# Too Cold Outside?



## ajwildcat (Mar 27, 2008)

I have 2 lab puppies they are 12 weeks old and are outside dogs. They have a very nice kennel with lots of straw. Their dog house IS out of the wind AND dry. I basically built a small TUFF shed for them which has a door just big enough for them to get in and out and this also has plenty of straw. My question is at what overnight temps should I consider letting my dogs sleep inside? They prefer to be outside, and they don't like their inside kennel much at all.
Just curious to hear everyone's opinions on this, this is an ongoing debate at my house between me and my wife.


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## Markthehunter88 (Nov 5, 2010)

do they go into the kennel at night? do you put them in? or do you leave the option for them? I usually bring in the "pet" when temps hit the teens


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## ajwildcat (Mar 27, 2008)

They can go in their kennel anytime they want, its attached to the dog dun.


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## tshuntin (Jul 13, 2008)

ajwildcat said:


> I have 2 lab puppies they are 12 weeks old and are outside dogs. They have a very nice kennel with lots of straw. My question is at what overnight temps should I consider letting my dogs sleep inside? They prefer to be outside, and they don't like their inside kennel much at all.
> Just curious to hear everyone's opinions on this, this is an ongoing debate at my house between me and my wife.


I would get a thermometer and see how cold it is getting in there. I would get them in a garage or something that insures dryness and no wind.

I will give one warning, from something you said above, not that it is my business. "they don't like their inside kennel much at all". Well, there will be a lot of things that they probably won't like unless you are the one in charge. Two puppies at the same time (assuming littermates too) is extremely difficult. If you are not very careful and thorough to separate and give individual training time, they will quickly discover (probably already are starting to) that it is way more fun playing with each other and doing their own thing than listening to you.

Best of luck.


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## xxxxxxBirdDogger (Mar 7, 2008)

When I go outside and it feels "butt cold", my dogs sleep in the garage in plastic airline crates lined with blankets. It has been in the butt cold range the past few nights for sure.

Butt Cold = When you go outside in your coat and still freeze your butt off, it's butt cold. 

The dog's coat is not quite as good as your own. Think of it that way.


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## Kevin D (Sep 15, 2007)

I've had between 4 and 7 hounds for the last 30 years, and bringing the stinking beasts in the house was never an option regardless of the outside temperature. Here is what I do however to make them comfortable. I make sure their dog house is stuffed full of straw and has a rubber flap over the door. I also feed a quality food and up their proportions as the temperatures drop.

Your pups will be fine where you have them ajwildcat, they'll huddle together and be as warm as toast.


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## BigMac (Feb 12, 2012)

There are as many opinions on this as there are dogs. I have a lab as well & she dose get to sleep in the hose when it is cold out. I have had some tell me this is a diservise to the dog if you then take them hunting in the cold as you are giving them a temp. shock. I had my lab with a pro. trainer & he told me anything 15 or below is time to bring them in. So that is what I do.


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## hossblur (Jun 15, 2011)

When I was a younger guy I had the worlds toughest dog and he never came in, like I said I was tough, he was tough yada, yada. As I have gotten older(not really any smarter) I have discovered no one really was impressed with our toughness, so I started a single digit rule. That tough old dog really was tough, temperature never really seemed to affect him, and he never really did like being inside, but I kind of doubt it had anything to do with me, and a lot to do with him. Now, I am doing a 180, and pretty soon Sprig Kennels is gonna give me a call and our new pup will be coming home, and I want this dog to be more of the family. I bet this one will be tough as well. Lets face it, Labs are pretty much the perfect dog for sportsmen, temp doesn't affect them, weather doesn't affect them, and they are smart as hell. My bet is your wife is more worried about the temp affecting their cuteness :lol: I put a pup with my old lab, thinking that the pup would pick up the good things my old lab did, it didn't work out. The pup became lazy, was a follower. Perhaps he may have been anyway, but two dogs at once like your doing is going to take a special effort to not end up with one superstar and one meathead.


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## Kevin D (Sep 15, 2007)

hossblur said:


> .......but two dogs at once like your doing is going to take a special effort to not end up with one superstar and one meathead.


true dat.


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## Steve Shaver (Mar 9, 2008)

Kevin D said:


> hossblur said:
> 
> 
> > .......but two dogs at once like your doing is going to take a special effort to not end up with one superstar and one meathead.
> ...


Or 2 meatheads.

Look into hound heaters. Basically they are just a light bulb. My runs are on the side of a shed with dog doors going inside. On the inside the dog houses are all con-joined but seperated with wire screens. All totaled they are 2 ft x 2 ft x 20 ft long and all insulated. I have two of the hound heaters in them. I also have a remote temp sensor in the dog house and the reciever projects the temp on the cieling in my bedroom at night. My dogs are indoor out door dogs. On Thursday evening the dogs were in the house with me until bed time. I checked the temp inside and out. Outdoor temp at 10:30 was 10 degrees. Inside the dog house was 44 with the two heaters on. I put the 3 dogs in there and went to bed. An hour later the temp was up to 58 in the dog house so the dogs heat added as much as the heaters did. Got down to 4 degrees that night but dogs stayed at 56.
Bottom line is you need a well insulated dog house with a dog door to keep out the draft. I just cant leave my guys out in the cold to fend for themselves. I live in Cache Valley and it gets F^&%&^%&^%$ cold here


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## tman308 (Oct 13, 2012)

I'm with kevind my hounds have thrived in-40 weather while living in Northern mt basically follow same guidelines straw filled houses rubber flap and extra food from nov-mar.


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