Folks

Do you keep your dog in an outside kennel during the day? Interested to hear anyones experiances? Any pluses or minuses to consider? We are considering getting a lab pup. I work on rotation and wife works part time out from 8am till 1pm, so thinking about getting an outside kennel when we are not at home.

Our 2 dogs stay in the hallway when we’re out.

I couldn’t leave them outside as I’d worry that someone was either stealing them or feeding them something dodgy over the fence 🙁

Would be a bit harsh on really cold Winter days.

Labs are good at keeping warm (we have one) but that might be pushing it.

We’ve a working cocker, he has a cage – like this:

http://www.netpetshop.co.uk/p-31615-dog-kennel-run-pen-5cm-bar-pro-outdoor-kit-with-roof.aspx?CAWELAID=525521904

With an insulated kennel, a bit like this, inside the cage.

http://www.netpetshop.co.uk/p-33369-dog-kennel-cabin-timber-wooden-outdoor-garden-house.aspx

He’s fine with it – better than been cooped up inside – all year around.

And tbh, once you’ve seen them vault into a pond/stream in winter you’ll dispel any thoughts about how they’ll get cold.

Our german shepherd is out in the garden during the day, took one gravy bone to persuade her in, and now she wanders in at will. We figure the garden is a more interesting place for her, more to see. We have fitted a flap to the front now to keep out the worst of the wet weather, and again it only took a few gravy bones to get her to push it aside to go in/out.

We thought it would be more interesting for the dog and a bit more stimulating. We were thing about something like this: