Keeping dogs warm

[john31585]

Since the winter will soon be apon us, I thought it might be useful to someone to talk about keeping dogs warm during those cold winter months. I live in Louisiana, so it is not as bad as up north. I use straw and I block the north wind. Other than that they are good and warm. What do you do?

[EDOGZ818]

Since the winter will soon be apon us, I thought it might be useful to someone to talk about keeping dogs warm during those cold winter months. I live in Louisiana, so it is not as bad as up north. I use straw and I block the north wind. Other than that they are good and warm. What do you do?
Make sure the house isn't to big. A small cozy one is better. I use plenty of bedding and the hole (its sqaure) is about 1ft diameter, and is cut from the top down. The dog has to jump up and in. This creates an additional wind block. I also have about 18 inches of wood protruding past the top and sides as a wind block. Over lapping rubber flaps that are split to allow the dog to jump through help. In really cold weather, a larger house may be needed in order to build a turn in the house for an additional wind block. A nice diagram of a house and chains set up is in the book "The Complete Game Dog", by Ed & Chris Faron from Wildside Kennels. Also , keep them fat if the circumstances permit. Hope this helps.

[FearlessKnight]

Since the winter will soon be apon us, I thought it might be useful to someone to talk about keeping dogs warm during those cold winter months. I live in Louisiana, so it is not as bad as up north. I use straw and I block the north wind. Other than that they are good and warm. What do you do? We use custom built dog houses (we build ourselves) in which in the winter we install hallways, to keep wind rain snow out of their living quarters and we use cedar shavings....always!

[bigcespits]

Well for our dogs.We put them in kennels in barn.We put a dog house in each kennel with straws.Each kennel is 4f wide and 8f long 6 feet high.

[heelinok]

The big thing for me is to not put the entry to the dog house, in the center of the house. Put it off to a side and not all the way on the bottom/floor of the house. Having to kind of jump up to get in ensures that you're offering protection from wind and rain moreso than huge hole or square in the middle of the front of the house. I have never understood why dog houses are so often designed with such a large portion of it cut out.

[EDOGZ818]

The big thing for me is to not put the entry to the dog house, in the center of the house. Put it off to a side and not all the way on the bottom/floor of the house. Having to kind of jump up to get in ensures that you're offering protection from wind and rain moreso than huge hole or square in the middle of the front of the house. I have never understood why dog houses are so often designed with such a large portion of it cut out.
The reason they are like that is because they aren't designed by DOGMEN / WOMEN.

[NCPatchwork]

Cedar and paper shavings....and if it dropps too low, inside they come....

[screamin'eagle]

Cedar and paper shavings....and if it dropps too low, inside they come....
How low is too low in North Carolina?

[EDOGZ818]

How low is too low in North Carolina?I spent one Christmas in S.C. wearing shorts. One inch of snow produced like 50 wrecks. ( In Feburary) I think too low means you need a coat and low cut boots.

[NCPatchwork]

Just to say, it hasn't happened yet LOL...seems we dont get snow here anymore

[FearlessKnight]

I spent one Christmas in S.C. wearing shorts. One inch of snow produced like 50 wrecks. ( In Feburary) I think too low means you need a coat and low cut boots. In all honesty the sun shining around here causes 50 wrecks..:D
Hell...if you breath people are wrecking!
NC has more mountains and it does get QUITE cold their with A LOT of snow almost every year....Hendersonville, Ashville and such! With any luck we will moving that way soon!

[hrdeluxe]

Straw in the houses. Some people have added insulation to the houses. Always keep the opening facing east where I am at. Like people said, keep the opening up so where they lay is guarded. We also used to put an extra straw bale or two around the outside of the house.


If you hunt geese....people have mixed the goose down in with the straw which kind of "thickens" it up. Some dogs might eat the down though.

If it's feasible, plant a row of pines to create a windblock on the side of your property that gets hit hardest.

[frenchie1936]

How low is too low in North Carolina? it depends on where you are at in N.C. i lived on the outer banks for some time and it rarely got below 25 degrees. i would say with straw or shavings anything below twenty five is probably too cold. but the way i designed my houses they are all integrated. i hooked up two space heaters when it got too cold and a small fan to circulate the air. worked like magic. now that i live in south florida it is not a concern. but i was also raised in Iowa and growing up my folks used to put the dogs inside cause it just gets too damn cold. the best indication is that if your dog is shakin ***edited for unnecessary content***you should bring em in.:)