Feelings about dogs sleeping outside for winter?

Spaniel heaven

Brought my spaniels in during the last cold snap within 10 mins they were wining at the door to get out. If a dog is sick or pushing on in years they should be brought in but if the dog house is warm and the dogs are warm and sleepy in the mornings I happily leave them out.

cocker5

It’s my personal opinion, but I just don’t see the point of having a dog if he / she are not part of the family and by that I mean living indoors and treated as a member of the family unit.
My cocker spaniel sleeps in a very comfy bed that’s backs onto the radiator, he also has full run of my downstairs 24/7 and upstairs when we’re home.

No my house doesn’t stink of dog (neither does he infact), my couches have throws on them to help keep them clean (washed twice weekly as are his blankets etc.)…
he’s as happy as a pig in sh*t to be honest! He is a massive part of our family and I wouldn’t have It any other way.

So regardless of age I think 99% dogs belong inside…. with their family.

BMmeow

ok everyone going a tad off topic, the question isn't whether or not dogs belong inside or your definition of dogs being a part of the family. The question is simply if a lab or similar sized/coated breed finds the irish winter weather cold when supplied with appropriate bedding, blankets and shelter.

cocker5

BMmeow wrote: »

ok everyone going a tad off topic, the question isn't whether or not dogs belong inside or your definition of dogs being a part of the family. The question is simply if a lab or similar sized/coated breed finds the irish winter weather cold when supplied with appropriate bedding, blankets and shelter.

Yes Im sure the dog finds the Irish winters cold (not as cold as a human but still) - its common sense to be honest

Graces7

[QUOTE=DBB;93339228]Plenty of the small breed have profuse coats, are double-coated etc... overheating is as big an enemy to them!



I am reasonably au fait with the laws of thermodynamics and size-to-volume ratios... heat retention is not what I'm talking about, as I said in my posts already, so I don't need to reconsider anything, thanks
What I'm talking about is that being warmer than a small dog is no consolation whatsoever to a big dog when it means he's being left in isolation outside the house, looking in at the pampered pooch beside the fire. A big dog's need for social contact is just the same as a small dog's, and they suffer because some owners think they should be outside just because they're big. I don't believe that many owners who force their dogs to live outside are thinking about thermoregulation, they're thinking about the muddy footprints, the shedding hair, and the nice ornaments being knocked over. That is the angle I've been coming from since the start of this thread.[/QUOTE]

Oh I agree with you; I was trying to rationalise the thinking that some will keep their dogs out. Cannot be done of course,, rationalising I mean..

My collie was an outdoor dog before we had her after her first years shut in a shed 16/24. When I took her in I acclimatised her gradually. Now there is a large open ended shed at this house, thick with sawdust and she loves it in there but they are always in the house at night. Muddy footprints are part of the deal with dogs.