# Outdoor Dog House....



## WarrantsWifey

So Josh and I are looking for a dog house for the back yard since Killian is loving spending more and more time outdoors. He really would rather stay outside than inside. I'd rather him NOT, BUT, I'd like for him to have shelter when he is out there, since the summer months are on the way, I was wondering, what do you use?!

We looked at those dog igloo things, and that is looking like our best option, but there are so many factors I'm not CRAZY fond of with them! Any suggestions?!


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## CassandGunnar

I'm not fond of the plastic "pre made" dog houses. I have always built my own dog houses for outside.
There are plenty of plans available online for simple to build dog houses that don't require a lot of handyman skills or construction experience.


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## WarrantsWifey

I was talking to Josh about maybe building one, he is really handy with that stuff.... But I'd have to find "plans" for one.... :-/


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## CassandGunnar

If you Google "free doghouse plans" you'll find something that works for you.


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## WarrantsWifey

Hmmmm, wonder why I didn't think of that! LOL!


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## selzer

Oh well, you live in the south, yeah, I would not go for an igloo, the dog would not use it most likely in any but your very coldest weather down there. 

More expensive but precision has a cedar dog house with a green roof. My dog ate them. But some are still somewhat intact. I re-roofed them with 3/4 inch Marine plywood. Some I had to put a new floor in too. I probably have a photo:

side view:









with new roof, then they are strong enough to sit on:









or stand on:









trying to find a front view...

cheap crappy roof:









finally the front view:









I use the barn-home from WalMart/kMart too, cheaper, and it has held up better for my dogs:


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## Smithie86

Will send you a link of what we did for the outside kennels.


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## WarrantsWifey

Thanks Sue & Selzer!!


BTW Selzer, LOVE YOUR GSD's!!! What a handsome group!!!


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## carmspack

Hi Selzer , did I notice some sort of clip on your water bucket. I have problems with dogs tearing buckets off the fence so that can clang them around. 
Carmen


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## JustMeLeslie

My husband built our outside doghouse even has a shingled roof, we also have the plastic ones too if we need really quick shelter( I not fond of those either),but it's better than nothing. We have one of those cedar ones with the green roof too, like Selzer said our dogs ate it too so I would stay away from those. They are expensive and all the dogs just use it as a chew toy.


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## selzer

I use a regular clip if I do not have a bucket holder. I have never needed one with the bucket holders, they hold the buckets good. 

Thanks Leslie, I am glad it is not just my dogs being landsharks.


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## Isabella

selzer said:


> side view:
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> Selzer, where would I find an elevated bed like this?
> Beautiful dogs by the way!


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## selzer

Here is the website. I like them. Some of my sharks have managed to kill a couple of them, but for the most part, they have held up well. Only, they will gather water instead of let it flow through, so, if it rains, you have to tip them. No big deal really. They are tough and comfortable, not necessarily cheap. I want them to make one for me, for those nights next to the whelping box.

http://www.hh-industries.com/cots.htm


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## Isabella

selzer said:


> Here is the website. I like them. Some of my sharks have managed to kill a couple of them, but for the most part, they have held up well. Only, they will gather water instead of let it flow through, so, if it rains, you have to tip them. No big deal really. They are tough and comfortable, not necessarily cheap. I want them to make one for me, for those nights next to the whelping box.
> 
> Cots


Thanks Selzer, those look sturdy!
I googled dog beds after I posted & found the "coolaroo" beds had great reviews so I ordered it right away. I'll probably be ordering another one for our cottage so I'll definiteley look into these custom cots. 
Thanks!


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## Stosh

I have never known a dog that would use the Igloo


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## Rerun

Stosh said:


> I have never known a dog that would use the Igloo


Micah will


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## selzer

But Stosh is in Texas and you are in Indiana -- big difference. 

The husky mix bitch that used to live next door had one and had several litters of pups in there, middle of a northern Ohio winter, and all those pups made it too (until they were squished in the road). But a dog will not use a house if it makes him too hot. And an igloo will, if the winters are not evil cold. Just because it snows -- that is not enough to drive a dog into an igloo. It has to be COLD.


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## webzpinner

Stosh said:


> I have never known a dog that would use the Igloo


 When I was 11, my dad bought an igloo for our aussie. The dog would only go in it AFTER I climbed in... then she would go in, we'd get stuck, and she'd start farting... :help: heh...


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## Rerun

We don't keep ours out in the snow, but we have one we got for $5 (the biggest one, like pictured) and he goes in it if he gets caught out in the rain. Also have the style you pictured (the barn home type) and Kodi used to use it if he got caught out in the rain if we're away. They are in our kennel.

For shade purposes, I don't think either of the types we have would work well because it seems to me that unless there's real shelter over the house, they are like little hot houses trapping heat in the sun.


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## selzer

Some dogs do not LIKE getting wet. 

I wish MINE were like that.

Sometimes I think their favorite thing is to spritz water the moment they come in and cover me and everything else with a wintery mix...


