Outside dog and cold weather

[bobcat]

Yeah I used it on my dogs for chukar hunting. Running on the rocks all day would just tear up their feet. I'm not sure about snow. As others have said, some dogs end up with snow and ice balled up on their feet. I would think with a lab it might not be as much of a problem, due to the fairly short hair.

[7mmfan]

Yeah well i'll get her out for a short day and see how she does then go from there. Thanks for all the advice guys, its all good stuff.

[LLEWELLIN]

Just curious as to what others do to keep there outside dogs healthy and happy in this cold weather. My dog sleeps in an unheated garage in a crate that i have covered with blankets stuck that inside a cardboard refer box and draped that with old comforters. Constantly breaking ice for water and am now looking into some sort of heated watering system. My kennel is 10x10 built on a deck that is about 13x13, the deck area is located in a fenced yard area so he can come and go into the kennel as he pleases and I have windblocks up on the kennel fencing with a doghouse that contains multiple blankets in it and that seems to be fine for the day. Was looking at a dogden 2 but it seems kind of pricey for what you get so will am thinking about a design for a new insulated doghouse to replace the petbarn thing he is using now. Let me know how you are handling it for your dog.

[Machias]

As long as their bedding is dry and they are out of the wind they can withstand some pretty cold temps.  With my hunting dogs I would also put warm water on their food to make sure they were getting plenty of water.  They loved it.

[sisu]

We made insulated dog houses in Alaska that we put lots of straw in for warmth. A tiny light bulb in the ceiling for some heat is what another neighbor did for his dogs. Water to drink is a big +. Go buy on of those electrical heated bowls to make sure they are getting enough water.

Here is a link from Cabelas but I'm sure you can get them just about any where.

Link to Heated Water bowl at Cabelas

How'd he do that?

[CoryTDF]

I put this into my dogs house. It works great keeps it at about 50 degrees all winter long. It has a thermostat and is very simple to install. I would recommend it to everybody.

http://www.gundogsupply.com/hound-heater-dog-house-furnace.html

[Machias]

You have to be a tiny bit careful making it too warm/comfortable for them as they will really struggle if they have to spend a night or two out in the woods on their own, which for most dogs is not a concern, but hounds tend to range much farther and have been know to be out of tracking range for a day or two.  Always made for sleepless night (me) when one of the pack was not at home.  One time I snowmobiled into Kelly Creek area over in the Clearwater of Idaho, 35 miles one way in.  We went in through Superior, MT, over Hoodoo Pass and down into Moose Butte area.  Turned loose on a bobcat track.  Took me two days to find my lead dog, Whisper.  Honestly I could see sheer joy on her face when we found each other!!

[sisu]

I give up with using the hyperlink here is a link to a heated-airconditioned dog house for those with deep pockets.

link to heated dog house

Hey I fingered it out! I got  the hyperlink to work but not Ray's way.

[Machias]

   My dogs would never come outside that house!!!  Where do you hook up the DISH network.   

[rasbo]

if that was my dog house I would be in trouble all the time

[sisu]

  My dogs would never come outside that house!!!  Where do you hook up the DISH network.   

If it came with DISH I'd move in. We live on rabbit ears and that weird box.

[Forrestrover]

I think I need to try Tuff-feet for one of my dogs. His feet are sensitive and now are cracked from jogging around our neighborhood. The streets around here are really rough.
We picked up some really expensive booties yesterday, made by Ruff Wear. They are basically running shoes for dogs, (Vibram soles!)
So we tried them out today. We went for a little mountain-bike ride. I strapped my shotgun to my backpack hoping to see some grouse, but no luck.
Nice day, though.

[benbo30]

its been in the high teens and low 20s at night here on the west side for the last week or so , my dogs sleep outside with blankets and hay , they do great , i bring them in occasionaly , they are doing fine

[huntncoug]

I pretty much spoil my dogs but I think that dogs can handle, and be comfortable in a lot worse conditions then you guys are giving them credit for.  For example, my grandparents in Eastern Montana have a couple ranch dogs, Shepard mixes.  They have a couple insulatated dog houses and sleep outside all winter in all but the worst occasions and are just great.  I am talking 20-30 below.  I hunt my labs all winter in eastern Washington and have never had to put booties on them, the occasional iceball between the toes is easily removed and they will get small cuts on there pads but they dont bother them at all.