I too am owned by a backyard dog who was originally bought by a backyard breeder. He is a rottie/bermerX.

He was purchased as a cute little fluffy puppy - and then dumped in the yard when he started to mouth, jump up on the kids and shed. Wow. Imagine a puppy doing that?

He was free fed in a large trough on occasion and had a large barrel filled with green rain water to drink from. It took 6 months before he stopped 'saving' some food as he was unsure when there would be more. He had no shelter and had dug himself a 'trench' under a 2' high deck where he would belly crawl aprox. 15' to his dirt bed against the corner of the house.

He lived 2 years isolated and completely secluded in a dark yard that was completely enclosed with a fence and very tight together tall trees. He had never been out of the yard, he had never seen another human other then the abusive 'owners', he had never seen another dog, or cat, or car, or or or or or....

He was terrified of absolutely everything the day I got him from them. He belly-crawled across the lawn to my car.

I am lucky he was not aggressive. He really should have been considering the treatment he had for 2 years. Why would he not be? I don't know. He is a sweet, friendly, darling dog that suffered much too long. Two years later it still makes me sad to think of him on that day.

Chained/Backyard dogs must be stopped.