wil not be able to reach to go under or over the fencing.

 

I put a large bolt into a five gallon bucket and fill it with concrete. I attach a swivel to the bolt and then attach a chain. No links are clip on. They all screw together. Then I pull the concrete out of the bucket when it is dry and bury it in the ground flush. Total cost is about $20 and it is relatively easy to move.

 

I use what chef describe and I use 4 foot earth anchors as my axel

 

so yall completely burry the axle?

 

W earth anchors the round top barely sticks out. You can check your hardware daily but the dog will never get tangled up. If u use something else I would bury completely so ur dog doesn't get stuck in the hot or cold.

 

ok, so burry the axle, im just wondering about when its burried. you cant check all the hardware as some of it will be burried with the axle.


also what grade chain and other hardware should i use?

 

Like ATEXAN and Widerange said make sure he can't even touch the fence. They can lose thier hardware on it even if they cant go over or under.

 

Grade 70/transport chain. http://www.game-dog.com/showthread.php?t=47212&highlight=chain+grades If you use the cheaper chain it will just wear out quicker. Especially in sandy soil and dog that runs the chain. I'm pretty sure on one of the threads Marty or someone posted a chart on chains showing strenght,weight.

 

o ring connected to atleast 10ft chain by quicklink and drive axle through that. or wrap chain around axel and shut with quicklink or coldshut. on collar end of chain. quicklink, swivel, quicklink, 2 or 3in oring then slide collar through or you can get a bigger swivel and eliminate the need for the oring, just slide collar through swivel. i bury my axles or whatever else i use for anchor.

I have a few tieouts but also like an overhead setup too.

 

another question.... The axle I got from the used auto parts place is about 2.5ft-3ft long. is this big enough?

 

dig a hole 2-3ft deep first. then drive in the axle, then bury it.

 

thank naustroms, ill do that. so I shouldnt have to worry about whats under the ground burried rusting and breaking? or should i just dig it up and replace the ring every 6 months or so?


sorry for all the dumb questions, this is my first chain setup, i have always crated and rotated.

 

use Heavy 1/2" Grade 70 Transport Chain to wrap around the buried axle connected with a 1/2" cold shut...leave it 6"-1ft above ground to connect your smaller containment chain to.

 

Dogman 2000 shows a great set-up as well as the footage of Gamblers yard! This is the way I do em and they are proper! Use coldshuts for all your connections and double-up on the O'rings for the collars as that is probably your weakest link! 1/4" Grade 70 Transport chain is all you need for pups and adults...everything about is overkill and a waste of $$!

YIS