The American Beagler Forum

I have got store bought large sized plastic doghouses with a wind flap on the door. For bedding I use straw. They're just not keeping the dogs warm enough and our weather is not too cold either- mid 20s here. I keep two dogs to one house for body heat, but that doesn't seem to be enough. I think the problem might be that the walls are thin and not insulated right. Is there some way I can add more insulation to these houses? Any suggestions?

don't get to cold here much but i just use plactic barrels filled with cedar and my dogs are fine it was like 18 degrees last nigth and at 6 am the dogs where waitin on me.

I have my dog boxes attached to the inside of my barn, I put 6-8" of shavings and a couple old blankets in. Plus they double up. It was -33 celcious here this past week, so just to make sure they had some warmth to take the edge off I put an electric heater/blower in the barn for the night. It seemed to have helped. A friend has offered a propane heater for the barn, so that should be a bit less expensive than running the electric one.
If they are doubled up and you have deep enough amount of shavings then they should be fine, or so I was told when I asked on another board from someone that encounters extreme cold for a lengthy amount of time.

Couple-three old blankets over/tucked around the barrel as a quick fix maybe?

I am not sure if I agree with the plastic barrels...but if you have to use them..I would suggest a door flap of some sort to help keep in the warm that they produce with their bodies. I would also suggest a generous amount of straw bedding...You may also try placing bales of straw on the sides and maybe on top of the barrel..kinda enclose the barrel with the bales of straw.
The extra bales of straw wrapped around the barrels can act as insulation.

Good Luck..

Joe T

That is an excellent alternative with the bales of straw around the barrels!

Joe the dogs pick the barrels over there regular insulated dog houses. theyve worked fine for me for years ive never had any problems and alli do is put in a half bale of cedar every couple months. ive done this test many times put the barrel in the lot where the nice insulated house is and i can go out in the mornings to load them up and there in the barrels they'll pickem everytime.

You stated that you thought the plastic walls were too thin...my statement was just agreeing with you and trying to offer some suggestions which you asked for....If I offended you I apologize...I was just answering your post and I think I offered some good suggestions.
Good Luck to you and your hounds....

Insulated wooden dog houses are the best route, but if you're trying to insulate the plastic ones I would place the bales of straw around it as was already stated. Plenty of straw inside the box is also important. JLboomer, it may not get cold enough in Kentucky for your dogs to care one way or another, but I'll only own insulated dog houses myself.

yea the weather in the winter hardly ever gets much colder than 20 degrees. the dogs really do like the barrels i have insulated metal dog houses that have 2 inches of insulated foam in the middle you can put 2 dogs in them and watch the steam come out it gets so hot with there body heat so i figure use what they want. i really don't like wood seems to draw to much moisture in on the flooring of it. I use the cedar because they really don't seem to like the straw at all wish they did its alot cheaper lol but hey were all from different places and all of our dogs have different needs im just doing what i think's best for mine and if they like the barrels they'll stay in them if i think it going to get to cold i add more bedding but yet haven't had any bad results and been using the barrels for years now.

marr24 wrote:Insulated wooden dog houses are the best route, but if you're trying to insulate the plastic ones I would place the bales of straw around it as was already stated. Plenty of straw inside the box is also important. JLboomer, it may not get cold enough in Kentucky for your dogs to care one way or another, but I'll only own insulated dog houses myself.

i live in southern indiana and although it may not get as cold here as it does farther up north i still will stick with plastic barrels. but i have the best of both worlds. i take a 30 gallon barrel and put it inside of a 50 gallon barrel and put fiberglass isulation in between the barrels. sometimes you have to call the dog out of the box lol. i put a flap on the door and you could stick your hand in the barrel and feel a big difference in temperature.....just an idea for everyone..........keith

I like that Idea...Keith!!!!
the smaller 30 gal. barrel is easier for the hounds to warm up with their body heat...and the added insulation between the 30 and 50 gal barrels is a great idea.
I was fortunate enough to be able to purchase some of the Seneca Kennels...door flaps and lightbulb heaters...awesome units.


joe t

yea i looked at those but just couldnt afford them. that wasnt my idea about the barrels though. i got it off of one of these sites. i believe it was this one. not 100 percent sure though. but whoevers idea it was its a good one......keith

Jane wrote:That is an excellent alternative with the bales of straw around the barrels!

Not a bad idea.

I use the $105 Dogloo igloo doghouses. They ain't cheap, but the plastic keeps the wind/cold out. Plenty of straw & some cedar chips and my dogs are warm. Try kenneling 3/doghouse also, an extra body will help keep them warmer. Also, make sure the doghouse openings aren't pointed into the wind and that they stay dry.

Last couple days it's been around 11-13 F in the morning, all the hounds were out of the boxes laying at the south facing end of the kennels. Very cold but their want of sunshine has them laying out in the open, basting in the sun like it's summer, now the wind had layed...
The house dog lays infront of the kitchen sliding door, but he don't even want to go out to pee...