Kennels; Good or Bad? - Page 1

Hi all,
Sorry if this question has been asked and answered a million times already. However, for my peace of mind can anyone advise me of any factual evidence if it is best that a dog be kept outside in a kennel or in a house? I guess what I'm really asking is; will Bear be cold kept outside all through the winter (please bear in mind I live in the UK).
I would hate to think I am being cruel by starting to keep bear outside over night.

Any feedback would be helpful

Thanks,

H

have her a  nice house with cedar chips 8" deep and she will stay warm.gsd have 2 coats of fur.

It all depends on what you want.  I keep my girl in the house with me because I like her company.  Dogs are pack animals and want to be with their pack.   

Bear Carlo.No,yu are not being cruel in keeping Bear outside in a kennel.many breeders/show ppl.house their dogs in kennels(mostly shed type buildings)in this country.i have done both depending on where i was living at the time,BUT personally i prefer my dogs indoors with me.when i had my OWN property my dogs spent their days outside while i was at work but in the evening they came indoors and slept indoors during the nite,even tho.i had about 10/12 dogs.puppies were also whelped and reared indoors.Really its up to yu.Carole S.

Bear,
 make sure that the kennel dog house has  "Z" shape entrance. Hang old carpet over the door and put a lot of shavings there. Make sure that the entry is facing down the wind. (East?). Most damaging to a dog is humid, wet , cold, windy weather. If you can keep the dog with you he will appreciate it regardless how fancy the kennel is. 
Prager Hans
http://www.alpinek9.com  

Your dog is a pack animal, and probably not used to the kennels, so just think about managing the introduction. I only use kennels in the day time for my dogs (10-1800hrs) because I like them in the house with me. When I introduce the kennels to the pups they go in there tired after a walk, get fed in there, have bones/treats in there, everything is positive, even chuck a handful of biscuits into the corners so their is always something interesting to find. NEVER make a fuss when they come out, ignore them, release from the kennel must not be associated with excitement and fun.

The kennels must be dry, draught proof, above all. Sleeping must be well off the floor, my own dogs sleeping box (think why a small sleeping box is better than a big shed for retaining body heat) is raised off the floor, then their is 1" rubber horse matting, then his vet bed. You have options for cheap infra red lamps on timers, think it's at its coldest at 0400am not 9 o'clock when you put him away.

He must be a very active with you, K9's stay outdoors primary because its enforced rest;mental and physical. If he's been in the house all day, barking at the door, playing with kids, following you about etc he will be asleep at 2200hrs when you take him out to catch bad guys.. The point being he is very busy, working hard as a K9, and happy and quiet in his kennel; its a cycle. The same would apply to a Gamekeepers Spaniel or top level schutzhund dog. Its the lazy chavs that kennel dogs and rarely exercise them, or stimulate them, that hide behind the guise of its good them, there dogs; because their lazy!

Have you any photos of the kennel and its design; this is a whole new thread almost.

Ronin

I also live the UK and have always left our hounds kennelled outdoors during the day. In my personal opinion rather than bad for them I think it's benficial and, especially in the winter months, the coat becomes thick and shining with health. The coat and body is doing the job it was built for.

And if our chickens are ok left outside 24/7 then I sure the dog will be ok and as long as he has enough good food (a blob of honey a day helps) and good shelter from the wind and rain he should come to no harm. A old boy I knew always used to say that an animal doesn't die because of the cold but because of starvation.

We do like to have his company with us inside the house during the evenings/night, we are his pack after all, & I'm sure he also appreciates the log fire - but would he appreciate it as much if he was indoors all day? We also switch off the heating when we go to bed and leave a window open a little so it's not too stuffy.

Prager, the wind in the UK can be from any direction you care to mention! with north easterlies being the cold ones (from siberia/artic) and the south westerlies being the warmer wetter ones (from the atlantic) Fortunately we never get protracted periods of freezing temperatures with a week or two of sub zero (C not F) being the exception rather than the norm.

AandA

IMO, all were good points/suggestions. It appeared the one poster had a service dog, so maybe he/she was a  LEO/MWD handler. For service dogs I was taught or enlightened to two methods.

Some will say that the dog is kenneled outdoors, and that the only time he comes out is for training and work. In his eyes "play" and the amount of energy will be "stored" per se. The handler is the only person to let him out, train, work, etc; You as the handler is his entire world, what he lives for. You and work, (in his eyes play). Some think that if you bring the dog indoors you'll make him soft, lazy and take away that "energy/drive to work.

Now others will say that is nonsense. And the dog can be inside the house and everything will work fine.

I have had dogs all my life. I have not had service dogs all my life. So when I started with service dogs, (explosives) I was torn by listening to others and their opininions. I put a STRONG emphasis on bonding and anyone who is around me and my dogs will comment that they (dogs), could care less about nothing/no one but ME. That is the only way I know...... So it was hard for me to have dogs and have some indoors and some outdoors.  I wanted all of us to be together.

One of my K9 buds would say" Don't let the service dog play with other dogs. When you start a search and if there are other K9s there your dog will think it's time to play and won't work. If you're a narcotics dog and you miss a find everyone still goes home. If you're an explosives dog and he misses the find (because he wants to play with the other dogs) then someone is going to get hurt or die.

My mentality is because nothing bad has happened doesn't mean it never will. So I want my dogs with me, in my enviroment. The threat is real and the threat is out there. And I want the playing field evened up a little instead of them being kenneled out doors away from the house. Yes, they'll bark and jump leaps and bounds trying to get out. But they can't! And if the perp knows that what will deter or stop them?

But if you're set on them being outdoors? Comfort is paramount. And I'm sure you'll know what that entails. If not, just think of yourself out there for a night and say "what could I need or do i need to be comfortable? He's no different, in my eyes. What's funny, is I watched a couple of documentaries on sled dogs for the ? Iditarod ? or the sled races in the yukon. And those dogs ARE outdoors. Yes they are in their own backyard and that's their breed but man! some were in dog houses and some were just on the ground! COLD!!!!!!! But an awesome story. Good luck.

knew a breeder who had big collies.  she was always told that UK breeders kept their show dogs outside because the cold UK weather made the dogs grow the best, thickest coats.  you could always tell the ones who were raised indoors just by the coat.
you may experience more shedding by bringing the dog in and out (constantly has to adapt from going outside in the cold, to coming inside to a warmer, drier enviroment)

I only have a couple who prefer to stay indoors, most always insist on staying outside except for being brought in to feed. at least during the winter, summer is a different story, I live in North Texas and our summers can rival a day in Africa any time. everyone enjoys the air conditioner.

I personally think dogs should be kept inside with the family, especially if it is only one dog. They are pack animals, and imagine being out in a kennel without at least another dog..GSD's typically bond greatly to just one person as their leader, i honestly think the emotional distress the dog might go through is more devastating than the cold, because if in a good kennel a dog can survive, especially since a GSD has a double coat..
but i personally wouldn't recommend it..why need to put him in a kennel at night? why not just crate him inside if you don't want him everywhere, or put a baby/pet gate..
and yes there are many breeders who are kennel types..but i personally like the dogs that are bred from people whose dogs are inside..there are breeders who have 10 dogs inside their house, and manage very well..i don't think one dog would be to hard to handle..

but of course it is all up to you..