Keeping your dog outside?

[Leddyman]

No one has mentioned the perfect answer. Get a new freaking wife. A lab can't stay in the house? Guess who needs to go? When I got married, 16 years and a couple of dogs back, I said the dog was here before you were, he ain't leaving. She stayed too. She is currently asleep snuggled up with a very cute dachshund. Go figure.

[BuddyJ]

Thanks for the advice so far. I figured it would be fine to leave the dog outside as long as the dog is ALWAYS outside and adjusted to it. (not that you keep a dog inside then decide on the first zero degree day you want him to live outside).

Those outdoor kennel sheds are neat! But sort of expensive. I bet he could make his own though with some help.

Another question that I want to find an answer for him; right now his run sits on the ground; He wants to make a 'floor' to put it on to keep the dog from digging out. He wants to use plywood; I really can't picture that working. If the dog doesnt rip it up and eat it then it will just rot anyway. It needs to be temporary (no stones or concrete) what would work best?

He can build his floor out of treated 2x8 or something similar and it will last for 7 or 8 years before he has to replace it. Plywood even marine plywood is not a good option.

[Dustin D]

Maybe it's a Southern Thing but Hunt Dogs in the House is a foreign concept for me. I've got dozens of Duck Hunting buddies who have dozens of dogs between them all. Not a single one I know allows the dog inside the home. Not to live anyway. Maybe on occasion for a few minutes in and out the house but living in the house? Nope/

[Dustin D]

http://www.helmuthbuilders.com/anima...og_kennels.php

How about building soething like this - it could be insulated and be a much warmer alternative to the dogloo with bedding etc....

How much does something like that cost?

[Marissa E.]

I just noticed this came up again in January...

Update;
Funny thing is the guy and pup/dog in question ended with the dog now lives inside and everyone's happy.
Apparently (like most women) saying the dog has to live outside and actually booting the little adorable bugger out we're too totally different things... Last I heard she even makes the dog sleep in bed when the husband is night shift... Poor dog

[wini_gettin_fowl]

Everyone is always happier in the end when the dog is inside with the rest of the family.

[FieldLab]

But do they handle te cold water better living outside ?

[Marissa E.]

I cannot say for sure.... But it's been 10-15 degrees here in the morning in eastern pa the last month and I need to keep my dog tied when not supervised or else he is in the crick swimming. He apparently does not care how cold it is. He
Lives inside.

[RookieTrainer]

Same here, except not quite that cold here. Dog is passed out in the floor right now.

If they don't live in the house, and particularly if they don't really even come inside, how do they watch your training videos and train themselves? Not to mention duck and goose hunting videos?

I cannot say for sure.... But it's been 10-15 degrees here in the morning in eastern pa the last month and I need to keep my dog tied when not supervised or else he is in the crick swimming. He apparently does not care how cold it is. He
Lives inside.

[jb504079]

All of my dogs are outside dogs. I built a 3 run kennel, on concrete slab, but I use heavy grade horse mats in the kennels. Also have Dog Dens in all 3 runs. I have an instant thermometer, and one morning this winter, woke up , and it was 4 degrees. Took temperature inside Dog Den immediately after dog came out, and it was 52 degrees.

When you have multiple dogs, a kennel is a must IMO. There's no way I'm living in a house with 3 full grown labs. However, all of my dogs are house broke, so allowing them in the house one or two at a time happens a lot too from time to time.

Where I live, we have both extremes. Winter temps dipping below zero, stretches of 30 or more days with lows in the 20s and teens. But also have really hot/dry summers. Normal to have many days over 100. Dogs acclimate. I worry more about the summer heat than I do winter cold. When it's real bad, I just plug my water hose into the misters i installed in the kennel.