Dog House Heater?

NPHuskerFL

@johnkitchens‌ I have been working high drive Malinois for more than 20 yrs and I assure you if she wants something bad enough a shock collar (invisible fence) and a 6'-8' fence ain't $hi+. Trust me. I do it to protect her because we love her that much. She's our baby girl :o3

And FWIW I've met Brian and I'll personally vougue for him that he is also an animal lover

Botch

I am very surprised to read that it gets down into the teens in Atlanta!  

Growing up in South Dakota, our dogs always stayed in a doghouse outside, dad put foil-lined insulation on the bottom of the house, and plenty of blankets (okay, burlap) inside the house.  

I can see that moving from a warm garage to the outside house early in the morning would make any dog a bit crabby, I think I agree with a previous poster that he should just stay in the doghouse overnight.  

FWIW.  

henapple

@johnkitchens‌. ...maybe this'll work

NPHuskerFL

@henapple‌ I think I just pissed myself Tony! )
That poor Dobie :-(

sodigthisbigcrux

NPHuskerFL said:

@sodigthisbigcrux‌ that's passion for his buddy talking. I totally get it.

I get that too...but internet tough guy talk is pretty funny. I mean no disrespect, but c'mon, most guys here sweat gravy and pant on the way to the fridge. Talk **** to the wrong person in real life and you might get choked the **** out by someone who actually knows what they are doing.

johnkitchens

@Botch I am actually 150 miles east of Atlanta near Augusta, but yes we do have mornings where it will get down to the teens. The coldest I remember it being here was zero. 

We have a lot of mornings where it will be in the low 20's. 

My plan is to build a warm house for him so that he can stay there and not come into the garage. I know the transition from a nice warm garage to the cold doghouse is not a good one. 

I will work it out. 

grege345

I like the idea of the radiant floor mat. Unless it took a crap and burnt the dog. Then I'd be against it

Jeremiah

@tarheelmatt‌ was on to something. I've never seen one of those in person, but that style heater, insulated walls, something to block the wind at the door, and some form of bed...

jshillin

I can't imagine having my dog sleep outside.  If I didn't have a choice, I would be adding a doggy door to the heated garage instead of trying to heat a dog house.  

DMW

@Jeremiah Where you been? Good to see you back.

henapple

First off...it's a lab? They're bred to swim through ice water to get dead ducks.

Secondly, if John wants to build him an outdoor cabin, let's help him out.

Thirdly, John. ..my neighbor's lab had a house with a heat lamp and a divided plastic door, like a restaurant freezer. He stayed comfy.

Finally, my wife makes me wear a collar like that... and I like it. Woof, woof.

ksmyrl

Maybe heat an insulated dog house before the dog gets in, then turn off the heat source when he goes in there? The boarder we use when we travel does this for our dog in the winter time (we are in metro Atlanta). The dog's body heat and the preheated house should be enough to make it comfortable until that southern sun warms up to the low 50's.

johnkitchens

@henapple you are a nut!

ksmyrl

@henapple ... that's hillarious. I just threw up a little in my mouth.

henapple

ksmyrl said:

@henapple ... that's hillarious. I just threw up a little in my mouth.

You're probably not alone. .. :-q

sodigthisbigcrux

btw @johnkitchens I re

henapple said:

First off...it's a lab? They're bred to swim through ice water to get dead ducks. Secondly, if John wants to build him an outdoor cabin, let's help him out. Thirdly, John. ..my neighbor's lab had a house with a heat lamp and a divided plastic door, like a restaurant freezer. He stayed comfy. Finally, my wife makes me wear a collar like that... and I like it. Woof, woof.

don't really appreciate you hacking my iCloud account there

johnkitchens

@sodigthisbigcrux I am running amok. I am sorry.  

Wolfpack

Okay had a huge email typed out and wisely erased it- but collars work on hunting dogs. +1 on the light bulb

Wolfpack

If he's a chewer you can mount light behind a baffle- just make sure to leave enough room to not start a fire

TNegg

The igloo and cedar chips are enough to keep him warm in your area, but if you want to do more you can get a heater made for dog houses from a farm supply store or a tractor supply.  They do not get very warm (not like a heating pad would) but just get slightly warm and keep heat from the ground from coming up and reflects your dogs heat back at him.  It's like a piece of double sheet metal that you plug in.  If your dog is a chewer then it would not be safe.  One of my dogs spends a lot of time outside and I am thinking about getting him one this winter just because he's getting older. 

Wolfpack

Another thought- would have to see if a good fit but a safe electric "golden" rod may work- only raises a few degrees but no worries about burning him. If you block the wind should be enough

TNegg

Here is one way:

henapple

ChicagoEgghead20

Hey guys, new to the forum, but you might want to check out building a solar heating panel for the roof of the house.  A few of my friends built one for their pit and it works nicely.  I think they are pretty popular out there with "preppers" and it would prevent any unwanted chewing on electric wires. http://www.instructables.com/id/Solar-panel-air-heater-made-of-pop-cans/

Tim (Watkinsville)

John,

 Back in the day when I was a quail hunter I had a big old setter. She lived outside in a pen. I put in a small heating pad under a heavy blanket that I stapled down so she couldn't eat the pad (which she would have it she could get to it!). Anyway, that kept her plenty warm and toasty during the colder nights. I wouldn't turn it on until the temps were in the mid 20s or lower. I think she appreciated that heat on those cold nights, particularly as she got a little age on her.

fishlessman

insulate the dog house and put the lightbulb underneath it and get the dog outside now so that it acclimates and builds a wintercoat. healthy dogs are fine with cold, ive seen my german shepard comfortably sleeping under a foot of snow and my current brittany swimming down near zero f

Miked125

We have a bunch of corkboard as the floor then use a car heater underneath it; there is a light switch inside the house that runs it. Works great, the dog is fine in -30 ... but he is never out that long...

fishlessman

Miked125 said:

We have a bunch of corkboard as the floor then use a car heater underneath it; there is a light switch inside the house that runs it. Works great, the dog is fine in -30 ... but he is never out that long...

cork is a god flooring, it always stays warm to the touch

badinfluence

Why not get a pig blanket? Get them at most any tractor supply store. Gest why do people from the south have to over think everything.

or other option...seeing as the mrs has the allergies has she tried meds. Forbthem? And who was there first the dog or the wife?

and one other thing. How did a woman's best freind become a dimond and mans a dog. Oh wh o we kidding i would rather have a dog then a dimond.

Oh yeah and why do so many truck drivers have dogs with them? Well a sheep would be way to obvious of course. )

henapple

Why do people from the north not use spell check? :-??