springer and lab soaking in this constant rain

bmmck

Hi

Can anyone please advise me, I have 2 dogs a lab and a springer and they live in my back garden, its not a big garden cos I live in a 3bed semi, they have their own run with 2 dog houses/boxes in it but hate been locked into it so they roam around the garden most of the day, anyway my problem is because of all this rain my garden is a mess its sogging wet and the grass is in bits and the two dogs sit out all day in the spills of rain, their houses seem to be flooded too even though I cant see how its getting into the box its def not coming in through the roof, im forever sweeping out water from them. My springer had to go to the vets 2wks ago as he got some foreign body lodged in his paw he was very sick with it and my lab got a rotten skin infection on his back at the same time, he has had this infection before it usually flares up when when the weather is wet, and it does not help him sitting out in it all day, I moved them into the garage attached to the house for a week while they were on antibiotics etc and let them out few times a day to go to the toilet, my garage is full and my springer had a great time chewing up what ever he could they didnt want to leave the garage and go back outside, they are back outside about 2 weeks now and dont look the best again, the skin infection on my lab has not cleared up even though the springer is in good form, I just dont know what to do, I cant stick this rain and neither can they I feel like im being cruel to them leaving them out in it, I know there are people so much worse off than me, I just dont know what to do with the dogs, all this rain cant be good for them.

suziwalsh

Why can't you bring them into the house with you?

It takes a few days for them to settle but they will be much happier, healthier etc...

lorebringer

It sounds to me that your dogs have nowhere dry to lie down or just generally get away from the rain. Because their houses get water in them and because there is no shelter in the garden they are staying wet all day, thus the nasty skin infection on your Lab. Also, as time gets on, joints can get worn and sore and being wet really does not help this.

Firstly, are the kennels raised off the ground? If they are sitting directly on concrete or grass is it very easy for water to get in (and also the cold and damp will rise up from the ground). They need to be raised, off the ground - cinder blocks usually do the job and are cheap. Maybe use 4-6 for each kennel (depending on the size of the kennel), placing the blocks on a solid surface (grass is not a good place because the blocks can sink and you're left with the same problem) and then the kennels on top of them.

Secondly, the kennels need to face a wall (with space for the dog to get in!), and preferably be in a corner too, to prevent wind and rain getting into the kennel. If this is already the case and the inside of the kennel is still getting very wet, you may need to check out the kennels to make sure there are no holes or anywhere that the water is leaking in. Keep water bowls outside the kennels, by the door (just to be sure the dogs are not knocking them over inside and making the place all wet). If the inside of the kennels are still getting wet, it may be time to invest in new ones.

Another option you have is putting a dog door in the garage and letting the dogs sleep in there. You said that there is a lot of stuff in the garage but if you clear it out and put beds int here for them they will be dry. They could go out when they needed to and would be safe and dry while they were in there. Dog doors are not too hard to install and reasonably cheap.

Finally, have you considered house training them and letting them into the house? This would be the optimal option (in my opinion) because they could be in with the family and would be warm during the day. House training adult dogs is not as difficult as many people think and once they have it they will know not to go to the toilet in the house for life. Thay would eb much happier - plus, you have the pleasure of their company! You could still put them out when you are not in the house (or put them into the garage), if you are worried about their behaviour. Generally, after a few weeks they know what is ok and what they are not allowed to do in the house and they should be good in the house when you are away.

Good luck!

andreac

Why would you leave them out if their houses/kennels are flooding too? If i was a dog i certainly wouldnt want to be sitting in a wet kennel.

Id say the reason the infection didnt clear up is because the dog is never dry.

I would bring the dogs in in this weather, its not nice for any pet to be out in this awful rain.
Do they get out much, as in exercise?

