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Florida winter

Discussion in 'Dog Discussion' started by HogdogFla, Dec 20, 2016.

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  1. HogdogFla

    HogdogFla Pup

    So I was just wondering if the myth is true "if it's too cold for you it's too cold for your dog " is true.I live in Florida where the winter is 40-50 degrees .is this too cold for my dogs who live outside for the most part.all my dogs are 6 months old btw.I have poor dog houses with no insulation.50 degrees outside and feels like 40.
     
    HogdogFla, Dec 20, 2016
    #1
  2. AGK

    AGK Super duper pooper scooper Administrator

    Without proper shelter I would say yes it's true. To an extent. Your version of cold and my version of cold are I'm sure night and day from each other since I'm a northerner. Those kind of temp's aren't extremely cold and if you stuff the house's with straw you'll most likely be fine.


    Mine live like this for 5 months of the year and we have days that can go as low as -30 and lower.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]


    [​IMG]


    I however don't have poor made dog houses, they are double walled, double chambered houses that are insulated with 2" insulation board in between the double walls. Stuffed with straw. They do just fine. I wouldn't think you would need double walled houses or insulation in Florida. The straw though you should definitely do.

    Good luck with whatever you decide to do.
     
    AGK, Dec 20, 2016
    #2
    Tiznow, HogdogFla, Box Bulldog and 1 other person like this.
  3. treezpitz

    treezpitz CH Dog Staff Member

    No, it's a myth, it's not true. If you are handy with a saw and wood then build you a simple wood house. There are blueprints on this site that can be found using the search feature. If you are not handy and don't want to pay to have them built then get on C.L. or go to your local feed store and buy some barrels. They are better than any plastic house that can be bought. Screw a 4X4 on the front and one on the back to keep the barrel from rolling around. Cut an opening that is roughly 9"X9" (some larger, some smaller) and stuff it full of straw. The dogs will be more than warm in that in your weather and the barrels are waterproof.
     
    treezpitz, Dec 20, 2016
    #3
    RawGame, AGK, HogdogFla and 1 other person like this.
  4. HogdogFla

    HogdogFla Pup

    Thanks alot.I just moved and I'm actually using barrels right now while I wait for the damn tow company to bring my truck so I can go get supplies .they all seem fine to me for now .

    Beautiful dog there btw. I absolutely won't be needing double walls and insulation lol but I do need more than a barrel or plastic kennel.
     
    HogdogFla, Dec 21, 2016
    #4
    AGK likes this.
  5. bamaman

    bamaman GRCH Dog

    Some straw will help these dogs stay warmer.Pack those houses with straw or grab a saw and go to work and build some better ones.
     
    bamaman, Dec 21, 2016
    #5
    treezpitz, HogdogFla and AGK like this.
  6. treezpitz

    treezpitz CH Dog Staff Member

    HogdogFla- I'm not telling you to use barrels if you don't want to, I personally do not care. But one thing I can promise you is a barrel filled with straw will keep your dogs more than warm. Three nights ago it got down to 18 degrees and when I stuck my hand in the barrels to check on the warmth in there, you could have slowly cooked a hot dog in there. It was really warm. Filled with straw the barrels will keep them more than warm. I guarantee. If you just like the look of a wooden house, get the saw and lumber out.
     
    treezpitz, Dec 21, 2016
    #6
    bamaman likes this.
  7. bamaman

    bamaman GRCH Dog

    Those barrels will keep alot of moisture out to.The deal with living close to the Gulf is humidity and the more humid your dogs house in the winter is the colder it is.Those thick pastic barrels will help keep them dryer and warmer.Prob get them for 10 to 15 bucks a peace.Check out your local shopper, the free one and call all the hardware stores .We have one hardware store here that always has those plastic barrels.Worse comes to worse just keep the ones you got now filled with dry straw.Meaning after a rain replace wet straw with dry , if it gets wet.
     
