Kennel heater

[Wink]

I have put a new kennel (8x4) in for my young terrier and now thinking ahead to the winter and wondering what people use for keeping the chill off. Have previously used a heat lamp, any thoughts on the K9 kennel heater, it’s pretty expensive but is a plug and go solution.
I know some don’t believe in heating a kennel for outdoor dogs but I’m not in that club.
First hand experience and ideas most welcome. Thx

 

[Jon P]

Hi, I have never put heating in my kennels until approx 2 years ago when my GWP started to get a bit older and I realised that if she is kept a bit warmer and dryer in winter she may last a few more years out in the field. I have used the green house heater with a cover on it, power cable goes though the kennel wall so the dogs can’t get access it it, has worked well and as it has a thermostat so can set it and forget about it. Sleeping box is 5x 3.

 

[Woodsmoke]

I used to use a wall-mounted infra-red heater. The beauty of these is they heat the objects in their immediate range, rather than the air. Makes them very effective and cost-efficient

 

[Magnificent 7]

Greenhouse tube heater like above keeps the chill off used them for year under the bed box

 

[enfieldspares]

I used a few greenhouse tube heaters in my own house when I had shut it down and was effectively living in my son's otherwise vacant house. Whilst they are OK they don't last that long...some of them. Personal experience my father's own retriever was in an outside kennel with adequate insulation and a goodly amount of straw bedding is that for a correctly fed dog that a heater isn't needed. And when it is then bring the dog inside the house for its last few years.

 

[Wink]

Hi, I have never put heating in my kennels until approx 2 years ago when my GWP started to get a bit older and I realised that if she is kept a bit warmer and dryer in winter she may last a few more years out in the field. I have used the green house heater with a cover on it, power cable goes though the kennel wall so the dogs can’t get access it it, has worked well and as it has a thermostat so can set it and forget about it. Sleeping box is 5x 3.

Looks like an economical solution, what watt tube did you go for?

 

[Jon P]

Looks like an economical solution, what watt tube did you go for?

80w - bought January 2019, still working well,

 

[Wink]

80w - bought January 2019, still working well,

Thanks matey.

 

[Norfolk Horn]

I would make a kennel box within the kennel well insulated that way the dogs own body heat only has to heat a small space with no drafts. That or just bring it in when it's very cold
That's what I do anyway.
Good luck

 

[Jon P]

I would make a kennel box within the kennel well insulated that way the dogs own body heat only has to heat a small space with no drafts. That or just bring it in when it's very cold
That's what I do anyway.
Good luck

Would depend on how many dogs you have. I bring mine in on times when fireworks are too bad, but 2 GWP, 1 Springer Spaniel and 1 patterdale terrier would be a bit much in the house long term in bad weather, heaters are a lot more convenient

 

[Norfolk Horn]

Would depend on how many dogs you have. I bring mine in on times when fireworks are too bad, but 2 GWP, 1 Springer Spaniel and 1 patterdale terrier would be a bit much in the house long term in bad weather, heaters are a lot more convenient

Two WHV and a Lakeland terrier. All in separate walk in kennels with raise wooden beds on straw, I just use inch styrofoam to enclose them.

 

[Lloyd90]

Not sure how effective heaters and even insulation are when you consider most kennel boxes have a big open doorway letting all the heat out

Having a good insulated box with 100% no draft is what I have always been told is needed. Damp and draft free.

I would consider doubling the dogs up to keep warm together if they get on ok.

A lot of lads I know have gone over to more like indoor kennels, where the dogs are not as exposed to the elements. Inside purpose made buildings with drainage etc but normally UPVC doors and Windows so the temp inside never gets down as low as outside anyway.


I genuinely think it’s the damp that gets to old dogs rather than the cold.


I was up a Yorkshire hill farmers place last week, they had 3 collies all live outside in a plywood box on a chain, no insulation, just a box small enough to curl up inside. Everyone of them had a big thick coat from living like that. Out worked on the sheep everyday.

One of the better outdoor kennels I seen the dogs had to walk through like a small walkway to get to the insulated sleeping box. So the sleeping box door didn’t just open to the outside into the cold. Was like a middle chamber to pass through first.