I wouldnt leave my dog out in this weather as they would be miserable, and even more so if they dont have clean, dry shelter to go into. Id say the reason they arnt going into their kennels is because they are soaking wet and no dog would want to sit or lie in that.
So easy solution, bring them inside.

bookerboy

Not everyone is in a position to bring their dogs Indoors.Sometimes your spouse(that does not like dogs)agrees to you getting a dog providing it lives outdoors.
It would not be fair to change the agreement just because it is raining.
Most people with this type of arangement would have bought a dog that would be happy and sturdy enough to live outdoors.
Lots of dogs live outdoors and are well looked after and exercised so this is not a problem.
You should sort out the kennels straight away.Try putting some dry straw in,this will kep them nice and warm.
If your dogs are outdoor dogs,keep them outdoors.
Let them in for a while and they will want to be in all the time.
Good luck with it.

dragona

bookerboy wrote: »

Not everyone is in a position to bring their dogs Indoors.Sometimes your spouse(that does not like dogs)agrees to you getting a dog providing it lives outdoors.

Don't have a dog then. I really don't get this business of having dogs and keeping them outside:mad:

9wetfckx43j5rg

There's a very easy solution to all this. Bring them inside.

bookerboy

That's funny.I don't get the idea of having to bring your dog in all the time.If you want to have your dog in all the time mabey you should not have a dog.Have a kid instead,they like it indoors.

9wetfckx43j5rg

My dog lives inside and couldn't be happy bookerboy

bookerboy

My dog lives inside and couldn't be happy bookerboy

I'd say he could be happy inside but might be better outside.
My dog is very happy and healthy outside but i have no doubt he would be happier inside,but he's staying outside.
I get to stay married!!!!!

9wetfckx43j5rg

Jayus if a dog living in or outside is make or break for a marriage that's a serious problem.

My dad swore he'd never let a dog live in the house but blackie's lived inside for the last 9 years and he's still there!

star-pants

Ok - if ye wanna banter about personal preference to dogs living indoors or outdoors take it elsewhere. The OP has asked for advice (that doesn't involve bringing the dogs in longterm as it's obviously not much of an option for them)

I have a friend who has 3 Golden Labs who live very happily outdoors. They've a massive kennel that's warm and waterproof and are content and healthy.

Lorebringer made a great post up above about fixing/checking the kennels and getting them somewhere dry to stay. Sort out your kennel / buy a new one / etc, and hopefully if they've somewhere warm and dry to live they'll be in better form and healthier.

9wetfckx43j5rg

star-pants wrote: »

The OP has asked for advice, that doesn't involve bringing the dogs in longterm as it's obviously not much of an option for them

I can't find anywhere that the OP said it wasn't an option

star-pants

Alicia Tiny Whimsy wrote: »

I can't find anywhere that the OP said it wasn't an option

I'm saying that the advice of 'bringing them in' doesn't appear to be much of an option for them otherwise why would they be asking for advice on them being stuck outdoors? Perhaps my part after the comma should have been in brackets.
Having people argue on thread 'bring them in' 'i can't' 'you shouldn't have a dog' and so forth isn't exactly helpful to the OP.

andreac

Unless the op can sort the kenneling for the dogs so they are warm and dry they need to be brought in as the dogs are already suffering from the wet conditions.

That skin condition that the dog has is not healing up as the dog is constantly wet, so his health is suffering because of the rain, so the op needs to ensure that the 2 dogs have dry, comfortable conditions to live in and if they cant sort the kennels then the dogs need to be brought indoors for health reasons alone.

lrushe

If the current kennels are not doing their job maybe you should get rid of them and rebuild them from scratch. Some wood and felt wouldn't cost too much, my bf made one for our dogs who spend 75% of their time indoors and 25% outdoors, and it costs next to nothing. Just make sure its raised off the ground and not facing into the rain or wind. Labs and Spaniels are pretty water resistant so the fact that they are getting sick means you will have to make some drastic changes to their living conditions

convert

The rash on the dogs back could be rain blisters or rain rash. Once you've washed and dried it well, without rubbing it too hard, try rubbing oil, such as vegetable oil, into it. It works really well as it soothes the skin and helps waterproof the coat.

