Input needed for possibly stupid question

[JadeWisc]

I am only used to having house dogs so forgive me if this question is naive. I have been wathcing my Grandfather's Lab for the winter. He is kenneled and kept in a run. The spring thaw is coming here so what is normally frozen ground will soon be muddy in parts of his run. When the ground is frozen and it is winter dry here I can use straw but this will not asorb like shavings would once all thaws. I was wanting to spread down a layer of wood chips/shavings to deal with some of this. Is it bad to keep a dog in with shavings/wood chips? Will they eat/chew them and can it make them sick? are there any types of shavings that would be more suitable than others?

 

[CorvusCorax]

Shavings should be fine, I know a lot of people who kennel on shavings. The problem is they will be absorbed into the slush. Could you try getting some gravel or stones to lay down? That's what we used to use until we put the paving slabs down (which are best of all!)

 

[JadeWisc]

I am not sure he would like walking on stones. If I lay down enough of a layer and rake it around daily/add more do you think it will be ok with the absorbing? We do not stay really wet here for long and our spring thaw dries out quickly. It is just an awful mess during the major thaw and snow melt off


He never chews on the wood from his dog house but was not sure about him injesting it if it was on the ground.

 

[CorvusCorax]

Mine were fine on stones.......

But if you can maintain shavings, then like I say, it should be fine. I've never known a dog to eat them, when mine go to boarding kennels they are on sawdust.

 

[JadeWisc]

Those stones look nice. More like pea gravel and I bet they are nice to walk on. I would invest in something nicer like that if he was here long term. He may be back next winter and if he is we plan to make up a nicer and far larger containment than what we put together ( in a rush) this year. We did not do too bad though as he seems pretty happy and healthy and is getting loads of attention from the kids

Thanks for the input

 

[CorvusCorax]

We slabbed over eventually (mainly because that little demon in the background churned herself out a perfect circle and made some impressive holes

) but the rest of our yard is covered in the same gravel and it is really easy to maintain.

But again, I assure you, you are in good company if you use sawdust.

Good luck