# The Most Comfortable Temperature



## pharmcee

Hello everyone!

I am welcoming home my little guy this Saturday and I could not be more excited (check out my avatar)! He'll be 12 weeks 

To make sure my pup is comfortable at home, I was wondering what in-home temperature is best for the dog in summer/winter.

Are they generally comfortable if we are (66F -74F)? Is there a preferred temperature? Does it change as they age bc of their coat?

I live in Chicago, IL - I could potentially see all 4 seasons in a week haha.

Any input would be greatly appreciated!


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## CanineKarma

The long coat shepherds we have had like it cold.
Example: We put out a nice thick comfortor on a plastic base on the patio in the winter months so that if the dog hangs in the yard it can lay in a dry warm spot.

Never!!! In the snow they always lay.


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## pharmcee

CanineKarma said:


> The long coat shepherds we have had like it cold.
> Example: We put out a nice thick comfortor on a plastic base on the patio in the winter months so that if the dog hangs in the yard it can lay in a dry warm spot.
> 
> Never!!! In the snow they always lay.


Very interesting!

What did you do in the summer months?


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## Springbrz

Mine likes it cool. We pretty much keep the house at 70 degrees year round. Inside anything over 72 and she's panting and we have to turn on the ceiling fans.


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## Saito

What temperature is mud usually? 

Dual coated dogs like colder temperatures very much.
I don't know how much this helps, but I often take my pointer mix (a short haired dog) to a lake when it's hot/warmer out, with one reason being to cool him off. However, if it's 73 degrees high...it may have been in the 30s during the night. Which means the whole lake hasn't been able to fully warm up. After being hot from running around, the lake can cool him off quickly. And even make him quite cold (his hackles go up like the hairs on our arms when cold and he'll shiver) quite fast if he decides to go out too far into the colder water. Often times, we have bumped into a gal who has a very friendly & out going female gsd. Her gsd can swim out as far as she pleases as much as she desires and never has shown any signs of being cold.

I've seen a person offer their husky pup their emptied out freezer on summer days and the pup wants it as its new bed. lol



The cooler the better. It is probably much harder to have it too cold for gsd than it is to have one overheat. 
Don't use heat in the house during winter if you want your dog the happiest. And during spring & summer? You'll probably want to convert your home to solar to be able to afford the super cranked up ac to keep it around 40 degrees. 
But seriously, 55-70 indoors would be good lounging around. I wouldn't push it too much above 70. Even short haired dogs will begin panting a bit with activity above 70.


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## pharmcee

Springbrz said:


> Mine likes it cool. We pretty much keep the house at 70 degrees year round. Inside anything over 72 and she's panting and we have to turn on the ceiling fans.


Perfect! Sounds good to me. I like to keep it at a cool 66-68F in the summer, so that sounds like it will work in his favor!


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## pharmcee

Saito said:


> What temperature is mud usually?
> 
> Dual coated dogs like colder temperatures very much.
> I don't know how much this helps, but I often take my pointer mix (a short haired dog) to a lake when it's hot/warmer out, with one reason being to cool him off. However, if it's 73 degrees high...it may have been in the 30s during the night. Which means the whole lake hasn't been able to fully warm up. After being hot from running around, the lake can cool him off quickly. And even make him quite cold (his hackles go up like the hairs on our arms when cold and he'll shiver) quite fast if he decides to go out too far into the colder water. Often times, we have bumped into a gal who has a very friendly & out going female gsd. Her gsd can swim out as far as she pleases as much as she desires and never has shown any signs of being cold.
> 
> I've seen a person offer their husky pup their emptied out freezer on summer days and the pup wants it as its new bed. lol
> 
> 
> 
> The cooler the better. It is probably much harder to have it too cold for gsd than it is to have one overheat.
> Don't use heat in the house during winter if you want your dog the happiest. And during spring & summer? You'll probably want to convert your home to solar to be able to afford the super cranked up ac to keep it around 40 degrees.
> But seriously, 55-70 indoors would be good lounging around. I wouldn't push it too much above 70. Even short haired dogs will begin panting a bit with activity above 70.


haha mud! Don't know if I should look forward to that day lolol. I'm sure they do though!

This has been very informative! In the summer, I guess the indoors will be great at 66/68F, and I'll definitely keep this in mind for the winter (I'll make sure to keep in notched down in his favor!)
Going to look into a cooling pad in the winter to help, and a lounging pad for outdoors.

Thank you much!


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## ILoveBella478

I keep my temp at 65 when it hits 70 Bella gets aggravated so we just turn on the fans to keep her semi cool.