Best idea would be to sort some sort of dry shelter for the dogs, whether you clear a suitable space in your garage, build/buy new kennels, or bring them into the house. Also, try to section off part of the garden to allow it to recover, so the entire garden isn't in total mud (a little like strip grazing of paddocks). It might help with giving them some dry space in the garden (if it's not completely flooded, of course).

bmmck

thanks to everyone who replied, I have them in the house from time to time but they hate the heat they get so uneasy, I kept the springer in with me when he had the bandage on his paw and I slept in the sitting room with him( mainly to watch him in case he chewed off the bandage) and all night he was going back and forth from the leather couch to the tiles in the hall he didnt like being warm, thats why he loves the garage its cool and there is loads of things to chew! the springer is almost a year old and is still at that puppy stage so he has to be watched he could have anything in his mouth, the lab is 3, I built the dog run last summer its a large concrete area at the top corner of the garden and there is a wooden fence around it with a gate, but my little springer has already chewed into 3 panels from the fence!!!! I had planned getting or building a shed for the lawn mower etc then a small shed for them but anytime i seemed to have the time to get things done the weather is too bad, a wooden shed is not an option cos it will be eaten, when i got the lab first he ate the whole kennel I had to get the floor and roof re done, when I was going away I used to put him into kennels and the lady in the kennels says that he does not seem to care about being comfortable he will pull out all bedding and sleep on hard ground we got the springer last march and they are the best of pals they cant be without each other, im so frustrated cant seem to get anything done for them, I love them to bits and want them to be happy and healthy, will start the lab back on his cream today and clean out the garage and put them in for a few nights till I sort something out for outdoors. thanks to all

lorebringer

bmmck wrote: »

I had planned getting or building a shed for the lawn mower etc then a small shed for them but anytime i seemed to have the time to get things done the weather is too bad, a wooden shed is not an option cos it will be eaten

Have you considered a steel shed? You could keep all of your bits and bobs (lawnmower etc.) in there and keep the dogs in the garage, of vice versa. Metal sheds can get quite chilly so it would be more ideal for your tools than for the dogs! They need to be raised off the ground but are sturdy, can be installed in any weather and they come in all sizes. May be worth looking into.

bmmck wrote: »

the springer is almost a year old and is still at that puppy stage so he has to be watched he could have anything in his mouth...

my little springer has already chewed into 3 panels from the fence!!!!...

a wooden shed is not an option cos it will be eaten, when i got the lab first he ate the whole kennel I had to get the floor and roof re done

Quite a bit of chewing goes with age, because your Springer is still only young it can be a pain to put them anywhere there is "stuff" because it risks destruction! I understand that you want what is best for your dogs so perhaps investing in a shed and then putting the dogs in the garage would be a good option. Is your Springer chewing because he/she is bored? Springers are a very active breed (which, I'm sure you know) and need a lot of stimulation and will form bad habits if they get bored. If you walk the arse off the dog (one hour at least) before they go into the garage at night you are much less likely to come down to all of your stuff destroyed in the morning. Have you tried toys, chews etc to keep him/her occupied? They are still only a puppy and will love things to play with. They key to stopping chewing is not giving them the opportunity to chew by making other activities more fun. Also, a tired dog is a calm dog so tiring your Springer out would help with any behavioural problems.

Good luck on getting it all sorted!

sadhbhc15

As a short term solution, while you're sorting out the kennels, would something like this help at all -
http://www.countryhounds.ie/Product.aspx?product=170

votejohn

Would you be able to squish things into the corner of the garage, and then block off that area? Like with sideways tables or a cheap fence? then the dogs can have a bit of space in the garage and you could but beds in there for them?

Discodog

All dog owners need to be aware that we are getting very heavy showers followed by clear skies & cold nights. If a dog gets soaked through to it's undercoat & then cannot dry out it can get severely chilled. A very wet dog takes hours to dry in a heated kitchen let alone outside. Also remember the effects of wind chill.

