With cold weather coming up...

[sab316]

So with cold weather coming up I have a question. I have a one year old lab, got him last October so he stayed inside while he was a puppy.

Right now he's an outside dog, that gets to come inside and visit when everyone gets off work, then back to kennel to sleep. Living with my parents while I save up some money after graduating college. Ole man's rules, no inside at night unless it's storming.

Now he has a 10x10 kennel with a roof and a house, but he refuses to sleep in it. Even in these cool mornings (40's and 50's) he's curling up right beside the house but won't sleep in it. Even when it rains he'll just get in the middle of the pen. He's on a wood deck up off the ground. He's used his house more as a chew toy than a shelter.

Also he's shredding any blanket or anything I try to put in the house so no blankets for him. He knows to get in. When I feed him usually it's sit / stay until I release him. Sometimes I tell him "house" and he'll run in and lay down before I tell him okay.

I guess my question is how do I get him to realize he'll be warmer in there? I'm going to stuff it with hay when it stays a little cooler, but would hate for him to stay out and be cold. Any ideas?

[merlebo05]

when he gets cold he will go inside, esp if it has hay in it. Just make sure there are no bug infestations keeping him out of the house would be my only concern. But honestly 50-60 deg isn't cold for him!!

[ScottyLee]

i stuff my house full of hay. my dog kicks it all out and lays on the wood. she does the same thing your describig. but when those cold winds start coming she will then get in the house to keep the wind off her. i wouldn't worry about it to much. if you have hay or some form of heat (light or something else) to keep them warm and a place to get out of the wind then your good. imo

[sab316]

I picked up some hay yesterday. Was plannin on stuffing it and needed some for his kennel in the truck as well. Definitely no insect problems. I'm sure he'll figure it out... Of course I'll bring him in when it drops down pretty low. Was gonna face his house south, and put up a wind break to the north side of his kennell and he has a tree line to the west, so he should be set for the winter.

[T-Bone]

I use cedar chips instead of the hay. t

[Greenhead329]

Used to have a dog she would sleep on top of hay bales; even when the ground would frost over. We would start stirring in the mornings and you could see her outline on top of the hay where the frost wasn't.
She had a covered carport, thick pillow and fleece blanket....never used them.

Hay provides more insulation than one would think; I would recommend it over cedar chips for insulation. Cedar would be much better however if having flea / tick issues.
The tubular design of each piece of straw provides a mini "air cell" which helps insulate especially when added together by the 1,000s (same principle when layering with long johns)