| Author |
Message |
    
Mr_Rf
| | Posted on Friday, January 09, 2004 - 10:54 pm: | 
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Anyone got any ideas, tips, experiences to share regarding heating a doghouse...what works, don't work, too hot, to expensive, etc.?
I don't want to roast the mut, just break the chill of the 5 to 10 degree nights we sometimes get around here.
Oh, and how about keeping the water bowl from freezing...any neat ideas? |
Hornet168ky
| | Posted on Friday, January 09, 2004 - 11:11 pm: |
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Well, when I used to have dogs in the winter time I would wrap a tarp around the dog house, and add hay to the inside.
Or if you want to pay the electric bill you can add a Heat Lamp.
When I was little my Dad raised hogs, and when the little ones where born, you had to put a heat lamp in with them to keep them warm, I guess it would work also for dogs.
Water bowl freezing up would depend on the size of the bowl, they make warmers that float in the water to keep it from freezing.
I would guess also that a pet store would maybe be able to or might have in stock a heater or a insulated water system for watering a dog outside.
Or you can just do what I used to do and that is GET a BIG hammer and break the ice.
Hornet |
Saddletramp025
| | Posted on Friday, January 09, 2004 - 11:55 pm: |
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Mr Rf, We just use a 100watt shop lite (the covered kind to keep it from breaking in case it gets bumped into, and put the water bowl in with the mutt. Works great for us.
cef155 |
Ca346
| | Posted on Saturday, January 10, 2004 - 1:11 am: |
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An old electric heat pad (or new if you love your dog) wrapped with a cotton pillow case under a blanket inside the dog bed. Less electricity than you might think... |
Sparkomatic
| | Posted on Saturday, January 10, 2004 - 6:04 am: |
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Maybe bringing the Dog in at night would solve the problem? My dogs are mostly outside unless the temp is below 40 then in they come.......they are pets not expendable possessions. |
Buck
| | Posted on Saturday, January 10, 2004 - 6:28 am: |
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I agree with Hornet and Saddle....I bed my dogs with straw and use a heat lamp. They make a water bowl that has a heating element molded into it...Just plug it in
Buck |
Karatebutcher
| | Posted on Saturday, January 10, 2004 - 8:32 am: |
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Mr RF Don"t be so cheap, get your self a room at the nearest Motel, we have all been there one time or another. |
Pig040
| | Posted on Saturday, January 10, 2004 - 10:02 am: |
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A covered light is the way to go, doesnt even have to be a heat lamp. You dont want to overheat the dog. I used an old tough piece of carpet over the door too, left a little gap for him to see out of, or he would tear it off. Another thing that I did that worked well was built the doghouse into my barn, and put a heat lamp on the box part that was in my barn, worked well. Feed him high fat food during the cold weather, that keeps the body heat going too. |
Scrapiron63
| | Posted on Saturday, January 10, 2004 - 2:00 pm: |
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If you are locking the dog inside the dog house, be careful with electrical lights. I knew an old guy years ago that rigged up a light in his dog house to keep her and her puppies warm. Somehow they knocked the light down into the bedding, it caught fire and the smoke and heat killed the dogs. The old guy almost went crazy he was so fond of the dogs and because he was responsible for their deaths. |
Bruce
| | Posted on Saturday, January 10, 2004 - 4:17 pm: |
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My attack doxhond lets me sleep outside the warm bed is hers......
Yea i know dumb dog ..... |
Mech
| | Posted on Saturday, January 10, 2004 - 5:20 pm: |
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Mr Rf
Depends on what breed your dog(s) are. We have Alaskan Hybrids they are happier and more active when it is real cold. We have a heated 5 gal. bucket that works well. Also I would
strongly suggest the same as Pig040 High fat diet!
But then again we also treat all our animals as family members. Just my thoughts.
Mike CEF 198 |
Cm3885
| | Posted on Saturday, January 10, 2004 - 7:33 pm: |
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if you have a heated garage or ultility room on your house keep the dogs in there. My G/fs folks keep their farm dog in the garage in the winter with a heater.... |
Mr_Rf
| | Posted on Saturday, January 10, 2004 - 8:46 pm: |
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Thanks eveyone, yes KB, I thought I might be able to hide the truth...I did get the HF rig and CB mounted in the doghouse last night but the temp went below 20 deg F before I cound get the antennas up. And I did use the hammer to bust through the ice for water, but the ice cold doggie biscuits for breakfast is a little too much. lol
I wanted to see if anyone had any homebrew trticks before I visited the local pet store. I know pet things aren't cheap and I'm unemployed right now so budget is tighter than usual.
Thanks again everyone, and u to KB! :-) |
Karatebutcher
| | Posted on Saturday, January 10, 2004 - 9:36 pm: |
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Thanks Mr RF Some times you can put in some moving blankets, keep them fluffed up, put three inch clear plastic strips hanging over the front opening,this lets him see out and keeps the cold out, and place 4x4 two of them under the house, to get the house off the ground, or plug in a large heat pad with a heavy duty coard. |
Karatebutcher
| | Posted on Saturday, January 10, 2004 - 9:43 pm: |
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It also helps if someone brings you hot COFFEE OFTEN |
Crafter
| | Posted on Saturday, January 10, 2004 - 11:17 pm: |
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The heating pad works, I've done it minimal fire hazard too. Put it on low. |
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