Dogs that live outside

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Snuffles

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Those of you that have dogs that live outdoors,, what do you do in the winter to ensure they are warm, do you have heated kennels, or just make sure kennel is wind and waterproof and they have plenty of bedding to snuggle into ?
 
In the family home they always had insulated boxes to sleep in and a roof over the actual run.
For those that didn't eat them lol, they would get a vetbed, fleece or duvet.
Obviously they are a heavy coated breed and when elderly would come into the house to live.
My current dog would come in and sleep in a crate at night.

Currently he is in a very large run which is covered by a roof and three sides with a view outside and lots of ventilation...I have to say that his coat condition has really improved, I think because he is less exposed to the elements.
I prefer to have dogs outside during the day, it's natural for them and they get all sorts of stimuli. And sleep inside at night
 
Our labradors were on straw, they used to make a proper nest. I think that is old fashioned now though. Now they are indoors, one on the bed!
 
All my OH's working sheepdogs live outside (bar the retired bitch) and they have raised, draft-free boxes for beds with runs covered on three sides. He beds them in very deep straw in winter and that seems to be all that is required to keep them cosy and warm. My pampered GSDs live in the house.

This is our set up outside ...

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WorkingGSD said:
All my OH's working sheepdogs live outside (bar the retired bitch) and they have raised, draft-free boxes for beds with runs covered on three sides. He beds them in very deep straw in winter and that seems to be all that is required to keep them cosy and warm. My pampered GSDs live in the house.

This is our set up outside ...

2ngwgly.jpg
Click to expand...

Lovely. I am glad you use straw, it makes such lovely beds, I always feel a piece of damp vet bed isn't quite as nice!
 
A man that comes beating here with 2 spaniels gives them nothing in their car crate, they just slide around on the plastic. When I asked what they had in their kennel he said they just had empty plastic baskets. How sad is that, after a long days work?
He offered to lend me his old bitch to dog in with this year but I just couldn't, I wouldn't be able to give her back.
 
My current dog took a fleece or vetbed as anything stuffed or padded got eviscerated. It's annoying but I'd prefer him not to choke to death. When he boarded I asked them to remove bedding for the same reason in case he chewed it through boredom.

He's six and he has no sores etc. He'll now sleep on a memory foam bed but it took him about three or four years to wise up lol.

My old bitch ate beds until the day she died at 14 and my last dog would drag his out of the kennel. I had to weight them down with rocks.
 
What lovely kennels workinggsd! It's always testimony of a good run yard that the kennels are nice too.

When my old lab and retreiver were alive they had kennel with carpet lined insides and I put duvets in with straw. The kennels were then inside the shed so never got wet or windy. More like a burrow really lol

At my old house the dog lived in the boiler house and had a carpet and a plastic bed with whatever she dragged into it. I'd sometimes sleep with her for the heat! Can't say how safe it was or anything....

Current dogs have moved up in the world and have beds in the house with duvets. Most likely to be found flat out on the mat in front of the burner tho!
 
Gorgeous kennels!!

My lot live outside in the summer - kennels and runs

In the winter they are outside during the day, in front of the fire in the evenings / after they've finished the days shooting and indoor kennels overnight. They are German shorthaired pointers, workers, they do not appreciate being left outside in the cold
 
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