Heating Dog House

[yaofeng]

I second Ed. Make the house also its house.

[DoDa]

Looking for any ideas on the best way to heat a doghouse for the winter?

Donna

[buffalobill]

how about a pet door to keep the drafts to a minimum and run a tamperproof thermostat that operates a damper on the forced air furnace duct of the adjacent home.

look at this:

[Jim & Lil]

Hello Donna,

I lived in Tuktoyaktuk Northwest Territories Canada for three years and have spent many winter days in the cold. I had a Golden Retreiver (lost her to hip displacia at the age of 10) that I made a dog house for so she could enjoy her day outside (she came inside at night after much coaxing as she always wanted to just stay out in her dog run). I can suggest a few things for your pooch in designing a warm place.. Put the house on a piece of insulating styrofoam..Get a bail of straw and make a warm bed for it inside the house....use dark shingles on the roof and if no shingles use a dark or flat black paint on the roof. Make the house to fit your dog ...IE; don't build a mansion for a chihuahua and keep the doorway a reasonable size so your dog doesn't have a wind tunnel. My dog liked to go in and curl in a ball and stick her nose outside so make the doorway big enough for that but not so big that the wind can wistle over its head. This is wierd but I think it's true.....face the doorway to where the dog can see what's going on in the neighbourhood... a doorway faced to very uninteresting site with nothing going on will result in your pooch standing outside freezing watching the kids across the street because the doorway was faced the wrong way...this is wierd but true. Another thing is to never ever let any other dog use the house....dogs are territorial.......... and what is the first thing a different dog will do to mark it's territory?...It will piss all over the dog house causing your dog to sleep on a bed of ice. I never insulated my dog house....the best insulation a dog house can have to keep it warm is a dog. Just keep him out of the wind, he'll do the rest. Hope I was of some help....Jim

"DoDa" wrote in message news: [e-mail]...

[Jim & Lil]

Good Lord....Note why the dog is outside on the porch panting....ROFL

[RBM]

[Pop]

Insulation of course; soft, warm blankets, and a doggie heating pad. They're just like a regular heating pad but made to be waterproof and to not overheat. Foster & Smith has them; I buy there often for odds and ends. Be sure the house is the right size. Most dogs don't need extra heat unless the weather is really severe or windy. Some even prefer it cold, or what we'd call cold, anyway. Prevent drafts from getting into the doorway if possible. It's dampness and drafts that make a dog cold. Otherwise his body fur is great at holding heat in. If the dog can get nice and cozy in some warm blankets the little electric pad makes them nice and toasty. Just for safety's sake, I'd get one of those portable GFCI's to plug it into just in case something goes wrong. Do NOT use a lightbulb or human heating pad; dangerous in more ways than one. It has to be a gentle, low heat source. You don't want to warm the air, you want to warm the animal. Also be sure there is a way to lay without being on it too, in case it's too hot and you don't realize it. I had a newfie learned to turn his on and off on his own, believe it or not! Smartest dog I ever had. Miss him a lot!

"DoDa" wrote in message news: [e-mail]... : Looking for any ideas on the best way to heat a doghouse for the winter? : : Donna : :

[Kyle Boatright]

As someone else mentioned, Drs Foster and Smith sell doggie heating pads. They are waterproof and are weight activated, so they only operate when the dog is sitting on 'em.

KB

[Unrevealed Source]

K & H makes heaters specifically designed for what you want:

We bought the cat version (just a smaller version) and I'm impressed with the construction and build quality. Their products are available online, but my wife found one at a local pet store. The cat version uses the equivalent of a 40-watt bulb, so we just plugged it in for the winter and will unplug it in spring.

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Put a dog in it.

Seriously, if the house is the right size, the dog will give off enough heat to maintain itself. You can insulate the house a bit if you want. How do you think animals survive in the wild? Just some shelter from the wind. Some wussy breeds make take some time to acclimate to winter, I'm told.

[Joseph Meehan]

In most places around the world you don't need to worry with a good properly sized dog house and a fair to large dog. However there are some areas where the temperatures go too low. I don't have a specific suggestion however for those conditions. I have not seen a heater engineered for those conditions. Most are made for indoor use.

[k]

I like you already for the thought. I think the pooch will stay warm enough just from having a decent doghouse, so maybe a blanket on the floor. If it's a short-haired breed, I suppose you could use some of that heat-tape (electrical) that they wrap around exposed pipes.

How about letting the dog sleep inside with you?

[nicksanspam]

Good idea.

And make sure the dog is above the entrance to trap warm air "upstairs."

Nick

[Opie]

"DoDa" wrote

For prompt, friendly advice, please post this in:

news:alt.hvac

[Stormin Mormon]

I'd suggest a Rheem 90 percenter. Gas fired, and an Aprilaire humidifer. Spacegard air filter. Get a good installer.

[Stormin Mormon]

The floor is a major factor. Should be possibly wood with some fiberglass under the wood. Hang a blanket over the doorway, to keep drafts out.

I've never seen this, but some heater tape (like for pipes) under the wood floor might help.

Cement floor is bitter cold, soaks the heat right out of feet, dogs, etc.

[Joseph Meehan]

I checked there but none of the ones available appear to be designed for outdoor use.

[Joseph Meehan]

Now those are indicated for use in a dog house.

[ds549]

i use a heating pad in mine ,he loves it in there.it has a good goor too lucas

[Dr. Hardcrab]

Check the big pet supply stores. They make and electric "mat" that can be placed under the dog's regular bedding. Don't using anything that can be chewed up or cause a fire (like a heating pad).

Electric Mat?? Isn't that the guy that used to host "Dance Explosion" back in the 70's???

;-]