# "Baby, its cold outside "



## HunterDavid (Sep 10, 2007)

What do you do to help your outdoor dogs stay warm? I know they're "made to live outside", but I still worry about the cold. Our Drake is almost seven months old (first winter). He's a Yellow Lab. He has a solid doghouse in a 10x10 kennel. The house is filled with straw. The walls of the kennel are covered with tarps for a windbreak. The roof is tin sheeting to keep the kennel dry, as much as possible. Is this enough? Should I add a heatlamp or heater of somekind at least at night? Any other suggestions?

Thanks in advance!

HunterDavid


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## Sawbillslayer (Oct 24, 2013)

Put straw in there dog house.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

Straw and windbreak are the biggest things. 

-DallanC


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

Food and water.


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## hemionus (Aug 23, 2009)

Don't skimp on the dog house. Needs to be well insulated with a door or false door to keep the wind out. Build or buy one. I built one with inch thick insulation on all the walls and roof. I also put a door on when it really gets cold and there is a false door. Tons of straw too. Plus I will stack bails of straw around the house when it gets really cold. Also doesn't need to be huge. It is easier to keep a small space warm.


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## RoosterKiller (May 27, 2011)

Dogs are supposed to be outside?:shock:


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## BPturkeys (Sep 13, 2007)

NO heater/heatlamp


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## twinkielk15 (Jan 17, 2011)

I remember back when I got my first puppy about twenty years ago. She was only ten weeks old when winter hit in earnest and temperatures were in the teens. I built her a dog house of plywood and stacked the outside and roof with hay bales for insulation. I tore up one bale and threw it inside. I went out on one particularly cold night to check on her and couldn't find that dog anywhere. After what felt like forever I found her nestled in the back of that house in the straw. She had dug herself a little nest and nothing was sticking out but her nose. She was toasty warm in there. Haven't worried about them since. Make sure the dog can get out of the wind and has some kind of bedding to use and they'll be fine.


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## HunterDavid (Sep 10, 2007)

Thanks for all the replies! Like I said, I have done the things mentioned (straw/wind break, solid dog house, etc...). I did go out last night after it hit the teens to check on him and when he came out of his house when I got in his kennel, he was as warm as he could be. Made me feel better..... Thanks again!


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## Packfish (Oct 30, 2007)

I have a covered run that is split for 2 dogs. I built a double walled insulated dog house with a insulated lift off flat roof- both dog houses are on casters so they can be rolled around- underneath them I have foam and on top I have the hard foam insulation from a hot tub cover cut to fit. I do not use straw only good grass hay- dogs are toasty, And how cold was it Sunday morning in Cache Valley- here ask Gunnar.


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