Can German Shepherd live outdoor during winter? - Page 2

Wow, that's a pretty fancy set-up! I am sure your dog will be quite comfortable in that house you have built for him.

Unfortunately, when many of us hear of dogs being kept outside, we think of this:

 

My male dog was resuced from an owner who kept him tied up all the time. The tieout chain had grown right into the skin of his neck!  :(

 

 

 

Hexe made a very good comment...

Most important: The doghouse always only a littlebit bigger than the dog, 2/3 of it filled with straw ( and changed as soon as the straw became wet or pressed flat too much ),
the entrance with a corner against wind and storm,
a roof at least on 1/2 part of the kennel ( the doghouse underneith ),
several times daily fresh water ( lukewarm, not more )
a lot of exercise and stimulation during the day.

What I don´t like is concrete or flagstone for the flooring - wood or even pure ground is way better for a 365 days/year kennel.

German Shepherd dogs don´t mind the cold ( over here it´s sometimes -20 C and less ), but they need to have the possibility to stay dry / become dry with the help of straw - and they need a lot of food ( fat ).

I used to keep at least one dog outside for years - one day ( after a snowstorm ) I missed my dog - when I opened the kennel door the snow suddenly moved and my male stood up - instead of sleeping in the doghouse he had decided to sleep in the snow...He was healthy, he didn´t mind. Cold, dry snow is less dangerous than rain between 0 and 6 degrees C.

A healthy dog doesn´t mind, as long as it has the possibility to dry ( once again: the dry, fresh straw ) - a puppy ( younger than 8 months ) or an elder dog will prefer a radiator and a warm bed for sure ...

Lovely dog building!

Last year the wolves stayed outside so did the squirrels, deer, beaver even the blue Jays. The Wolverine wanted Inside buy my wife was not agreeable to it. My Dobermans would freeze to death outside. They no longer have an undercoat. Heck they don't even like the rain. My German Shepherds on the other hand the colder it is the more they like it. So how can you tell if it is to cold out for your dog. They have a coat and an undercoat that provides an insulation barrier. The way you can tell if this is enough is if the snow melts on their fur then they are losing heat, If the snow isn't melting then their coat is doing what it was purposed to do. The Alaska sled dogs sleep out side not just when they are on the trail but also at home. So it really depends on the breed.

I don't have an argument with a German Shepherd being physically able to live outdoors in winter if conditions described here are met. What I don't understand is why in the case of a pet (not a breeding kennel), an owner wouldn't want the dog inside for mutual companionship. When I look at the photos of Sam outside I see nice accommodations, but a lonely and isolated dog. I vote for bringing Sam inside for the evening and night and letting him enjoy the outdoors during the day.

Dogs of all kinds get cold and suffer in bitter cold weather .. the idea that they don't is laughable. I have handled many types of livestock and they all suffer in very cold weather. Long term stress due to cold weather kills slowly but it kills just the same. Any proficient livestock handler knows this and increases the quantity and quality of food during bitter cold weather. Livestock handlers also know that the stress of cold and exhaustion during cold weather makes them and their animals weaker and more susceptible to diseases and food shortages. Many animals shelter together out of the wind and precipitation during bitter cold .. dogs seem to like to keep moving on bitter cold nights if their shelter is insufficient. There is nothing wrong with bringing dogs into the home or a building with some heat under super cold and windy conditions. That which doesn't kill your dog doesn't make your dog stronger .. it makes them more susceptible to disease and causes them to age prematurely.

And this is a puppy....

Mine are all inside. I was just trying to say a person isn't evil if their dog is outside. And of course with proper bedding, shelter from the wind. All of that. But those who act like a person is evil because they see a dog outside with snow on it is stupid in my opinion. There has to be balance.

In many countries, houses aren't as large as possible the way folks here in the US like to have them...remember that most of the rest of the world was inhabited by people who built permanent dwellings long before any such structures were being constructed in this country, so perhaps the OP's house is sufficiently large enough for an average family of people who don't expect their bedrooms to be the size of a living room and don't see the need for three bathrooms, but isn't really laid out in a manner that permits an adolescent GSD to bound about with abandon safely, so the OP built the dog his very own house? Do you understand that different cultures have different customs, and so long as the dog's owner takes the initiative to find out what his dog needs to thrive, as the OP has done, and provides those means, none of us has any business trying to make the dog's owner feel he's doing something wrong? Yes, my dogs live in whatever dwelling I live in, for better or worse, but as long as the OP makes sure his dog's social, mental and psychological needs are well met in addition to the physical ones, there's no reason the dog can't live in his own house.

Note to the OP: The plastic travel kennel in the foreground of your boy's house is OK as a summer bed as long as it's inside the building and not subjected to direct sunlight through all daylight hours, but come winter it's no longer suitable, and you may well find it will crack if left out in the cold if the temps fall low enough. Better to put that portable kennel up for the season and break it out again for him next summer. :)

Thanks again for a great advice HEXE!!! I have put the plastic kennel away. I've read all of the replies and got a much better understanding on how to raise a German Shepherd. I am just a beginner who has not much of experience on handling large breed dogs specially dog living outdoor. The owners of German Shepherd in South Korea all told me that German Shepherds are suitable to live outdoor. However, I was too worried that the bitter winter cold might be too much for my Sam. After spending two weeks with him, I noticed that he prefers to sleep out side even when he has a house to sleep in. It doesn't necessarily mean that I shouldn't worry about him suffering in cold but I believe he is doing alright at the moment. Thankfully, the weather here hasn't been cold as last year. This year's winter is expected to be warmer than normal winter. If I have notice any small sign that Sam is suffering from the low temperature, I will do everything I can to make him feel comfortable. It would be a guilt and shame to let my family suffer, I would never let this happen. Thanks for all the concerns and comments!!!! Here is a picture of Sam and his house.