Dog houses----Help!

[Equus217]

OK guys....I need some serious PT advice here. We recently moved into a new house and my three dogs Badger (mutt), Greta (boxer mix) and Prince (boxer) no longer have a big laundry room to stay in at night. They now have a wonderful big backyard with grass to run and play in though!

My problem is, with fall right around the cornerthe tempature will begin to drop to chilly in the next couple weeks. THey have shelter under our screened in porch (about 12x12, with a height of about 9ft from ground up to the floor of the porch), but I want to buy them dog houses so they can stay nice and toasty.

They have never had dog houses before. Do you guys think they will even use them? Should I get them each their own house or just one HUGE one? Which type do you guys reccomend?

THANKS!!!!!

[LorraineO]

Well if they all sleep together,, I suggest a big one for them all to share... good for sharing body heat too in the winter... As to what kinds of Dog house,, welll,,, Ask Glacier!!!! she lives where it gets mighty cold.....

[lovingisliving76]

I'd get at least two but one that is big enough they can all sleep in if they want. I'd also keep clean hay in them to help insulate it a little more. Plus it gives them something soft and clean to lay on.

[prechrswife]

We have two, but ours usually end up in the same house. We have the Dogloo type houses, and they have held up well.

[Glacier]

I sent you a PM, but this is what I'd recommend. I use plywood dog houses. One sheet of plywood can make one complete house. I make the roofs removeable so they are easier to clean out. Some of mine are insulated--that takes extra wood. Some of them aren't. The door is off-set from the centre of the house so they can get shelter from the wind. The dogs prefer the flat top house so they can lay on them or use them during play time. I have several huge dog house. The Husky Barn can easily hold 8 dogs and does when it's really cold out!

All the houses are filled with straw which gets replaced once a month or so. The straw keeps them toasty warm. They love it. Blankets ect get wet when the dogs lay on them in the winter and actually make the dog colder. They often drag the straw out into their little nests in the snow. In actuality, they use the dog houses most when it's raining. Most often they sleep in the snow!

[Tonya]

We need to build a big doghouse before winter comes also. I saw a guy build his dog house on top of a pallet. I thought that was a good idea to keep it off the ground a bit.

[Cinder & Smoke]

Originally posted by Equus217

...no longer have a big laundry room to stay in at night...

They have never had dog houses before.
Do you guys think they will even use them?

Hmmmm...

Have they "lost" their "IN the BIG House" sleeping privilages;
or are they "OUTsiders" for just part of the day with INside
the Big House at night sleeping arrangements?

A 12' x 12' x 9' "space" won't hold much heat -
so depending on how cold (and *hot*) it gets -
they will probably enjoy a WELL-Insulated type of house.

If they all get along REALLY well - a single 3-Dawg abode
would probably go over better than "seperate" houses.

If you're "handy" with tools and want to Do-It-Yourself...
Take a peek at this site for some Dawg Howze Planz *ideas* >>>
Dogs R Us - House Plans

One important "comfort feature" for an outdoor house is to
construct it with a DOUBLE Floor - either an Air-Space or
a layer of Insulation between the two wooden layers -
makes the Kritters *Happie*!

/s/ Phr