Dog won't sleep in kennel

Eircom_Sucks

I've a 10 month old Labrador

i spent €300 getting a custom kennel made , insulated walls , floor , 3/4" wood , takes 3 peoole to move this bad boy

the roof slides off if you take out a few screws , handy to sweep it out etc

the dog slept in it from the day i got it , but now the dog seems to be sleeping down the end of the garden on the grass during the day , now if it rains she retreats back to the kennel , but im not sure if she sleeps in it at night , anytime i look out before i go to bed shes out of the kennel

breaks my heart to think for whatever reason shes not using the kennel , is there any bedding i can get for the kennel to entice her ? thing is i dont want something she will pull down the back garden to tear apart

any ideas ?

tk123

It's been subzero most nights for the last few weeks and you've been leaving her outside knowing she's probably not using the kennel??! Is there a reason she's outside?

Eircom_Sucks

tk123 wrote: »

It's been subzero most nights for the last few weeks and you've been leaving her outside knowing she's probably not using the kennel??! Is there a reason she's outside?

here im not getting into this ok

reasons why she won't use the kennel is all im after

eviltwin

Eircom_Sucks wrote: »

here im not getting into this ok

reasons why she won't use the kennel is all im after

Cause it's cold, cause she's lonely, scared....take your pick. She is still a baby. No kennel will ever replace a home.

cocker5

I have to say OP I agree with the previous two posters .. Outside in no place for a dog let alone a pup especially in the cold weather.

Ok so dogs won't use their kennels for a number of reason..

Size - is the kennel the correct size for the breed? Dogs will not use kennels that are too big or too smal. The general rule is they must be able to go into the kennel down the back stand up and turn around easily.. It they can't they won't use it.

Where is the kennel in the garden? Maybe your dog doesn't like its location? It could be dark / scary for a pup
Windy?

Bedding? What bedding do she has?

What type of kennel? It is resting on the ground or raised on blocks? If not raised the bottom can be cold and damp.

Have you given her nice treats in her kennels? Stuffed King etc make it a nice place to be etc?

Loneliness... She could be lonely?
Is she in the house during the day / evening?

There are many many reason op

Knine

Eircom_Sucks wrote: »

here im not getting into this ok

reasons why she won't use the kennel is all im after

The reason is that she does not want to be outside on her own & can probably watch the back door better from the garden. The solution is to bring her inside at night

Eircom_Sucks

tk123 wrote: »

It's been subzero most nights for the last few weeks and you've been leaving her outside knowing she's probably not using the kennel??! Is there a reason she's outside?

here im not getting into this ok

reasons why she won't use the kennel is all im after

cocker5

Eircom_Sucks wrote: »

here im not getting into this ok

reasons why she won't use the kennel is all im after

I just listed loads of reason OP?

stoplooklisten

What direction is the door facing?

Put an old jumper of yours in the kennel

You are asking in the wrong place op, on this forum posters are unable to distinguish between an animal and a person so you are wasting your time asking a perfectly normal question about why a dog won't sleep in its kennel.

This modern day nonsense of dogs having to be inside is getting very tiresome to listen to, people can't even address the op's question with falling over themselves to try force you bring the dog into the house when he obviously doesn't want to.

Can you put her in the kennel and close the door so she has no choice but to stay inside at night? After a few nights you could try leaving it open then and see if she has learned to stay inside.

borderlinemeath

She may have got a fright in the kennel at some point. Could have been wind noise, it could have even have moved in the wind. Or she could hear a noise in the kennel that scares her, perhaps a fence creaking or trees rustling. Dogs don't sleep all that well when they're left outside, they're always keeping an ear open and are semi alert.

As Knine said, she probably has a far better view of the house and her family from her vantage point in the garden. When my dogs are outside I could put money on where they'll sit, and we have a full acre of space. They sit on the edge of the grass, where they can see the garage door where my husband works, across from the gate in case anybody comes in, and in view of the front door in case anybody comes out. It's not random.

If she must sleep outside, can you reposition the kennel to a better vantage point for her? No bed is going to make the kennel more appealing unless you're in there with her. Dogs just want to be with their family and she would sleep far better in the house where there's less noise and a far stronger scent of you.

cocker5

Archer Most Rattler wrote: »

You are asking in the wrong place op, on this forum are unable to distinguish between an animal and a person so you are wasting your time asking a perfectly normal question about why a dog won't sleep in its kennel.

This modern day nonsense of dogs having to be inside is getting very tiresome to listen to, people can't even address the op's question with falling over themselves to try force you bring the dog into the house when he obviously doesn't want to.

