# How cold is too cold for a shepherd?



## mjed0708

I am new to the German Shepherd breed and live in a semi cold area in the North Carolina mountains. I was wondering how tolerable to cold shepherds are? The dog in a year and a half old and has been sleeping outside in a dog house all spring and summer. It is getting cooler now and I would like to know what kind of temperatures the dog can handle and still remain comfortable. Thanks for any info!


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## Brightelf

May I ask why the dog isn't sleeping indoors with the family? Good for you for wanting the dog to be comfortable! A dog is most comfortable when permitted to share the same home as his family. Something to consider for the dog's wellbeing, since that's a concern for you.


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## zyppi

Don't know, but do know your dog would do better with you!

German Shepherd's are 'people dogs,' and you're not getting the best of your pup if you relegate it to the outdoors.


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## Doc

look on Leerberg.com. He has a diagram for doghouses and talks about cold temperature. Shepherds are tolerant to the cold IF proper precautions are taken. They really do well in the laundry room in a crate.


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## GSD10

Hi and welcome to the forum









I believe that weather tolerance varies for each dog. For example, I have one that is does not care for heat and will spend as much time possible in front of the fan. My other guy is not fond of being wet or cold and will flat out refuse bathroom breaks if it is raining out!

Given that you are in the mountain I bet it sure get real cold there. If it is too cold for you, then it is likely too cold for your pup.


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## xwildman138x

Welcome aboard. First let me say, this is the best place for all your shepherd concerns and questions. As a newcomer you will experience how passionate the members are about shepherds. Some people would not tolerate their shep being left outside and may be sharp with their words because it bothers them that a shep is left outside overnight especially knowing that its cold. Others may have sheps that prefer to be loners and be outside. I personally had a shep that loved the snow so much that he would lay in it and sleep in it, he wanted no parts of being inside. Ponch had a dog box that looked like a bungalow but would rather be outside in the snow. Now our Ponch was a throwaway that we saved and he was already a "outside" dog, so for him it was what he knew. I would say that because your pup is so young he would much rather be inside laying next to you. He wants to make sure your ok and watch over you. As you can see from my avatar mine is a inside dog. I just think that you will enjoy your pup so much more if you have him inside and you'll know he is safe and warm also. If I was to put a (fake) fur coat on and go lay out on the cold ground for a night I wouldn't die but it sure would suck!


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## Deux

If they are climatized slowly I have seen them outside 24/7 at minus 40 here in canada. Sled dogs, sheppy make great lead dogs on sled teams. Most sleds use one sheppy as a lead. Other than that, mine sleep inside. On the kids bed, not mine. They really need lots of hot food if they are outside in the cold cold. I do not advise a novice keep them outside. They do make beds in the snow, tunnel in at night to stay warm.


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## HeidiW

Oh my, my dogs would freeze and be scared out in the cold especially in the freezing winter. They are fine during the day if there running amd playing. Not at night.

They do have announcements on the news that you should not leave your pets outside in the bitter cold. 

I always thought sled dogs had thicker fur than GSDs.


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## selzer

GSDs have a double coat and a layer of fat if left outside regularly and fed properly. They can and do thrive outside. Their coats are awesome when left outside.

They also love to be with their people. 

I had a doggy door and gave Dubya his choice and he ALWAYS CHOSE to sleep outdoors. 

Dog houses should be the proper size and have some type of bedding, straw I think is preferred. And the dog should be just fine. 

But to do this you have to spend a ton of time with your dog outside, or work with him all day long. Shepherds are not loners. They do not do good out in the back yard by themselves.


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## Sarmatian

Once again, German Shepherds - and all dogs - are not human beings. 

This needs to be told to people over and over who apply the same logic they would apply to a human being to a canine being with completely different physiology and psychology. 


These dogs can absolutely sleep outside, they sleep in the snow in many parts of the world and they are perfectly fine with it. If they weren't fine with it, they wouldn't volunatarily do it. They would get sick, they would cry. 


They are not mentally retarded. 