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## Rerun

Dante hasn't had the opportunity to get caught out in the rain while we're away - he was too young to stay in the big kennel last fall when it was still nice enough to do so. This spring however, he gets to stay with Micah out there when we run errands, etc, so we'll see if he's smart enough to use the doghouse or if he gets soaked instead. Hopefully Micah will show him the ropes for pop up showers. We don't leave them out if there's a good chance of rain or storms or anything of the sort. But if there's a 10% chance of a pop up shower,I don't lock them up inside all day just in case it sprinkles for 15 minutes. You know how it is in this area selzer!


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## Rerun

selzer said:


> Some dogs do not LIKE getting wet.


Micah is a little prissy for such a big male GSD.


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## selzer

Rerun said:


> *We don't leave them out if there's a good chance of rain or storms or anything of the sort. But if there's a 10% chance of a pop up shower,I don't lock them up inside all day just in case it sprinkles for 15 minutes. You know how it is in this area selzer!*


Your dogs don't get out much, huh? 

If I locked my dogs in every time there is a 10% or greater chance of rain, they would forget what the sky looked like. (as it continues to drip, drip, drip)


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## doggiedad

if you rather him not being outside don't
leave him outside. i'm not one for leaving a dog outside
no matter how nice you make it for them.

a friend of mine had an outside dog. his dog
house had heat and a ceiling fan.



WarrantsWifey said:


> So Josh and I are looking for a dog house for the back yard since Killian is loving spending more and more time outdoors. He really would rather stay outside than inside. I'd rather him NOT, BUT, I'd like for him to have shelter when he is out there, since the summer months are on the way, I was wondering, what do you use?!
> 
> We looked at those dog igloo things, and that is looking like our best option, but there are so many factors I'm not CRAZY fond of with them! Any suggestions?!


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## WarrantsWifey

selzer said:


> finally the front view:



They have this one at Tractor Supply here with a green top that kinda feels like sandpaper.

I don't know if yours does this, but this one, the top comes up, it opens like a book...??? Is that standard??


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## selzer

No, mine came in a box and I put it together. There were no hinges for the roof. That would be nice for cleaning, but mine does not have that.


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## WarrantsWifey

selzer said:


> No, mine came in a box and I put it together. There were no hinges for the roof. That would be nice for cleaning, but mine does not have that.


So would you recommended that one?! I didn't think about that, cleaning. HUH! Are you supposed to put stuff in there like Hay or something?! I've NEVER had a dog house before! Never had a dog who liked being outside more than inside. Thanks for all your guys help!! I appreciate it!!


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## Rerun

selzer said:


> Your dogs don't get out much, huh?
> 
> If I locked my dogs in every time there is a 10% or greater chance of rain, they would forget what the sky looked like. (as it continues to drip, drip, drip)


No, I said if there's 10% chance of rain or something I wouldn't leave them inside just because there's a slight chance of rain....


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## WarrantsWifey

Rerun said:


> No, I said if there's 10% chance of rain or something I wouldn't leave them inside just because there's a slight chance of rain....


Yea, Rerun said it right the first time. LOL!


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## selzer

I really need to check my eyeballs today. I am reading everything wrong. Sorry. I think it must be this incessant rain out here. It is killing my brain cells.


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## JustMeLeslie

WarrantsWifey said:


> So would you recommended that one?! I didn't think about that, cleaning. HUH! Are you supposed to put stuff in there like Hay or something?! I've NEVER had a dog house before! Never had a dog who liked being outside more than inside. Thanks for all your guys help!! I appreciate it!!


 
The one I have has hinges on the roof. It's very convenient to clean. It's so easy to sweep out also. We don't use hay in ours. We use those cedar pillows from Tractor Supply. Just lift the roof up and put the pillows inside-so easy. As I mentioned before though don't be surprised if Killen chews on the house. There is something about that soft cedar material that just attracts chewers it seems. Every dog that has used it has chewed on it.


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## selzer

See that's the thing. Ours are about $140 for the cedar, and I have several that will need to be replaced before next winter. The fiberglass ones they chew on too, but they do not render them useless. 

But the hornets will make a home in the fiberglass ones. Cedar is a natural deterrent. I HATE hornets. 

But I do not want to waste twice the cost for something that MIGHT last a season, might last two if I spend bunch of money rebuilding it. 

Maybe I will get the barn homes and line them with cedar chips -- my dogs are not allergic to them.


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## WarrantsWifey

That one at TSC is $139.99 and the Igloo is $129.99, so not much of a price difference.... 

I think we will go to the cedar one and HOPE Killian has enough chew toys to NOT chew on that house. I'm gonna look for those Cedar Beds.... Hmmm.....


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## WarrantsWifey

Hahahaha, OMG, I was looking for a pillow bed!! LMBO! Not "bedding". I get it! LMBO!!!


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## selzer

There are some type of pillows full of cedar chips, like a canvas bag full of chips. That might be what Leslie is talking about. I have always bought cedar chips in plastic bags and dumped them, but it would be a lot cleaner if they were in a bag. 

Cedar chips are nice too (or cedar bedding) they make the dog smell good.


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## WarrantsWifey

selzer said:


> Cedar chips are nice too (or cedar bedding) they make the dog smell good.


I LOVE IT!!! <3 I am gonna look at the beds filled with cedar. If not. I can make shift one out of a potato sack and a zipper so I can just dump and refill with new cedar if need be!


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