Are those igloo houses good at keeping a dog warm during the winter?

Question

i was thinking about buying one for my pitbull but i wanted to know if anyone would recomend them...are they sturdy and well insulated

i live in san antonio texas...the winters are not severe down here...rarely touching 35degrees and can get up to 70degrees during Dec-Feb

Answer 1

Never mind getting on of those plastic doghouses. Homemade wooden ones are so much better. The plastic ones get broken easily over time.
I found this large wooden one thats for sale in your city, and it cost less than a cheap plastic one.
http://sanantonio.craigslist.org/pet/456357794.html

Answer 2

Check and see if they are insulated or not - I heard that they actually are not, but do not know if that is true.

What you need for your dog really depends on your location. If you live somewhere where it freezes or gets sub-zero temperatures you will need something a lot warmer than if you live in like Southern CA or something. Your pet store will carry whatever is good for your climate so see what kinds of things they have and what their most popular winter housing items are. You can always ask the employees what the options are, just remember that they'll be trying to sell you something.

Answer 3

There made out of plastic so I wouldn't think they would be well insulated. They may be ok for the summer, for the winter I would get a traditional wooden dog house. You can put a blanket or pad in the bottom, they even make heating pads for outdoor dogs that you can put under their sleeping pad. You can also buy a heat lamp and hang it up in the dog house, just make sure that it is high enough in a big enough dog house where the dog won't get burned by bumping it.

Answer 4

They are very sturdy and have accessories that will help keep things warm. You should consider an electric heater for whatever you decide to get and point the opening of the house away from the wind.

You can also get heating discs that you microwave but they will probably not be as warm as a powered heater. You should also consider a fleece or insulated coat for your pit since they have short hair.

You just have to make sure there are no cords to chew.

http://www.houndheater.com/
http://www.futurepets.com/cgi-bin/FULLPRES.exe?PARTNUM=LEC1030

Some dogs hate dogloos and refuse to go into them. I would put them up on blocks because bugs and worms can congregate in them if left on the ground.

Answer 5

My puppy does that all the time..... more when she was a puppy and now that the weather is getting a lot colder she doesnt drag them out. Im not sure why they do it. Just be careful because if the blankets get wet they will be cold and freeze....i layed down some hay and shavings then layed blankets ontop of that. When your pup realizes it will keep them warm they will stop and snuggel up.

Answer 6

I don't like them.I used to have dogs outside,and someone gave me one.When it's damp or cold out,they get condensation inside of them,and the door opening is too big,so the wind gets in.Also,the plastic sides get cold to the touch,and when it rains hard,water gets inside because the door is too close to the ground and the rain bounces off the ground and into the house.I would get a regular wooden doghouse,with an off-set door,shingled roof and barn siding.Fill with clean straw and place a piece of burlap over the door. I wouldn't recommend keeping a pitbull outside,regardless of the weather,as it won't get the socialization it needs and may become aggressive.

Answer 7

I bought a very large Igloo vented top doghouse for my g. Shepherd ,I just started using it a couple weeks ago.,I have to change the blankets inside it for the blanket froze and stuck on the floor inside.,I,am disappointed in this doghouse.,though my Sheba likes to go inside it.,she rejects a damp cold blanket though.,and I have to change the blankets ,the dogs heat I assume against cold elements created moisture inside it.,caused the blanket to stick to the floor.,I hate that.,they said it was insulated but I don t see how.,it does protect from wind,and blowing snow ,etc...my dog stays inside it and she doesn t complain either.,it s when she wakes up I noticed the problem.,I have to maybe get a heating pad,or padded insulation with blankets on,top inside it ,that might help.,will see.

Answer 8

Nicole, Nicole, Nicole
did you not like the answers you got when you asked if you should leave your pit bill outside in the freezing weather?
Igloo or no igloo, it is all still the same. If you cannot convince your mother to let the dog come in - even in a crate - on those nights when it is freezing cold, then you might have to bite the bullet and find a good home for your pet.
Sorry.

Answer 9

It depends on how cold your winter is. They work if it is not icy or snowy all the time and it would also help if you would be able to put blankets or something else warm in their with it. They work well to keep them dry and out of the wind though. My pitbull loved his and stayed in it all the time! Good luck!

Answer 10

An outside shelter must have four walls, be raised off the ground, and have a wind break. Use straw or cedar chips for bedding in the winter. Always provide fresh water daily and food once or twice a day.