I know one of the lurcher lads insulated his sleeping boxes only, and out one of those electronic thermometers inside to check the temps. Said with the dogs body heat only it was 16C, he said he was stood in his own house which was 12C, worrying about if the dogs were warm enough. Warmer than in his house!!!

 

[Jon P]

Two WHV and a Lakeland terrier. All in separate walk in kennels with raise wooden beds on straw, I just use inch styrofoam to enclose them.

Agree with you on that insulation is important, I am using these kennels, with a raised hammock type beds and dog mattresses, luckily non of mine are chewer so don’t get damaged. I stopped using straw a long time ago. and tried shedded paper for a while, could not put up with the mess on the dog yard.

 

[Jon P]

Not sure how effective heaters and even insulation are when you consider most kennel boxes have a big open doorway letting all the heat out

Having a good insulated box with 100% no draft is what I have always been told is needed. Damp and draft free.

I would consider doubling the dogs up to keep warm together if they get on ok.

A lot of lads I know have gone over to more like indoor kennels, where the dogs are not as exposed to the elements. Inside purpose made buildings with drainage etc but normally UPVC doors and Windows so the temp inside never gets down as low as outside anyway.


I genuinely think it’s the damp that gets to old dogs rather than the cold.


I was up a Yorkshire hill farmers place last week, they had 3 collies all live outside in a plywood box on a chain, no insulation, just a box small enough to curl up inside. Everyone of them had a big thick coat from living like that. Out worked on the sheep everyday.

One of the better outdoor kennels I seen the dogs had to walk through like a small walkway to get to the insulated sleeping box. So the sleeping box door didn’t just open to the outside into the cold. Was like a middle chamber to pass through first.


I know one of the lurcher lads insulated his sleeping boxes only, and out one of those electronic thermometers inside to check the temps. Said with the dogs body heat only it was 16C, he said he was stood in his own house which was 12C, worrying about if the dogs were warm enough. Warmer than in his house!!!

I agree, the cold is not an issue to a dog used to living outside, it getting home late in winter when tired and wet is the issue and lying on a damp kennel, heater is used to keep damp out, and dry them quicker, not to over heat the dog or get them nesh to the cold when out working.

 

[Norfolk Horn]

Agree with you on that insulation is important, I am using these kennels, with a raised hammock type beds and dog mattresses, luckily non of mine are chewer so don’t get damaged. I stopped using straw a long time ago. and tried shedded paper for a while, could not put up with the mess on the dog yard.

Yes straw does make a mess, paper clumps up and makes a mess. My WHVs will both drag out or heap them up so gone back to straw.
Remind me again why do we have dogs.
Nice kennels those you have

 

[pop1]

Yes straw does make a mess, paper clumps up and makes a mess. My WHVs will both drag out or heap them up so gone back to straw.
Remind me again why do we have dogs.
Nice kennels those you have

I was using beddex and had no issues. Square cut dust extracted cardboard. I found it insulated them and was absorbent too and easy to clean out.

 

[Dazb1967]

80w - bought January 2019, still working well,

I've had on of these for years now and never let me down, Temp is set to come on just above freezing

 

[John Gryphon]

On the really cold frosty nights my old bitch takes herself to the hayshed and makes herself a nest and doesnt stir.

 

[Jon P]

On the really cold frosty nights my old bitch takes herself to the hayshed and makes herself a nest and doesnt stir.

When I was younger We used to have free range dogs that did the same, however in the U.K. at present any good dog is at a risk of being stolen and not many of us live that far of the grid now that your dog won’t be hit by a car on our roads. I still see a few on some of the farms I visit, I also notice that some don’t last that long either.

 

[Easty]

Hi, I use a tube heater (Screwfix) with a mesh guard with a timer, so you can a just the time the heater is on and increase this in colder nights.
Also, my boxes are insulated so toasty for my springer & cocker (individual kennels).
Oh yes, I have fixed 5" Strips of plastic (like you see like in a cold store room) on the door to prevent drafts