# outside



## hazelsowner (Jan 15, 2010)

its getting kind of cold and my girlfriends father doesnt let my pitbull (who stays at her house) go inside to their apartment. The deal is were waiting for one of the families living in his building to move out so we can move in and give my 10 month old pup an inside home again. shes been outside in the backyard since the summer, but do you think its too cold now to leave her out at this time. im in new jersey its pretty chilly. or can pits take cold weather better then humans?


----------



## American_Pit13 (Apr 23, 2007)

Depends on how she is housed. I moved some dogs out this spring so they would be weatherized for the winter, but they also have a straw filled kennel with a dog house and secure rain protective tarping which can fend off the CA winter.


----------



## hazelsowner (Jan 15, 2010)

well my dog literally has an entire garage for sleeping and weather. theres no problem the only thing is shes lonely at times since im a college student and shes even gotten fleas from the backyard life. but my dads an exterminater and has been doing justice in that aspect as well as some flea collars, but im just thinking if the people dont move out of their apartment soon enough, should i give her away ?


----------



## MISSAPBT (May 10, 2009)

How cold does it get there? i leave my pits out in mid winter, but then it only gets minus 2-5


----------



## hazelsowner (Jan 15, 2010)

o no. its proly like 46 degrees right now, and its the coldest its gotten.


----------



## American_Pit13 (Apr 23, 2007)

Well if you don't have the time for her and could find her a better home you may want to give her away but thats your choice on rather you want the commitment of a dog or not.


----------



## hazelsowner (Jan 15, 2010)

I just feel bad for the fact she is my first dog, and the whole outside thing i get a guilty feeling. Im just making sure she can handle the chilly nights.


----------



## jmejiaa (Dec 8, 2009)

hazelsowner said:


> I just feel bad for the fact she is my first dog, and the whole outside thing i get a guilty feeling. Im just making sure she can handle the chilly nights.


If he's outside alone a lot with little human interaction honestly you should find a way to fix that. Pits thrive from human interaction, sorry to say without it you are setting up your dog for failure.

As far as staying outside, as long as he has proper housing out there he should be ok.


----------



## MY MIKADO (Apr 7, 2006)

46 isn't that chilly unless it is wet out too. So how much time do you spend with her? That would play a big part on if I found her a different home or not.


----------



## jayandlacy (Sep 21, 2009)

I live in michigan. our weather is the same here as it is in jersey. I think that it is too cold. I have gone out in mornings and it is 32 degrees already. My dogs will shake when they're outside. My dogs are inside dogs, they don't get winter coats like for example, gsd do. I put sweaters on them in my house cuz they will be shakin sometimes. our gsds were fine outside in the winter, but they had winter coats, and dog houses with straw. 

If you aren't able to be interacting with you dog daily, then I think perhaps you should look for a home with someone that can, as well as the fact that jersey will probably have snow tomorrow, and it will only get worse from here. at least get the pup some straw and a dog house to stuff the straw in, for in the garage. that way it will actually be warmer in the dog house then the garage which will still be too cold in the winter. I used to have smoke in the garage at work, it was soo cold, things freeze in garages in the winter.


----------



## hazelsowner (Jan 15, 2010)

How much is enough interaction ? since i go to school ? what are the affects if she doesnt get enough attention ? she is a little destructive still ..


----------



## jayandlacy (Sep 21, 2009)

there are many things that can happen. She can become HA-human aggressive. Maybe not to you, but to others, since she is confined and not interacted with. As well as the fact that these guys are really smart, people pleasers. they need humans the same way you do-I don't like people and even I need a few humans. I dont know how much exactly per day. I just think that you should be over there interacting with her everyday, you should be walking her everyday...you should be doing your best to make sure she gets your attention as much as possible. its a crappy situation I know, and definately not ideal.....

Try balancing school, full time work, kids, and dogs. That is difficult. oh yeah, and a fiance that demands attention.


----------



## ames (Jun 6, 2010)

I think anything under 40 is too cold for prolonged periods of time. The dogs coats are so so short, and their paws are so sensitive. Is your dog chained up in the backyard? Dogs, by law, should only be left unattended for 3 hours a day. I would def. get a crate and keep your pup inside now that is getting cold and frost and what not. Please remember we get a lot colder in the NE due to the water in the air, it makes it so much colder. Today its 53 but is like in the 20's due to wind and water in the air blowing on you.


----------



## Pitty_Kisses92 (Nov 1, 2010)

My dog Shay dont like cold weather! We keep her inside during the late fall, winter and early spring times. She has a kennel she sleeps in at night in the house and when she is outside she has full range of the back yard most of the time. We also have a outside dog run she stays in sometimes during the winter when we are out of town and we have our neighbors take care of her when we cant take her with us. It has a inselated dog house we made ourselves with straw, and a rubber flap that covers the entrance of the dog house that she can push with her nose to enter or exit as she pleases. We also have a tarp that covers the top half of the run so rain, snow cant get close or around her dog house. Its pretty nice, and sometimes I joke to my hubby about making him sleep out there when he is being a butt and he always tells me "I can if you want me to!"  He wouldnt mind even if I DID make him sleep out there because he built it so he knows it is top quality and keeps the weather out well.

It would be ok if there is a good warm place for your dog to get out of the cold. Your dog should have a shelter at all times!!! How much time do you spend with her, honestly? If its not at least an hour everyday (minimum), then maybe you should look at finding her a new home. This breed seeks attention from people, and needs it to be a well balanced happy dog. If they don't get it they start getting distructive, digging starts to happen and behavior problems start to occur. I have a husband, 3 children, a job and I am taking college classes yet I still make it a priority to spend quality time with my dog, play time, love time and take her on walks regularly. Well Shay is currently restricted from walking till she learns to stop acting like a angery aggressive Rino on the leash but she deffently gets her play time and runs out her built up energy with me; till our training lessons pay off; then its back to twice a days walks!


----------

