Hates Dog House - Page 1

I live in Ontario, Canada and winters are pretty cold- today it's -15 degrees Celsius (or 5 F).

My husband built a nice insulated dog house (www.ashcustomwood.com/index.cfm) so that we can keep our 7 month old female GSD outside in a 10x10 run when we're not home. Although she loves her crate inside the house, she refuses to go in the dog house. She'll go into the dog house to eat the treats that we've put inside but then she runs right back out. There's a fleece in the dog house that used to be in her crate. However, she sits outside the entire time even though it's freezing out! Should I be concerned (eg. frostbitten ears) or will she eventually use the dog house?

Has anyone else ever had a dog that wouldn't use a dog house?

Laura

......Oh I know exactly how you feel...We had a nice Amish built dog house made for my first male GSD and he never went in it. Then when we got Prince and he will not use it either, Prince sits outside in the corner of his pen instead....Go Figure.........I do not leave him outside for extended periods. The longest has been about an hour. If I had to leave him I am not sure whether he would ever go in that dog house...My Great Dane loved it......: )

            Deanna....: )

Here are my thoughts................... One never knows what happens when one is gone. Maybe he does use it when you're gone? Unless you have never left because you see that he doesn't use it. Lots of time the dog sits outside because he's waiting for you. Waiting for you to come out for whatever reason.

Can you leave for say an hour and have a neighbor "keep an eye out"? Might be as soon as he sees you are gone he's in there, toasty warm. Or maybe a video camera in the window facing the kennel? I live a mile off the main road on a farm driveway and my dogs know/hear when I'm coming without seeing me. 

Depending on what his coat is like he might not even want it, we as humans could be freezing, miserable. The dogs are happy as a pig in mud. Not to sound mean but what we think is nice the dog might not be interested. How many time have we as owners go out a spend $$ on a toy and the dog could care less? But a stupid box, rag, branch or tree and the dog will not leave it alone? Some dogs just don't like a house. Good luck and keep us updated. 

I understamd. That decision will fall on you and what you think. There is no problem for that pup to be crated and in the house while you are gone. Just don't have something in the crate that he could chew, swallow and choke. Problem solved.......

For the folks who are curious about how it turned out:

We put a t-shirt that my husband wore in her dog house and she promptly went in and stayed there. We don't have any concerns keeping her outside now. Thankfully, it was a simple solution!

Aagh, see we didn't know she was Daddy's girl...................................................... good job.

Aww, what a cute resolution! :-)