Outdoor dogs/keeping them warm question

[vandeman17]

I posted a question about this a few years back and it went with the straw in the kennel trick and it worked well. This was two winters ago and this previous winter, I only had one dog so I just left her in the laundry room during the cold days. I now have two dogs, black labs that are 1 and almost 4. I have a dog run along the side of the house that has an igloo in it. It is covered and has a fence on one side and the house on the other so it is pretty protected. I am hesitant to put down straw again because it is in landscaping rocks and will be a pain to clean up and replace if/when needed. I don't want to put pillows or blankets or anything out because the puppy still chews up things, hence me being without a remote control and needing new glasses and glass case  Any ideas? I have thought about getting a pallet to put out there so they have something other then the igloo to lay in and attaching carpet or something.

[LndShrk]

Kennel crates in the house if you do not want them to run around etc..

[vandeman17]

It might come down to that. I am not worried about the older dog as she would be just fine on her pillow inside the back door. I am just worried that 9 hours is a long time for the 1 year old to be in her crate.

[CAMPMEAT]

I've got DOGLOO's with heaters in them for my Rott.

[LndShrk]

If it is during the day and the kennel is exposed to the sun I would put clear plastic over it. (Greenhouse effect). Leave some holes for circulation.

[AWS]

I lived in northern MN for a long time and we just filled the doghouse with loose straw and stapled a towel or piece of blanket over the door that the dog could push out of the way to get in or out.  The shorthair stayed out in very cold temps, only problem was frost bitten ears while hunting and frost bit testicles from sitting on the cold cement/ice in the kennel.

[ghosthunter]

My 14 month lab is out in her kennel. Half covered by carport.
Igloo house bedded in straw.
I put a board across the door 6-8 inches wide to keep the straw in the house. Every morning I push the straw back away from door. Some gets out not much.

I knew a guy who put a pallet down than a electric heat pad on low, than dog house over that.

[Vulcan]

I allow my dogs inside and don't make then sleep outside so we don't have to worry about it.

[ICEMAN]

Don't forget to up their calories a bit during the cold spells.... 

[Goldeneye]

Until it stays above freezing my pups have the run of the house with animal planet on the TV.  As far as I can tell they spend most of the day in their pet beds.  I'm away at work for about 10 hours a day.  Luckily my pups do not chew or tear anything up and are well house broken.  If they were destructive at all I would not be able to do this.

[vandeman17]

Until it stays above freezing my pups have the run of the house with animal planet on the TV.  As far as I can tell they spend most of the day in their pet beds.  I'm away at work for about 10 hours a day.  Luckily my pups do not chew or tear anything up and are well house broken.  If they were destructive at all I would not be able to do this.

My older dog would be just fine hanging out and having free range of the house. The pup is a whole different story. She was doing better for a while but I think she is going through what is equivalent to the terrible two's. She knows better but just can't help herself.

[Goldeneye]

Until it stays above freezing my pups have the run of the house with animal planet on the TV.  As far as I can tell they spend most of the day in their pet beds.  I'm away at work for about 10 hours a day.  Luckily my pups do not chew or tear anything up and are well house broken.  If they were destructive at all I would not be able to do this.

My older dog would be just fine hanging out and having free range of the house. The pup is a whole different story. She was doing better for a while but I think she is going through what is equivalent to the terrible two's. She knows better but just can't help herself.

  , Lab terrible two's can be exceptional and expensive depending on what they focus their attention on.  My vote would be to kennel the pup in the house during this cold spell.     

[vandeman17]

Tell me about it. She has chewed up a remote, my glasses and glasses case, a hose bib cover and other odds and ends in the past few days. She is on quite the roll!

[BIGINNER]

my male weimaraner shares a dog run with my lab. I fill their dog house with cedar shavings, and put a flap over the door.  they cuddle up together and they pretty warm.  the dog run has wooden floors so the floor isn't as cold as concrete. also I have 2 inch foam as insilation for their dog house.  the female weimaraner comes inside during cold spells.  (my kids love it when she gets to stay inside).

[BIGINNER]

my lab has a terrible chewing problem (he's about 1 year old) so he can't stay in the house, and my male weimaraner has a horrible "I claim your furniture with my piss" problem,  so they can't stay inside for too long. I will probable stick a space heater into their dog house through this cold spell, I just have to figure out a way to do it so the lab doesn't chew it up