dog house heater ideas

[plot_to_trot]

Do any of you guys have some good dog house we heater ideas? My boxes are already insulated, and have straw in them, and have inside divider wall. Have some young pups that I wanna add a little extra heat to as our northeast wisconsin winter is gonna be brutal this year. Any tips too keep them warm are appreciated

[Dale T]

http://www.hayneedle.com/pets/dog-house ... fgodrFoAVA

[david]

I have not tried this, so that is my disclaimer. But my neighbor used a light bulb. He simply mounted a "trouble light" on the wall of the doghouse, with a hole made for the cord to pass outside. It is the lightbulb in a cage like mechanics use. There also are light bulbs designed especially for heat like what folks hang over their chicks or ducklings. That might be too hot, I don't know.

[Grzyadms4x4]

I've also read about people just using heating pads with a blanket on top. Suppose one could secure the blanket to make it so the dog couldn't shuffle the blanket off of the pad. Most heating pads don't use a whole lot of juice either.

[david]

If your puppies have a heater, that will be more than a lot of Wisconsin puppies have had. They put off a ton of body heat if you can keep that heat contained it is plenty. If you can fill up any extra space with insulation and bedding that is kept dry and make the door small enough that they can barely get through it (maybe with a hallway or wind baffle like eskimoes used ), or with a good dog door on it, they will be snug as a bug in a rug. The most durable home made door I have used was cut from conveyor belt material. And hinged at the top. You have to leave enough space at the bottom and sides for their tails to pull through.

[plot_to_trot]

I am concerned with the idea of a heating pad as puppies like to chew on everything. I have them in the house now as I'm trying to semi house break them so they don't just pee and poop in the dog house. Right now we're looking at lows of 16 highs of 28 but it won't be long and we will be below zero. Their 8 weeks old now. Would like to see them out of my kitchen by 10 weeks. The ole lady isn't liking not have control of her kitchen. Lol

[plot_to_trot]

[david]

Your pups will do fine as long as there is not too Much empty space in their box. Especially since there is more than one pup. Each one of them is a little heater unit. They could have been outside their whole lives and done fine with your great set up for them. One of the things some folks struggle with is having dogs that are always one accident away from death. We protect them a lot more than we protect ourselves sometimes. I think electrical cords pose many more potential dangers than the cold. My biggest concern for yours is the transition mid winter. I wish the weather was transitioning for them. Get them out as often as you can now. Let them eat, play and nap in their new home, when you are around to keep an eye on them. more for your confidence than for them.

[Henefer-hound-hunter]

[LBell]

Look if your dog houses are as well done as your describing, them pups should do fine without any heat, 8 weeks old and healthy I wouldn't worry at all. Just remember Plotts are tuffer then most others . I have a litter due this week, they will be born outside in a box with a piece of carpet and ceader shavings, it's snowing now and suppossed to be single digits the next few days and I expect them all to be fine. Lance

[david]

[NICK RILEY]

I use a work light(like David talked about). I have insulated boxes and use one light between the two. It only takes a 60w bulb to keep the dogs happy when its below 0.

[Ker_man]

Like Nick says the 60 wat bulb is plenty. I almost burned a dog house with the trouble light arrangement. found the dog house full of smoke and the dog staying in to keep warm, I haven't tried that again.
David I agree that a litter of pups throw off a lot of body heat and with a good dog house that would normally be adequate. If the house is not insulated it will frost up in cold weather and then melt in milder weather and wet the bedding.

[Shorty]

Nite Lite has one designed for this exact purpose. It even has a accurate thermostat.

[Rustyshaklferd]

We always had a 60watt or so tucked inside a metal coffee can mounted on the inside cord going out of the box where she wouldn't chew it. That was for our labs when I was a kid. My hound dogs have just had really well built dog houses. The can reflected the heat and shielded the bulb from breaking and leaving glass everywhere.