Pitbulls Living Outdoors

Our pit Polar lives with my bf and his parents on about a 1/2 acre fully fenced property. They have a fully heated/insulated 'shed' in the back about the size of a one car garage. This is where Polar sleeps at night. She spends her days outside in the backyard, is played with and usually gets walked twice a day.

If it were up to me or my bf, Polar would be an indoor dog.. but his parents would never allow it. Now that the weather is turning (it rains alot in Vancouver).. even though she has warm dry shelter.. I'm feeling really guilty about her being stuck outside. Unless we're outside with her or she's busy chewing on a new bone, she spends her time at the back door staring inside shaking and crying.

She came from a home where she was lucky if she got any excercise, was never walked and spent most of the day and night in a crate. But she had a little Boston Terrier who kept her company.

I don't know if we should get her a friend or what... and when the winter comes... I just don't know what to do. I'm afraid she'll freeze due to her short coat.

Any suggestions??

 

I have outdoor dogs and they do just fine. They don't freeze. They do get lots of attention and excesize. If she has a good shelter she should be fine. I don't know about getting her a friend, one of the rules to owning Pit Bulls is never leaving them unattended and unsupervised with another dog. If she is going to be living outside then there is no way to always be watching them.
It would be nice the dog could be inside with its family. Could you not keep her at your home? Does she ever come inside, for play time or visits?
At least she is being taken care of fed, a good shelter that a lot of dog aren't lucky to have, people who love and care for her.

 

Yeah, although so far she seems fine with other dogs... I am a little apprehensive about leaving her alone with one. I'd definetley let her hang out in my place, but I have two cats who don't much like her. When I introduced them, I was worried about her going after them... it was completley the other way around. My cats just freaked on her, sratched her face twice and she just stood there wagging her tail.

But you're right, I think I'm worrying too much about her. I'm sure she'll be fine as an outdoor dog.

 

You are nuts to get her a doggy friend that she would be left unsupervised.. She has heated shelter and is being cared for adequately which in all reality she will get by fine, but as a personal opinion I would never be able to have an outdoor Pit Bull.. they are such big babies. I know mine woudln't survive an hour outside with out someone with her. You don't want to have dogs together unsupervised.. you never know what can happen.
Angie

 

howdy,

i have 3 dogs , i keep them all.....INSIDE. They are apart of the family, are treated that way and understand whos Dad and Whos Mom. They only go outside for the bathroom/training/exericise/play. IMO theres just to much to worry about with them outside. I learned many years ago never to underestimate your dog. they are alot smarter than you think...esp pitbulls. oh btw all 3 dogs are also put in nice roomy crates while we are gone during the day. which would solve your cat problem.

outside dogs just aren't the same.

 

I'm not getting her a doggie friend... it was just a passing thought. And yeah she is a total baby... scared of big barking dogs, scared of the dark... I feel bad that she has to stay outside, but it's not my choice as she doesn't live with me. (same goes for the cat problem... she doesn't live with me, so it's not a problem) and if she did.. she be in danger if I crated her up with my cats around as the might swipe at her thru the crate.

Anyways... I know she'd prefer to be inside with us all the time, but as long as we're walking her at least twice a day, playing and interacting with her thru out the day and putting her in the shed/garage to bed after dark, she seems fine living outside.