We do not have a fenced in yard, but we have a 50 ft tie off cable that is connected to our concrete steps. It is secure enough for dogs up to 50 pounds and gives them enough room to run and play in our yard and the common ground behind our house while still being safe. I also am used to staying outside while they are doing their business since our dog would never go outside unless someone is outside with him. Your fur baby will never be unattended while outdoors. We do often see deer behind our house,but they are never aggressive and even go running when our havanese used to bark at them. We did not crate our dog so we are used to having un-crated dog around the house. However,we do have a medium size crate available to use if needed.Our house is one level and there is only one step to get in and out of the house, which really helps for older dogs. I prefer small to medium size petsI understand that all dogs bark on occasion, but we will not keep dogs that bark constantly.