I disagree with the op but gave constructive reasons .. He ignored them

Eircom_Sucks

its a dog not a baby , i'm not gonna start babying the dog , she doesn't whinge or cry , very good dog actually , she gets walked twice a day and in the house for 2-3 hrs a day , but im not having a dog in the house when im in bed

she's very well looked after , other than night time , i'll observe her for a few nights and see if she dors use the kennel at night and just likes outside during day

kennel us up on legs , came with 6" legs , its 4.5 foot x 4.5 foot

i have an old duvet in the kennel

irishgrover

Totally ignoring the whole indoor/outdoor thing....and this is just a suggestion....
Get two helpers and move the kennel to the exact spot where the dog is currently sleeping... Put some personal items of yours in it and some stuff that the dog likes ..... and she will she use it there, get her comfortable and slowly move it to where you want it over time....

unklerosco

My springer has been sleeping outside since she was 12 months old, she wouldn't sleep in the house if I wanted her too anyway. (she's 4 now)

I built a custom kennel similar to yours op, nice and insulated and in a sheltered spot of the garden so I know she's warm and dry.. in saying that I've seen her sleep on top of a gutter pipe, on the tramoline, under the trampoline, in the kids toy wheelbarrow.. she sleeps everywhere! At night tho she always sleeps in her kennel. I wouldn't be worried about where your dog naps during the day, once they've somewhere dry and sheltered to go when the weather turns they're fine.

eviltwin

If she's happier sleeping outside the kennel I'd leave her. You could try the suggestions and see if that helps but if she doesn't want to use it she won't.

Eircom_Sucks

Archer Most Rattler wrote: »

You are asking in the wrong place op, on this forum posters are unable to distinguish between an animal and a person so you are wasting your time asking a perfectly normal question about why a dog won't sleep in its kennel.

This modern day nonsense of dogs having to be inside is getting very tiresome to listen to, people can't even address the op's question with falling over themselves to try force you bring the dog into the house when he obviously doesn't want to.

Can you put her in the kennel and close the door so she has no choice but to stay inside at night? After a few nights you could try leaving it open then and see if she has learned to stay inside.

well said , they assume is a micro dog that will sleep on the window sill , its a 35kg lab that left alone im sure will chew the table and sofa apart lol

i have a sand pit 6ft x 5ft at end of garden that shes trained to do her business in etc

i love the dog to bits , not a bad bone in her body , lies down when a jack russel comes over for a nosey , i just dont want a dog in my house at night thats it

VonVix

Is it a new thing for her to be in a kennel outside for long periods or has she always been out there in one way or another?

Eircom_Sucks

VonVix wrote: »

Is it a new thing for her to be in a kennel outside for long periods or has she always been out there in one way or another?

only the past week or 2

ShaShaBear

Eircom_Sucks wrote: »

well said , they assume is a micro dog that will sleep on the window sill , its a 35kg lab that left alone im sure will chew the table and sofa apart lol

i have a sand pit 6ft x 5ft at end of garden that shes trained to do her business in etc

i love the dog to bits , not a bad bone in her body , lies down when a jack russel comes over for a nosey , i just dont want a dog in my house at night thats it

Totally unrelated to the inside/outside debate, but dogs don't chew and destroy furniture just because they are above a certain weight. The correct training during puppyhood prevents that.

kylith

Duvets are not great bedding for outdoors; they hold the damp something rotten. When I've had dogs outdoors I've bedded them on straw.

DBB

Abigail Tight Radio wrote: »

You are asking in the wrong place op, on this forum posters are unable to distinguish between an animal and a person so you are wasting your time asking a perfectly normal question about why a dog won't sleep in its kennel.

Abigail Tight Radio,
Do not come into this forum and diss the users of it.
Every forum has its ethos. The ethos of the Animals & Pets Forum leans towards advising to maximise animal welfare. You will find it very difficult to find a qualified dog behaviour and welfare expert who will tell you that keeping a dog outside tends to maximise its welfare.
This is why users here advise keeping pet dogs inside.
If that doesn't suit you, then don't use the forum.
Do not reply to this post on-thread.
Thanks,
DBB

borderlinemeath

Eircom_Sucks wrote: »

well said , they assume is a micro dog that will sleep on the window sill , its a 35kg lab that left alone im sure will chew the table and sofa apart lol

i have a sand pit 6ft x 5ft at end of garden that shes trained to do her business in etc

i love the dog to bits , not a bad bone in her body , lies down when a jack russel comes over for a nosey , i just dont want a dog in my house at night thats it

And you seem to assume that because she's a 35kg lab she's a wrecking ball. I've seen yorkshire terriers that can do more damage than a larger breed such as a lab. If you crate trained her she wouldn't be able to chew anything other than what you leave in the crate.

You don't want a dog in your house at night? You would hate my house!

cocker5

A old dvuet isn't enough for her OP..

Baby / dog regardless it's not enough, they get wet soggy.. Cold and not very comforting.

Get her some decent Vet bed you can get it in maxi zoo.. Its not expensive ..
It's lasts ages is machine washable and it's designed to keep cold and wet away from the dog, virtually non shred able

You may need to move her kennel to a better location.. Where is it currently?

Have you given her treats / stuffed kong in her kennel so sees it as a good place?

Does she have any outdoor toys? For comfort.

Regardless of what your personally think OP dogs are social creatures and like company.. Do she have a teddy so she doesn't feel lonely.

DBB

Eircom_Sucks wrote: »

well said , they assume is a micro dog that will sleep on the window sill

Okay op.
As per my above post, this forum is clearly not for you. If you think that little of the advice that's posted here, why use it?
Thread closed. I'm not having anyone use this forum to start a slanging match.
Thanks,
DBB