am i paranoid about my puppy?

Question

my pit bull is 4 mos old. she stays in the back yard and so far its been really hot from 98-104 degrees this summer and really cold at night i leave her plenty of water and food , she's out there all day.but i feel bad for her being out there in the heat and then in the cold during the night. bf says '' its a dog they are use to this, don't baby her'' i bring her in the house for a bit but he doesn't like it. am i paranoid or too protective?

she's got plenty of shade, n we even programed the sprinklers to go on at noon. i've kept her in the kitchen sometimes but my bf doesn't like to pick up after her and i fractured my foot so i haven't been much help since i'm still healing.

Answer 1

She is adorable. I would recommend that you make her part of your family, that means bringing in her around you to be part of the family. I say get a new boyfriend if he has a problem with it. With all the issues regarding Pits unless you want her to grow up with no social skills and obiedence then keep her outside. Not trying to be mean but this is the most important part of her little life, she needs to be part of your pack, she needs to know that you are the pack leader and she is a important part of that pack, if you do not do that she will grow into that horrible Pit that the news papers report on. Being in the back yard most of the time is ok but if she has no outlet for energy and no socializing she will be horrible to deal with when she gets older. You are allowed to be both and as a good responsible Pit owner you need to be. Look into things to occupy her while you are away and she is outside, socialize her as much as possible. make a schedule to take her for walks and visit people and other dogs and set a time that she comes in with you for cuddling and just normal family/pack time. this is so important for her. The boyfriend either needs to understand this or he needs to leave or you may want to consider giving her away to someone who can do those things and again I am not trying to be mean but as a Pit owner your responsibilities are double that of a normal dog owner. I own a Pit so believe me when I say this is so important for their social being as well as your well being.

Answer 2

I live in a place where it's also been in the upper 90's to 100's. Saw on a sign in front of my vet that there have been 4 heat related pet deaths in the area just during July. I have a friend whose dog died from heat. Not to judge, but I don't understand why people would have a dog if it just lives outside all the time. If the dog is destructive or a nuisance when inside, the best thing to do is crate train them. If the crate is the right size, they will not soil in the crate. A 4 month old puppy can only be expected to be in the crate a few hours at a time, though. A lot of people think a crate is cruel, but it's really a "den" for the dog - both my dogs get in their crate on their own when tired. It also helps train them.
If the dog must stay outside ALL the time, get her a plastic baby pool to cool off in and make sure she a large shady spot during the day. A young dog like this is more susceptible to overheating.

Answer 3

We get pets to be our companions and protectors. If you want a loving companion and good protector then you need to integrate her into the family. Yes, she's a dog and she can suffer from the heat and cold just as much as you and I. Pit bulls don't have a lot of fur like other dogs. In fact their coats are very thin. They also don't have a natural way of cooling themselves off like we do. Dogs don't sweat. I can understand that your boyfriend doesn't like to pick up after her, but he needs to understand that she is a puppy and pitbulls are known to get heat stroke. It sounds like you love her a lot, and it's not terrible to leave dogs outside, but I feel that if you're going to have a dog and it isn't a "working" dog, then it should be welcomed into the home and house trained. I don't know where you live, but someone else mentioned that she might get stolen. It is such a high chance, that I would take extra precautions. You don't want her being used in dog fighting...if she were discovered by the animal control, they'd have to put her down. So if anyone has access to your back yard, make sure to double lock it. Good luck! I hope it all works out.

Answer 4

Heat exhaustion is extremely dangerous. Symptoms include rapid breathing, fast heartrate, and a rise in body temperature. If the dog is showing any signs of heat stress, move it to an open airy area. It should not be in the crate, or doghouse at this point. Wet your furry friend down with cool water. Keep him near a fan or air conditioner. And go to your vet or an emergency clinic if you suspect heat exhaustion.

I got that off of a website I go to on a regular basis. Also, remember that even though Pits are short haired breeds, they retain heat just like other dogs...just not quite as much. Add a few degrees to what it actually is outside and that is what your dog is actually feeling. Even if your dog has plenty of food and water out there, she can still die of heat exhaustion.

And yes, dogs that are left outside with little to no human interaction have a greater risk of becoming aggressive. This is especially true of your dog because she is a Pit and Pit Bulls need a little more socialization than most other breeds. In fact, all bully breeds need more socialization than other breeds.

And I say, dump the boyfriend. If this is how he treats animals, imagine how he treats children! If any guy I was dating had an issue with one of my animals, he would have to go!

Answer 5

Your boyfriend is an asshole.

There was a man here who had two pit bulls--one died from heat exhaustion and the other was taken away from him. He was charged with cruelty to animals, which is a $700 fine and a possible 90 days in jail. Is your boyfriend prepared to pay that fine and do the jailtime?

Please if you aren't prepared to get rid of your boyfriend, rehome your dog. Find someone who will let her live inside and be part of the family. Visit their house and make sure they're a good place to live. Charge a little money to avoid giving your dog away to someone who sells dogs for lab animals and to ensure that whoever takes your dog can actually afford to have a dog.

Then, with the money from rehoming your dog, go to the pet store and buy a goldfish and tell your boyfriend that you hope he's happy. What a jerk.

Answer 6

You are none of those. Your bf is wrong you dog should be in the house during the day. Its not good at all to have your dog outside all day the heat could kill the dog. Its a weak puppy so its very prone to heat stroke. Here's a thought, in most states its illegal to leave your dog in a car by itself in the summer, this is the same idea. Remember its a baby, you have to protect it when its older then you can get away with leaving it outside.

Answer 7

I kind of agree with the last answer, about who is the boss here. The dog does need to understand that you are in charge.
However, she IS a dog, and they aren't as sensitive as humans. Just make sure she has shade (preferably on grass) during the day to keep cool, and a dog house with warm blankets for at night and plenty of water. And don't forget to socialize her while she's still young and impressionable and, more importantly, easy to control. If you don't teach her now it will be a lot harder when she's full grown.

Answer 8

I believe all my pets should be housed. She is a baby and she is not being socialized properly, or at all, from your description. If the dog has to be out there alone all the time, you do not need a dog, you could just get a rock! B.F is not a dog expert---seek one and get training and playing and hanging out with that dog. I want nothing to go wrong between dogs/neighbors/passersbys, so if I'm not around, my dogs are not left out. We are having pits being rounded up and put to death. Make sure your dog becomes "one of the good guys", so yours doesn't help lead to this in your area.

Answer 9

Dogs, especially puppies are prone to heat exhaustion and stroke just like people are. 98-104 degrees is HOT! I work outside and am used to the heat myself and drink more than 2 gallons of water a day. I doubt the puppy is drinking anywhere near what it needs, it is not a normal reaction to drink enough and dogs don't do it most of the time. You could even face charges if the ASPCA deemed it to be hot enough without sufficient shelter.

Answer 10

Personnaly, i think that the people who say that the dog is used to heat and cold are wrong. But if the dog wants to be outside, the best you can do is give it food, water, and shade. Waht's your boyfriends problem with dogs anyway? You should him outside for the whole day in the heat and see what it feel like.