What do I do now?

[MR BIGGS]

To make a long story short we are moving into a 1600sq ft Duplex and that's not including the yard. The yard is 70x30, which is pretty big for us. The fence is one of those 8ft high wooden ones. It looks to be in new condition. What preventatives for health will I need for my dog and what equipment should I consider obtaining? Also, being that she is a house dog who loves outside of course, I want her to be an outside dog mainly now, but she will still be inside on occassions. Is this type of transition ok. Please give me any hints and tips to maintain a healthy dog and yard for her sake?

[Esse818]

To make a long story short we are moving into a 1600sq ft Duplex and that's not including the yard. The yard is 70x30, which is pretty big for us. The fence is one of those 8ft high wooden ones. It looks to be in new condition. What preventatives for health will I need for my dog and what equipment should I consider obtaining? Also, being that she is a house dog who loves outside of course, I want her to be an outside dog mainly now, but she will still be inside on occassions. Is this type of transition ok. Please give me any hints and tips to maintain a healthy dog and yard for her sake?Well you can add a spring pole for starters, she'll dig holes, maybe cry a couple of days. If shes dog aggression and have a neighbor with a dog shell scartch the wood off at least paint and little bit of wood trying to get them. She'll get used to it in the end, oh yeah dog house, a blanket, and chew toys.

[bahamutt99]

I don't have any experience with making an inside dog an outside one. But if she's going to be outside, I would think parasites are your biggest concern. So get her on a good topical flea solution and stick with it. And make sure you keep her up on her vaccinations, just in case. Make sure she's got shade access, and a water container she can't tip over. And shelter if you want her to sleep out there at night. You might also want to put something along the bottom of the fence to keep her from reaching the panels and pulling them off.

Please be careful, whatever you do. I personally wouldn't risk having my dog outside when I'm not home. Not with this breed, and not in a suburban area. I would make sure your neighbors are damn trustworthy, that they like your dog, and that they'll help keep an eye on your yard when you're not there. I know I'm opinionated on this matter, but I hate hearing about dogs getting hurt, stolen, etc. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

[cheekymunkee]

Be VERY careful, you live in the Dallas area, people here steal pit bulls all the time. It happened to me.........Someone took my fat, old, neutered Booger out of a locked privacy fence and I never saw him again. I was home when they did it & I never heard a thing. I don't even let my dogs out to pee by themselves now. Well, sometimes I do but I have windows all across the back of my house & I can see every inch of my yard. Good luck but personally, I wouldn't take the chance of someone stealing or poisoning my dog.

[MR BIGGS]

Well for starters, my neighbor has a bulldog named chico, and I only know that because they have an open view fence with a sign that says "Chico Bites" and a bulldog loose in the backyard. ON the other side of the fence my neighbors yard is about 15yards apart from mine. The landlord told me he's see "Chico" in person and he's a hell of a barker.

I don't plan on leaving her out 24/7 just yet, only during the day when I'm there. I want her to gradually get used to being outside. Hell, once I'm settled I may get a rotty for yard protection. Our fence is very high so we have enough privacy and I am going to put locks on it. I'll be looking out for people
trying to take her as much as I can. I'm glad my landlord accepts bullies:D

I still haven't found that "Kreso Dip". Is there anything else that works miracles against parasites, ringworms,fleas, ticks, ants, mosquitos etc?

[pennsooner]

If you intend to leave the dog outside in the fenced yard unsupervised, I would "hotwire" the area around the bottom of the fence to prevent him/her getting out. Pitbulls can be escape artist. Hotwireing will also help deter people climbing/jumping the fence. I promise they'll yell if they touch that hotwire.

[cheekymunkee]

A loud neighbor dog is ALWAYS a good thing IMO. My neighbors have an ancient bird dog ( different house than the theft) & he lets us know if anything even breathes in the alley. Some people complain about him but I am glad he is there.

[MR BIGGS]

My female is a yapper also. If she knows another dog is on the other side, she won't care even if they can touch noses, she'll just turn away and mind her own business. Lucky me I don't have to worry about her trying to escape. She's well trained and won't bite or destruct anything.

Anyone have any more ideas as how to keep my dog in good health. I'm really concerned about ringworms and mosquitos.

[purplepig]

To make a long story short we are moving into a 1600sq ft Duplex and that's not including the yard. The yard is 70x30, which is pretty big for us. The fence is one of those 8ft high wooden ones. It looks to be in new condition. What preventatives for health will I need for my dog and what equipment should I consider obtaining? Also, being that she is a house dog who loves outside of course, I want her to be an outside dog mainly now, but she will still be inside on occassions. Is this type of transition ok. Please give me any hints and tips to maintain a healthy dog and yard for her sake?Run an electric cattle fence. Put a wire on the top and on the bottom, that'll keep the dog in. I use the strongest one I can get. When the dog gets on it, it looks like someone hit it in the head with a shovel!!! Take you some hydrated lyme and spread over yard, then get some bleach water and spray it down alittle. When the dog starts to whine to be let inside, walk out the back door with a shotgun and unleash a blast. Should stop it.

As to the mosquitoes, get this stuff called "Kresso-D", mix it 50 parts water, to 1 part Kresso, It'll work for about 3 weeks before you need to apply again.

[miakoda]

Run an electric cattle fence. Put a wire on the top and on the bottom
That's what we've done as well. We also dug a trench along the bottom of our fence & poured in concrete b/c we had diggers along with double fencing (we had the "ugly" side of the privacy fencing & a couple of our dumb dogs were literally busting their heads through the fence boards to get to neighbor's dogs so we double fenced all the way around. You'll learn to improvise as you go. ;)

[purplepig]

That's what we've done as well. We also dug a trench along the bottom of our fence & poured in concrete b/c we had diggers along with double fencing (we had the "ugly" side of the privacy fencing & a couple of our dumb dogs were literally busting their heads through the fence boards to get to neighbor's dogs so we double fenced all the way around. You'll learn to improvise as you go. ;)
Hey Mia, did you run one of the wires on the bottom? That usually stops the diggers. I do know there are some who are EXTREMELY determined though. Just curious.

[Marty]

If you go with concrete under your fence, I would go 1' inside, 2' outside and 1' deep.
That means they have to dig atleast 2'deep and four foot to get out that would take awhile ;)

[miakoda]

Hey Mia, did you run one of the wires on the bottom? That usually stops the diggers. I do know there are some who are EXTREMELY determined though. Just curious.
Yes. And we use the cattle/horse charger as well. Some dogs just aren't deterred by that....it just made them dig faster.

On a side note, when running wire along the bottom, you MUST inspect it daily to make sure nothing is touching it or that grass hasn't grown up over it as that will cause it to short out & create "dead" zones where the current is no longer running. And our dogs are smart enough to figure that out. ;)

[miakoda]

If you go with concrete under your fence, I would go 1' inside, 2' outside and 1' deep.
That means they have to dig atleast 2'deep and four foot to get out that would take awhile ;)
Very true. We asked our neighbors on each side if they minded & of course they didn't. :D

[MR BIGGS]

I've decided to go with a small kennel. It's 6ft high, 6ft wide and 10ft long. I'm also getting the biggest igloo dog house and then I'll keep some flea and tick yard repellent like 7 dust or whatever else I can get from the tractor supply. This is all for my upcoming new pup.