Bear in mind that the dogs bedding may also stay wet. A Springer holds a lot of water & when it lays down the water will soak into it's bed. My dogs sleep indoors but I use a waterproof cover over their bed until they dry out & then I remove it. Any skin condition may effect the ability of the coat to produce protective water repellant oil so the coat may be getting even wetter.

Your dog is not used to the warmth of being indoors but as anyone who has taken a rescue will tell you, it soon will get used to it. I do not propose re-igniting the in out debate as my views are well known. But whatever you decide you need to be consistent. You cannot keep a dog indoors for a month or two & then put it outside unless the weather has warmed up. For anyone who must keep their dog outside this is an option:

http://www.animalinstinct.co.uk/acatalog/Pets_Products_Dog_Kennels_4.html

Sighthound owners should be aware that it is a criminal offence to keep a Greyhound at lower than 12 degrees.

Sigma Force

Hi Op.

Here are some suggestions that may help, two of our pooches are outside the collie especially has issues and she hates being in, will try to burst out of windows etc.

So we have them in a run at the moment it is attached to a large timber shed and we put a dog flap into the door and their beds are at the back of the shed in the middle of insulating it, the area around their beds has been insulated and they have vet bed which is great as the wet usually doesn't sit on the top of the bedding.

We use lino on the floor and a seperate bit of lino near the dog flap so it can be lifted easily to let the floor dry around the entrance. The beds are so far back from the door they stay bone dry.

Then for their run section we took out the kennel as it was letting in rain anyway and they have the shed to go into, in this weather most kennels let in water even if raised of the ground and facing the wall.

What we did do was put that blue tarp..it's very cheap and easy to use and tied it over the top of the run. It works brilliant at keeping water from falling directly into the run and you can buy more of it to tie up around the sides.

If the dogs chew then instead of tarp some hard plastic sheeting could be put up around the run sides. If you get a good piece of tarp for the roof of the dogs run it will make a huge difference to the amount of rain coming in and should keep the kennels dry. It's pretty much instant and cheap.

You can usually get the blue tarp in any hardware shop (most are open sundays and Argos etc.) The kind used to cover cars and lawnmowers etc...actually it will work for your lawnmower too.

For areas around the garden that are becoming muddy some bark mulch thrown down will help, it will rot down by summer and it's easy to lawnmower up. Just don't get the coco type one not good for dogs aparently just the regular piney stuff is fine it's about 8 quid for a large bag.

Also another option would be to clear out the garage, do a big clean out and chuck what you don't need. Then get some of those storage containers with lids (argos do the tough ones) to put anything you don't want the dogs chewing at. That way they can use the garage without wrecking it.

Also then give them some chew toys, and things like filled kongs and suitable bones etc. to keep them busy, the winter nights are long and it helps keep them busy.

As a quick instant measure highly recommend the tarp, or even if you have some plastic sheeting lying around until you can get some.

Honey-ec

OP, you haven't mentioned what kind of exercise (outside of the garden) your dogs are getting. As was mentioned upthread, a certain amount of chewing comes with puppyhood, but if your dogs are literally destroying everything in their path, well, it has to be said, that sounds like chronic boredom.

As for the in/out debate... All I'll say is that no dog was ever meant to be inside 100% of the time OR outside 100% of the time. Both are equally cruel. But on balance, I know of a lot more people who keep their dogs outside all the time than in and in 9 out of 10 cases I've been involved with, it's out of pure laziness.

bmmck

:)Hi

Both dogs get out regularly, we load them into the van and take them off into the countryside and let them run, the springer has a heart murmur so im a bit afraid of overdoing it with him, the lab would swim for Ireland once he sees water he is gone, I got the lab to sit still for a while yesterday while I inspected his back and am pleased to inform you that the nasty skin infection has cleared up, im going to invest in a big steel shed and section part of it off for the lawn mower etc and give them the other half of it, roll on summer and please let there be no rain :)