    bamaman, Dec 21, 2016
    #7
    treezpitz likes this.
  8. treezpitz

    treezpitz CH Dog Staff Member

    Everybody seems to have the barrels for sale so it shouldn't be hard to find one like Bama said. I found a guy on CL that is in my neck of the woods and he sells them. I pay $50 for 5 barrels. Again, like Bama said they are REALLY thick plastic and serve really well for a dog house. I know people who live as far as Michigan/Pennsylvania that use them for houses year round. Would I if I lived that far north? Nope, but they do and I assume their dogs stay fairly warm in there. You'd be surprised what that thick plastic full of straw will do with the dog's body heat. It traps it in pretty good. If you're THAT concerned, go buy some plastic/rubber car mats and cut them up and staple them to the entrance hole to serve as a wind break. I think I have a pic, I'll post one soon. I have recently buried my barrels but I had them elevated on 4X4s like I described above.
     
    treezpitz, Dec 21, 2016
    #8
  9. treezpitz

    treezpitz CH Dog Staff Member

    [​IMG]

    The wind break as described above. Some of my dogs leave them alone but some tear them off. Depends on how much they appreciate it's function, I suppose lol.
     
    treezpitz, Dec 21, 2016
    #9
    DISCOIII likes this.
  10. treezpitz

    treezpitz CH Dog Staff Member

    What I do is fill the barrel up with straw and then I get down and put my arm back in the back and create a burrow for them to sleep there in the back of the barrel. Then I'll clear out a little pathway from the entrance so they can see the burrow back there. Normally they get in and go back to the back of their barrels and sleep. Most of the straw up front normally blocks the wind from blowing in anyways so a wind break isn't necessary but it does help. Also, it should be said to make sure you place the entrance of the dog house facing SOUTH. That is a huge help.
     
    treezpitz, Dec 21, 2016
    #10
    DISCOIII and bamaman like this.
  11. bamaman

    bamaman GRCH Dog

    I prefer entrance facing East.Where I live we get to much wind and rain from the south, enough of it would sooner or later penetrate your entrance.
     
    bamaman, Dec 21, 2016
    #11
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  12. bamaman

    bamaman GRCH Dog

    You ever see some folks dogs that would sleep on the ground rather than a dog house? Unless its raining ! I have saw this , poorly insulated dog house and real cold weather , most dog will choose the ground unless you live up North and habe a foot of snow.
     
    bamaman, Dec 21, 2016
    #12
    treezpitz likes this.
  13. treezpitz

    treezpitz CH Dog Staff Member

    Location sure may have something to do with which way you face the house. Anything coming from the north especially but west and east also is colder air than the southern wind so I face mine south. Maybe the eastern wind in your area isn't cool wind. I'm not sure.
     
    treezpitz, Dec 21, 2016
    #13
  14. treezpitz

    treezpitz CH Dog Staff Member

    Also, I should mention that my barrels that are buried are on the high side of the dog spots therefore no rain has went into the barrels. I have the ground around it built up too but the barrels are on the high side so the rain just flows right past them.
     
    treezpitz, Dec 21, 2016
    #14
  15. Tiznow

    Tiznow Big Dog

    I had these kinds of houses in Wyoming for many years. Dogs were pet dogs that had to stay out for long periods of time in cold weather and they did just fine too. I really like the roof style (mine you could just pick up and easily clean inside) -- the dogs loved jumping up there and looking around and sunning. I find dogs in general really like to do this and it's a nice thing for a kenneled dog.
     
    Tiznow, Dec 21, 2016
    #15
    AGK likes this.
  16. HogdogFla

    HogdogFla Pup

    Got some barrels packed with hay.solved the problem they're no longer wet or cold.stuck my hand on there a few nights they're fine.thanks
     
    HogdogFla, Dec 24, 2016
    #16
    bamaman and treezpitz like this.
  17. treezpitz

    treezpitz CH Dog Staff Member

    Good to hear, thanks for the update.
     
    treezpitz, Dec 24, 2016
    #17
    HogdogFla likes this.
  18. DISCOIII

    DISCOIII Big Dog

    Up in Canada quite a few years a go when visiting a friend they were using old refrigerators anti chew easy to clean and very insulated
     
    DISCOIII, Dec 24, 2016
    #18
    treezpitz, HogdogFla, AGK and 1 other person like this.
  19. HogdogFla

    HogdogFla Pup

    It got down to 30 tonight and I brought them in the house lol.busting out the lumber tomorrow
     
    HogdogFla, Dec 31, 2016
    #19
  20. wicked13

    wicked13 CH Dog

    How do you keep water from filling the barrel in the rain
     
    wicked13, Dec 31, 2016
    #20
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