Dog won't sleep indoors..

unklerosco

We've a springer spaniel, just gone two years.. Up until about a month or two ago she slept indoors.. 90% of the time in her crate. Then slowly she wanted to stay out the back.. This would happen maybe one/ two nights a week and then it became one/ two nights that she'd sleep indoors... Now she just stays out near enough 24/7. She's rarely in the house, not that we don't let her in.. She just won't stay in. If we leave her in at night she just keeps barking..

I'm just worried with the weather getting so cold what the best thing to do is.. She has a kennel with bedding that's well shaded, was thinking of getting a heater for it if she won't sleep indoors..

Boombastic

I'm not sure what type of a heater wouldn't be a fire hazard,maybe someone else can advise on that. I wouldn't be too worried, she has the kennel and if she seems comfortable and happy sleeping outside, I would let her ( I would feel bad on these really cold nights and try and persuade her to stay in) but if shes happy.. just make her kennel as comfortable as possible, no direct wind...you could get a sheepskin rug or something?

Lemlin

I wouldn't overly worry about it tbh. I have a Norwegian Elkhound that prefers to stay outside at night. Some dogs just do.

You may actually find that now its colder your heating is kicking in more and inside is too warm for your dog.

I also know plenty of people with Springers that stay outside 24 hours a day 365 days a year and it hasn't adversely effected them.

unklerosco

Thanks for the replies, have the kennel lined with vet blanket (think that's what it's called, like fake sheepskin), it's in a shared area of the garden.. No wind/rain gets in.

I'll see how she gets on.. Maybe she'll change her mind when it gets really cold!

TooManyDogs

My old collie was like that when she was younger, just wouldn't stay inside at night. We got her a waterproof bed in her kennel and put the kennel in a sheltered place and just let her at it. Mind you in her old age she's decided that unless she's in a mind to escape and wander that she'd rather not bother leaving the house at all.
You can get microwaveable pads for pets, you microwave them for a few minutes and they give off heat for hours.

DBB

TooManyDogs wrote: »

You can get microwaveable pads for pets, you microwave them for a few minutes and they give off heat for hours.

Snugglesafe heat pads! They're fab, and very safe. And on special offer on zooplus right now!