Do any of you keep your dogs outside all year in cold weather?

Question

If so what are ways you use to keep them warm.
Right now i keep a 40 watt heat bulb in her dog house and check often that its not to hot. its a well insulated dog house with a window so i can see her when i look out and she also has a heated water dish.

Answer 1

Yep, even in sub zero and they are fine. I have large dog houses packed with grass hay, and an overhang that they can go in and out of which is also packed with grass hay. I've climbed in there and they are toasty warm! No heat lamps either. I do keep a water heater in their water trough so the water doesn't freeze...but they are fine.

Answer 2

Ha! Ha! Ha! I live in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan where it's currently 8 degrees out and we haven't had much snow or cold this year. I grew up with 300 inches of snow and very familiar with 30 below temps.

Everyone keeps their dogs outside if they are outside dogs. Which means a proper house and they have developed a winter coat. If they are kept outside constantly, the dogs will grow and shed the appropriate coats for the weather they live in.

It sounds to me like your dog is almost spoiled! Wow! My three beagles and my husband would love a heated water dish!
(No, my husband does NOT drink from a water dish, the husband has to change out the frozen for thawed every day)

Our 3 month old puppy is soon to be permanently moved to the kennel outside.

We have found the cedar bedding (we bought at Wal-Mart) is the best for warmth and fleas in the winter.

Answer 3

I only have house dogs at this time. When we were raising Labs we made our our dog houses for them. They were insulated (like our house) with anothe layer of plywood to protect them from the insulation, the houses were also sided. We did not use straw on the inside as this can attract unwanted pests. We went to the local Goodwill and bought comforters and heavy blankets. The houses should not be overly large as the body heat the the animal will warm their house. We made a "doggie door" out of rubber mounted with swinging hinges over the opening so the dogs could enter and exit but the majority of the doorway was covered to block cold air. Hope this helps you.

Answer 4

Yes I keep dogs out all year. If it were to snow more then a inch, then I would put them in the basement. I put old clothes in their dog houses to hold the dogs own body heat to help them stay warm. And sometimes the dogs stays out of the doghouse in the cold like they love it. They just need to be fed extra during cold month's, and their water checked often to make sure it doesn't freeze.

Answer 5

i have 3 dogs that live outside they have a huge kennel that has tarps on a couple of places that i notice the wind comes in. the bottom of the kennel has 2 high bales of straw around the entire base of it and there is a tarp on 1/3 of the top where they can get out of the sun or the rain. their doghouse lookes like a condo cause they sleep together and so it is cozier for them i also cook a warm meal for them from the time the temperature gets below 45 degrees F and when it drops down past 40 degrees they come in to the basement where they all have their own beds and spaces. Also during rain storms or lightening they come inside. Plus their kennel is meshed in the trees so they have pleenty of shade and protection from the elements.

Answer 6

Yes:water and food any time they want it,If you buy the proper size House for dog He-She are warm,my dogs in seperate Kennels,fed separate,cement floors cleaned daily,and Disfenct.
top metal forSun protection.
My Black Lab Bred to hit Ice water and retrieve Goose or Duck.,Labs have two coates of Hair,you wouldn"t take dog into the lake if He has been in house and bathed too often ,They need that oil and Hair,My other two Dogs ,Redbone Hound,will Hit River
wide open after the masked Bandit,English Red Tic storman Norman will not quit on Me,Water ,Rocks whatever ,He will not quit untill I am ready to Hit the Bed.Oh yes they talk to me.Keep
these type dogs in house or pen and don"t take to the Woods,they become Neurotic,That is where I see people Restrained they become Neurotic,start doing wierd things.

Answer 7

What your doing sounds pretty good except for the light bald. Dogs are very curious and one day she might burn herself. I keep my dog indoors all year around. She's a house dog. If you insist on keeping her outside buy her a dog bed so she could lay on instead of the floor so that it could keep her warm. I hope that this is a big dog where talking about and not a little one. Big dogs are more tolerent to cold weather then little ones.


And to you Sierramis, what is the difference letting your little dogs inside and you wouldnt alow the big dog inside. Uhh, I think your kinda mean. I have a black labrador and shes a house dog and would not think of putting her out in the cold or the heat.

Answer 8

if the dog is winter dog there's really no major concerns since you've taken steps to keep it comfortale, how ever, you should take the dog off the cahain regularly and let it run and also walk it, ecause dogs that are kept on a chain continually have a better chance at being anti-social and depressed, also, the chain can ecome emedded into the skin and may have to surgically removed so it's important that you give your dog some "free" time and lots of activity.

Answer 9

NOOOOO .... every dog i will ever own will be an inside dog. I dont think it is right to keep a dog out side at all unless he/she is just out there for a little while (playing or using the bathroom) I think that is abuse to animals. I have a boxer mix and soon to get another full breed boxer and they both will be in m house and sleeping with me and my fiance in the same bed until.........

Answer 10

I know people who live in the south who keep their dogs outside all the time. I live near Chicago and I don't know of a single person who does that here. I think it's cruel and it affects the dog's lifespan and quality of life. My dog is a 75-pound German Sheppherd mix and he lives inside with us. He's not allowed on the furniture and we keep him clean and healthy. We have to vacuum often, but I would never consider putting him outside all the time.

Answer 11

You must be kidding or the same type of fool that expects the dog to bark when someone breaks through your front door. Why should he the burglar isn't breaking into his house.
How can people acquire dogs on the premise that they are going to be a companion and then relegate them to the back yard and a 4' x 2' shed to sleep in.
I could never leave a pet alone in the cold and dark and loathe those who do.