They can communicate with you and make it very clear when they are not happy. 


The answer to your question is that they should not be in below freezing weather for extended periods of time. But in general, these dogs along with many other breeds tolerate the cold much more efficiently than the heat. 


Stop over-humanizing your dogs, it's insulting to them. They are in fact superior to humans because at least they live up to their potential.


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## Katey

I live up around the Virginia mountains, so I think we have about the same climate. My dog happens to think that things are just getting good once the temperature drops below 45 on a regular basis, and she loves the snow, but I would never leave her outside 24/7. I don't think this is humanizing the dog -- breeds developed specifically for certain uses/lifestyles, and while some fare better in kennel environments or outdoors 24/7, I don't think the GSD is among them.


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## The Packman

Why not just ask your K-9 ?


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## Jax08

Sarmatian said:


> Once again, German Shepherds - and all dogs - are not human beings.
> 
> This needs to be told to people over and over who apply the same logic they would apply to a human being to a canine being with completely different physiology and psychology.
> 
> 
> These dogs can absolutely sleep outside, they sleep in the snow in many parts of the world and they are perfectly fine with it. If they weren't fine with it, they wouldn't volunatarily do it. They would get sick, they would cry.
> 
> 
> They are not mentally retarded.
> 
> They can communicate with you and make it very clear when they are not happy.
> 
> 
> The answer to your question is that they should not be in below freezing weather for extended periods of time. But in general, these dogs along with many other breeds tolerate the cold much more efficiently than the heat.
> 
> 
> Stop over-humanizing your dogs, it's insulting to them. They are in fact superior to humans because at least they live up to their potential.


ummm...did you realize this thread is 5 years old?


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## Hineni7

Some questions are timeless


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## SuperG

When your GSD is limping or holding a paw off the ice and snow and intermittently trading off which pad it holds off the snow and ice...that's too cold.

As far as a GSD laying down and "nesting" in cold weather....they are good to go to subzero temps...acclimation of course is a good idea.

I agree with other posters...share the house when available.


SuperG


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## SuperG

Sarmatian said:


> Stop over-humanizing your dogs, it's insulting to them. They are in fact superior to humans because at least they live up to their potential.


I kind of like your hard-nosed attitude...but I will debate you on who is superior.... regarding me or a GSD.


SuperG


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## Lin

But why bump a 5 year old thread to attack people?


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## Hineni7

Bad day? Lol! My dogs don't mind if I'm superior, they prefer it as then I get their food and they play and sleep.... Hmmm.. Maybe they are superior......


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## Sarmatian

No one is attacking anyone - a difference in opinion does not qualify as an attack. I came upon this thread based on a subject search in google, which means many others do and the time period of question is irrelevant. The point is that many people want to explore this topic and do visit this thread which is worth improving by adding posts that are relevant to the topic at hand, not detracting from it. 


SuperG - if you want to indulge my tangent on superiority, be my guest. To qualify what I meant, if you don't realize this as a dog owner - it's not hydrogen bombs and striped toothpaste as measures of superiority - but compassion and understanding of other living things. 

Canines have far greater success living in greater harmony with one another and their envirornment than human beings. Human beings should also know better, have the demonstrated capacity to think and communicate with one another to understand that other creatures and humans feel pain. 
Dogs do not have that same capacity, yet as a whole reciprocate compassion moreso than their human counterparts. You don't need me to prove this to you because you know it's true, just turn on your news. 

That's why they have existed for 40 million years and will be here long after our 200,000 year old species destroys itself, much to the relief of every other living creature on the planet. 


Just because you are a human being doesn't mean you can't think objectively about your race. If our race encountered a similar race to our own, guess what it would do - completely destroy it - just like we have done to the past and are doing to ourselves.


Well that's a nice tangent - your dog can sleep outside just make sure it is not freezing. 


On a side note, sometimes our dog comes in when it is raining and then when we let her out, instead of napping in her dry big doghouse, she lies down right on the wet concrete and doesn't care. They don't necessarily like the same things you and I might. They are dogs.


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