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## pharmcee

ILoveBella478 said:


> I keep my temp at 65 when it hits 70 Bella gets aggravated so we just turn on the fans to keep her semi cool.


Definitely glad I have A/C and fan access! Especially when the later months hit.

Thank you much! Very helpful.


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## Thecowboysgirl

My boy likes it cool. I had to start letting him sleep loose in the bedroom because he kept waking me up panting needing a drink of water at 3am. I bought him a kuranda cot with the mesh for air circulation. We baby gate him in the bedroom and so far he is staying out of trouble. When he gets hot he gets on his cot for awhile. Working well for us. He has not woken me up since I got it for him.


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## car2ner

Our dogs like it cool, too. At night we have ChillSpot beds for them. Otherwise they move around all night. When one spot gets hot from their body heat they get up to find a new cooler spot to lie down.


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## Jenny720

I'm always amazed by the German shepherds coat. I think it was winter night it had to be 0 below max was outside not wanting to come in unphased by the artic like weather. It is in the extreme heat that you need to be cautious of as they can overheat fairly quickly.


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## MineAreWorkingline

I would be careful keeping it too cool inside. Your dog, just like people, will lose its natural ability to tolerate heat.


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## Jenny720

Yes I think inside the house they are comfortable as much as you would be. If it to warm in the house you see some panting as max preferred to cool down outside after having some fun -last night it was pretty warm in the house.


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## pharmcee

Very informative everyone!

I am currently looking into cooling pads/cots for indoor and outdoor use!

I will definitely be looking out for panting, but from the feedback I've gotten so far, he will be great!

I'll make sure to have water with me when we head outdoors as well.


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## eljudo

My previous GSD , he would start to get uncomfortable and pant at anything above 72 degrees. He was my early alarm system! as soon as he started panting, I would turn the AC on and  all good!

Buying my home AC system was the best purchase ever! !!!!


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## HappyGoLucky

There is also this thing I came across in one of pet stores here - Pet Cool Pad.. lol! 

I kinda thought about getting one, but I have central AC in the house with hardwood floor on the whole main level (usually is cooler than carpet) with tiled entrance (even cooler). So I don't think I'll benefit much from it. But here is the link, take a look-see

Cool Pet Pad – No Electricity or Water Needed to Keep Your Dog Cool!
Green Pet Shop Dog Cooling Pad, Dog Cooling Pad-No Electricity, Dog Cooling Bed

There is a nice product description on the page and how it works. Looks like it could help more to those in hot temps without AC.


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## GypsyGhost

The cooling pads are great. Be careful giving them to a young puppy that likes to chew, though. Even though they're non-toxic, they still make a huge, gooey mess if punctured. Not that I know anything about that, though. It's not like my dog ripped open two of them when he was a puppy. 

My GSD is only happy if we're all freezing. We keep our house at 65 in the winter to avoid the wrath of Bash. In the summer, I can get away with keeping the house around 73 (75 if it's not humid) during the day (67 overnight) as long as there are fans blowing on the dog. We spend a lot of time outside, though, so he probably gets used to the warmer temperatures because of that.


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## HappyGoLucky

GypsyGhost said:


> ..... mess if punctured. Not that I know anything about that, though. It's not like my dog ripped open two of them when he was a puppy.
> 
> My GSD is only happy if we're all freezing. .....


LOL! The sacrifices we go through for our furbabies


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## MagicHorse

We haven't had our shepherd during the hot months yet, but I've had my Siberian Husky for 5 years. We have 2 huskies, my male, loves cold. I found a cheap cool pad for him on eBay, thinking it might not work, but he does use it when it starts getting warmer. He also sleeps in bed, just above my head, by the window (I'm short so it works) & I have a tiny fan set up for him. It's set at an angle so it doesn't hit me & he's always right up next to it so I know he appreciates it. In the winter when the snow is almost all melted, he'l find the only pile left & go lay on it. Our other husky doesn't like being outside or the cold. So, it just depends on the individual dog. I work outside & my dog comes to work with me, when it's really hot, I offer him ice & I make him stay in the barn more, limit his activity some.


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## CanineKarma

pharmcee said:


> Very interesting!
> 
> What did you do in the summer months?


We long walk early and late. When we take him out in the afternoon we choose a shady trail and bring cold water.

Funny thing is we find all our dogs act the same lay under the central air vent on cold tiles.


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## zyppi

you're concern is good, but you're over thinking this.

My dogs, weather in Ohio or Louisiana, adapt. In the heat of summer, they have AC, in winter they have heat. 

I expect them to be comfortable if I'm comfortable. 

Wouldn't leave them out in extreme cold or in extreme heat.


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