New dog owner needs advice from experts re winter accommodations for dogs - Page 1

Hello, I am new to to the forum and a new dog owner.  I have two adult boxers.  I live in Northern California (Redwood City south of San Francisco), where the temperatures are fairly mild.  I got my boxers in November (when I had a lovely lawn and no worries about mud).  I had the dogs indoors with me when I was home, and outdoors in a large fenced yard with access to my garage, when I was at work.  As we approach the winter months, I know that my backyard is going to be muddy, because the dogs have destroyed it (I will re-landscape next Spring).   Leaving them outside to romp in the mud all day (and then having to bathe them every night when I come home) is really not an attractive option.  I've read posts on this forum suggesting an enclosed outdoor kennel with igloo dog houses and either pea gravel, playground chips, cedar shavings, or a wood decking surface, and I am prepared to take that approach.  But I worry . . . if I have this kind of set-up, to keep the dogs clean during the day so they can come in at night,  will they be OK if the temperatures drop to 30-32?  That rarely happens, as our weather is pretty mild.  But I don't want them to be cold.  I welcome any advice.

Also, if I get an outdoor kennel, what size would you recommend for two 60-pound boxers?  I have researched online and there are many possibilities.  And do I need to put up plexi-glass or tarps on the sides to block the wind, or will the igloo doghouses be sufficient?     Thanks, Cheri

I have to say that I love our kennel decks. The dogs get straw in their houses in the winter but GSD are meant for cold weather. Our dogs absolutely thrive in the cold.
What you could do, if they are not destructive, is to put in either heat lamps or an electric kennel pad that goes inside the dog house.
Really, if the dogs are to be in the kennels all day, I would say at least 10X20 for the both of them, bigger is always better.

Melissa

I wouldn't worry about the cold too much. You live in Redwood city so it's not like you'll ever see snow or freezing temps. I'm about 20 mins north of you and my mal stays outside during the day and sleeps indoors at night. She has an outdoor dog house with the plastic flaps to keep wind from coming in and I also pile blankets inside (she used to pull the blankets out every single day and I'd have to shove them back in, but now she's a bit older and not as mischievous so the blankets stay in).

I have American Bulldogs...so short coated, muscular as well.

Like Melissa, I have wood decking for my kennels as well...love it.  Easy to clean and not hard on their joints.  The runs are 5x10 (dogs are turned out into the fenced yard 2-3 times a day).  Each dog has a house or dogloo.  In the colder months, I stuff the houses w/ straw.  We bring them in if it gets down below 15 (it only does that very rarely here).  

 

Melissa -- thank you for your response.  I measured a couple of different places in the backyard where the kennel would be protected from the wind, and I could do something as large as 15x30.  Best, Cheri

To Melissa, Blaineric,and midgie1007: Thank you for your very helpful responses!  I now have a game plan and will have sufficient time to get everything in order before winter!  I feel much less helpless!  Best, Cheri