How warm do you need to keep a dog?

Question

We've got a new adult dog and he sleeps in the kitchen. Is a dog bed warm enough for him at night? He has a bit of a cough and cold and i.m a bit worried.

Thank you Issy

Answer 1

I agree with getting the cough checked out by the vet.

Feel the tip of the dogs ears. If they are cold, the dog will be feeling a little chilly too.

Answer 2

This is a "new" addition with a bit of a cough/cold?? That is my concern here. Otherwise, being anywhere inside should be great. So many are stuck outside 24/7 no matter what weather.

I am very concerned about the "cough". Did he come from a shelter where he might have caught a serious problem? I encourage you to get him to the vet to be checked out---quickly!
It could be kennel cough. Then there is distemper which is also highly contagious and deadly serious. Dogs do not get a "cold" as we do. Those symptoms can be serious in dogs or cats.

Answer 3

It certainly depends on how warm/cool your kitchen is. Most breeds don't need blankets and such...a nice dog bed that your dog can curl up in to sleep will be sufficient. If it's as cold inside as out, I'd suggest moving him to another warmer room. I have 3 mini American Eskimos and an Australian Shepherd. They all have long fur, and the eskies have two coats actually...a denser shorter fur which is known as the undercoat which acts as their insulation (keeps them cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter) and then the overcoat. You would have to be careful with how long you leave the dog in cold weather because of their ears and feet. Their pads aren't weatherproof nor are their ears (at least most breeds). Some breeds do have thicker fur on their ears - such as the American Eskimo as well as fur between their pads. However, as long as you're not too cold or warm, your dog should do just fine in the kitchen in a dog bed. If you'd like to put a blanket over him at bedtime, if he'll allow you to do so, that would be fine. I actually had a german short-haired pointer as a kid. She would take a blanket and a pillow and arrange it on the floor just so, then she'd stick her head under the blanket at the bottom and go all the way up to the top, and lay on the pillow. She was the smartest dog ever! She also liked to cuddle in bed, especially in the morning, but she had really bad gas, and when I would tell her to get out of my bed, she'd take the extra blanket and little pillow and make her own bed. It was hysterical! Wish I had video of that!

Good luck with your new dog!

Answer 4

Its true that dogs have a higher temperature than we do but Huskies sleep outside in the snow! Their fur coats keep them warmer than our clothes keep us.
Dogs that live indoors at a constant temp of 18 degrees will shed fur, as its warm to them.
Your dog will be fine in the kitchen, make sure he has a comfy bed with layers of blankets. You can make an igloo style bed for him with a blanket over the top; or as someone else said put a blanket over him and he'll get on top of it if he gets too hot.
A cough is caused by a virus or something in his throat, not the cold. It could be kennel cough.

Answer 5

Some breeds of dogs are suited to colder temperatures than others. Check out your dog's breed on the AKC.org web site to see what's best for your dog. Even if it's a mixed breed you can look up the apparent dominant breed in your dog. Check to see if he has an under coat on his fur. What were his living conditions before you adopted him? If he was an outside dog, it may take him a little while to adapt to his new living conditions. If his cough persists, take him to the vet.

Congratulation on your new pet.

Answer 6

if you have got this dog recently it might be an idea to get him checked out by a vet, dogs don't get colds, it could possibly be kennel cough. As for keeping warm, providing he is in the house he will be fine.

Answer 7

then you need to keep him warm and get him to the vet in the morning a dog shouldnt have a cough or a cold something not rite get him to the vet your are rite to be worried

Answer 8

He'll be fine! put a blanket over him, he'll shake it off if he's too warm.

Dogs are much tougher than humans. If the room doesn't feel cold to you, it won't feel cold to the dog.


This IS a dog, don't forget. He's "on duty", doing his job guarding the kitchen all night. That's how the doggie mind works. . He can also snooze during the day. Don't get too motherly towards him.

Answer 9

Unless your dog is of a hairless variety then a bed is fine. As for the cold and cough, he will be fine. Most of these dogs breeds have been around a while and will continue to as long as we don't handicap them by babying them.

Answer 10

My grandparents had dogs that stayed outside even in freezing weather. Their fur keeps them warm even though they were short-haired dogs. So unless your dog is shivering constantly I'd guess he's warm enough.