Ideas to keep your dogs warm in a trailer or dog box?

JusticeDog · Nov 23, 2009

Other than hay or pine shavings, does anyone have any materials to keep fido warm in a trailer or dog box? Do they keep pretty warm without anything ie: from other dogs' body heat?

Looking for ideas ...

FOM · Nov 23, 2009

Kennel covers work pretty good....

2tall · Nov 23, 2009

How cold are you expecting it to get? When we took our two warm weather dogs out west, we had a few nights get into the low, low 20's. All we did was put a towel over the top vent. In the icy morning they were way warmer than we were. Next time, I'm sleeping in the dog box. It was toasty.

Andy Carlson · Nov 23, 2009

I am heading out this week, and what I do is use hay in two of the boxes. Briezy is borderline allergic to hay, so I just give her a bunch of polar fleece throws in her box and she stays toasty warm.

Since polar fleece is suppose to keep you warm even if it gets wet, I find it is better than just a cotton towel.

I also have rubber stall mats in all the holes.

Andy

FOM · Nov 23, 2009

Or just send them to Colorado

Juli H · Nov 23, 2009

just make sure that you don't put something in the dog box that the dog will eat....My dog, for instance, I would not trust with anything but hay, straw, or shavings...Which have worked great for me...and work great for 1000's of sled dogs in Alaska...LOL

Dogs are much tougher than we give them credit for....I bring mine in when it gets much below zero (10 below or colder, although I used to wait til it was 20 below or colder to bring him in).....and he is usually panting within a half hour....In fact I have recently begun putting him in his crate in the back of the truck at night, because it is cooler for him than being in the house, but a little warmer than just the dog house...of course, he is a chessie! LOL

Juli

JusticeDog · Nov 23, 2009

FOM said:
Kennel covers work pretty good....

Do they make those for a 16 dog trailer?

EdA · Nov 23, 2009

JusticeDog said:
Other than hay or pine shavings, does anyone have any materials to keep fido warm in a trailer or dog box? Do they keep pretty warm without anything ie: from other dogs' body heat?

Looking for ideas ...

I have stall mats cut to fit the crates of my 3 hole slide in box which is well insulated, I close the door vents and with 3 dogs in the box it is warm even when the night time temperatures are really cold (in South Dakota not Texas)

last year I put shavings in the crates when I went on my December pheasant hunt, the first night in SD the temperature was 10 below, next morning the shavings were pushed into a pile and the dogs were sleeping on the mats, the shavings made a big mess so this year it will be no bedding in my crates, just the rubber stall mats

JusticeDog · Nov 23, 2009

EdA said:
I have stall mats cut to fit the crates of my 3 hole slide in box which is well insulated,

That might work......wouldn't have to worry about them eating a blanket or fleece.... no dirty shavings or moldy hay...

EdA · Nov 23, 2009

JusticeDog said:
That might work......wouldn't have to worry about them eating a blanket or fleece.... no dirty shavings or moldy hay...

I buy a 4 X 6 foot piece of stall mat from Tractor Supply and cut them to fit

Ted Shih · Nov 23, 2009

Susan

I have a six hole chassis mount. I have found that if I have six dogs in the truck, it gets pretty toasty inside.

3 of my holes have Nat's Mats. 3 have thick stall mats from Ainley. Both keep the dogs off of the stainless steel floor. I then have crate pads for the dogs who do not chew them (order from Foster and Smith). For chewers, I buy dog blankets from Costco, which I fold to fit (Smooth on one side, sheep like fleece on the other - pretty nice). Blankets are machine washable, which is nice. Other advantage to blankets is that you can take them into motel room and use as dog beds

JusticeDog · Nov 23, 2009

EdA said:
I buy a 4 X 6 foot piece of stall mat from Tractor Supply and cut them to fit

Hmmmm...... do you think pros do that as part of their contract, or will it be extra?

(Kidding)

JusticeDog · Nov 23, 2009

Ted Shih said:
Susan

I have a six hole chassis mount. I have found that if I have six dogs in the truck, it gets pretty toasty inside.

3 of my holes have Nat's Mats. 3 have thick stall mats from Ainley. Both keep the dogs off of the stainless steel floor. I then have crate pads for the dogs who do not chew them (order from Foster and Smith). For chewers, I buy dog blankets from Costco, which I fold to fit (Smooth on one side, sheep like fleece on the other - pretty nice). Blankets are machine washable, which is nice. Other advantage to blankets is that you can take them into motel room and use as dog beds

I'll have to look at Costco...

wetland_retrievers · Nov 23, 2009

I trained last week with temps at -18F.
I remove the wire mesh between the door and the louvers on each box door. Then intall 1 in
Foam board cut to fit the space with the louvers closed. If you have a roof vent like I do cut and fit foam board in those slots ad well. I pre heat the dog box before placing the dogs in. I use fleece blankets with rubber floor mats. I have an 8 hole chassis and with there body heat I at times wish I was in there with them. I do have a interior mounted ac heater I run with a generator but have never needed it. One thing to note is that the dogs condensation from there breath will freeze and accumulate on the doors. So preheating the boxes before putting the dogs in helps to melt and dry out the boxes.

When I grow up I want to go south like everone else. Lol

Angie B · Nov 23, 2009

JusticeDog said:
Hmmmm...... do you think pros do that as part of their contract, or will it be extra? (Kidding)

Pro's should have mats in the holes if you ask me. The dogs always slide to the back of the box with a crash when loading without them. Also laying on wet stainless can't be good for their joints.

Our dogs are in an extreme sport. They should be as comfortable and dry as possible.

I have Natmats in one truck and another matting from another company that is identical to natsmats that is much cheaper. You just have to cut them to fit.

Shavings, hay and the like is a mess and gets gross quick.

Angie

EdA · Nov 24, 2009

JusticeDog said:
Hmmmm...... do you think pros do that as part of their contract, or will it be extra? (Kidding)

Probably depends on the pro and your relationship with them, mine's a pushover

Keith Farmer · Nov 24, 2009

I rep for a wonderful new product...Real Dog Burrowing Beds

Here is a picture of Dream's pups on theirs:

Here is the web site. I have these beds for all my dogs. My clients love 'em...and the dogs are nuts about them!

http://www.myrealdog.com/

Contact Foster for where to buy:

fosterodom@bellsouth.net

.

H2O_Control_guy · Nov 24, 2009

If your dog is not a chewer, go to a thrift shop and buy some wool dress coats, cut off the buttons and / or zipper. Throw the coats away when they become soiled.

Angie B · Nov 24, 2009

Keith Farmer said:
I rep for a wonderful new product...Real Dog Burrowing Beds

Here is a picture of Dream's pups on theirs:

Here is the web site. I have these beds for all my dogs. My clients love 'em...and the dogs are nuts about them!

http://www.myrealdog.com/

Contact Foster for where to buy:

fosterodom@bellsouth.net

.

Blankets, shavings, beds, straw and hay are a mess in a dog truck box...

That's just the way it is.....

I wouldn't deal with any of that stuff.... *stupid*

Angie

Angie B · Nov 24, 2009

H2O_Control_guy said:
If your dog is not a chewer, go to a thrift shop and buy some wool dress coats, cut off the buttons and / or zipper. Throw the coats away when they become soiled.

Why should you throw anything away?? It's just another hassel.

That is if you're a pro...

Angie

Ideas to keep your dogs warm in a trailer or dog box?

JusticeDog

FOM

2tall

Andy Carlson

FOM

Juli H

JusticeDog

EdA

JusticeDog

EdA

Ted Shih

JusticeDog

JusticeDog

wetland_retrievers

Angie B

EdA

Keith Farmer

H2O_Control_guy

Angie B

Angie B

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