Puppies Sleeping Outside Advice

[cpudds]

Hi

I am new to this site and was wodering if anyone can advise on sleeping arrangements for a new Lab & German Shepherd puppy.

I will be picking them up at the begining of June and want them to sleep outside, they will have access to the laundry room and outside when we are not home and will come in the rest of the house when we are home.

I intend to get 2 crates, with waterproof covers and bedding. But not sure if it is safe to have the puppies sleep outside on their first night in our house. Is it too cold for them at 8/9 weeks of age?

As they crates are large for these 2 breeds I don't have enough room for the crates in the house but they will have a huge yard/garden outside.

Also will they need a crate of their own straight away or can they share one until they get a bit bigger?

Obviously we want to do the right thing but want to set the grounds rules from the off.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks

Cheryl

[laffi]

Where are you and how cold does it get there at night?

It sounds like you are very well prepared though. Just make sure that the sleeping spots/beds are off the ground (elevated) for insulation.

[Scarlet]

Personally I wouldn't like young pups sleeping outside in winter. I suppose it does depend on where you live.

If they HAVE to sleep outside I would probably have them sleep together while young, for warmth and comfort but then you may have trouble separating them when older.

The crates would have to be protected from the elements-wind / rain / sun. It concerned me when you said they would have a waterproof cover.

Does this mean they will get wet from the rain?

I do think you are brave getting two pups at once. I hope you don't have a nice garden!

I would also suggest that you spend quite a bit of time with each dog separately so they bond to you and not just to each other.

If possible I would take them to puppy school then obedience separately

[Tunsafun Boxers]

Personally i would keep them together overnight until you think they need their own pens.

I put my babies in with one of the older dogs as soon as they come home, it helps keep them warm overnight, gives them company etc.

Make sure you spend plenty of time with them, both together and separately and do lots of training (age appropriate).

But the most important thing, if they are to sleep outside is to protect them from the elements. rain, hail or shine, they need warmth, shade, and somewhere to sleep that is out of the wind. The waterproof cover may help with this but bear in mind that bored puppies are destructive puppies, so if they get the chance to get hold of even one part of the cover, they'll have an absolute ball ripping and shredding it, given the chance.

good luck with your babies!

Jenna

[poodlefan]

Where are you?

A covered crate may shield a dog from the worst of the elements but it will have very little insulation.

I'd recommend you buy or build a kennel (or two) but I reckon the two dogs will end up sleeping in one anyway.

[cpudds]

Thanks everyone.

I am in Adelaide. At the moment its about 14 degrees at night, but in the middle of winter it can drop to about 2.

The puppies will have one half of the garden for them, this is fenced off from the rest of the garden which will be our nice area, they will only be allowed in this part supervised.

The dogs will have access to the laundry room all the time, which leads outside to their part of the garden, half of their area is under a pergola, which has plastic rolled down sides to it, and this is where their crate will be, so they will be sheltered from the elements.

I only mentioned "waterproof" as thats the description of the cover.

Cheryl

[cowanbree]

I personally would have babies inside at least until they settle into their new home but if you are going to have them outside they really need a good sturdy kennel. A crate will not offer enough protection from the elements. I prefer a sturdy wooden one over the plastic ones and yes I would get 2

[Mu-Shu]

A good sturdy kennel is what I got for my pup, I wanted him to be an inside dog but he prefer being outside!! So guess what he sleep on my husband shoe outside and never in his kennel, he refuses to go in in!! At least we have a huge double garage to his disposition and the house if he changes his mind lol

[BC]

Not sure if this is possible but if they have access to the laundry could you have them sleep in the laundry of a night instead of outside ?? This way you could crate them and if there is not much room just fold the crates up during the day and only get them out at night before the dogs go to bed ?

[shellbyville]

My suggestion would be the same as BC lover's. If possible could the crates be put in the laundry area, with their covers on for extra warmth. So they are inside or 'semi inside' at least.

I had a young lab pup once that I bought home at 9 weeks. I put her in our laundry at night, and she howled for 2 nights straight. I then put her outside in her kennel beside my older dog who had his own kennel and run and never heard a sound from her again.

I think your two will be fine because they have each other, just make sure they have adequate shelter (warmth) etc. I also agree with spending plenty of time with them each separately.

[Akitaowner]

yep same as the others - i would be keeping pups inside while still babies - check with the breeders where tey have been sleeping til you pick them up - more often than not they have been outside.

I wouldnt be using crates as i dont think they offer much warmth but i dont know you particular set up outside.

when we first got 2 baby girls from the same litter i let them sleep in together for the first week or so - to get used to being away from mum and the other 7 in the litter. I then seperated them into 2 crates (they were in the kitchen) side by side so they could see each other, and then put a blanket between so they were on their own. Worked fine.

i thought it was important to seperate them, one eventually went back to the breeder (this was the intention all along, to only keep 1) but its important to consider the pack bonding. i didnt want my new pup to be soo reliant on my older boy that i couldnt seperate them for walks or training or vet visits. i would highly recommend keeping them physically apart when you are not home - play pens crates etc.

I wanted to be sure that when my boy eventually crosses the bridge (hes 3 atm) my pup (whos 10 months) would be ok and her world would not end...

good luck with 2 babies inbound!!!

[First Time Puppy Owner]

I seem to be the only person around that hasn't crate trained but I just couldn't see that it would be necessary for my as Benson (golden 12wks) as he has to be an outdoor dog as I live in a rental property and that is what the owner has stipulated. So I just kept Benson next to my bed in a big cardboard box for 8 nights and he would scratch on the side of the box if he needed to go (we had no accidents). I had the towel I brought him home on in the box and 2 toys.

Then after the 8 nights I ran him ragged on the 9th evening and used a another cardboard box with a hole cut out in it like a kennel and put a mat in there for another week and a half so he got use to the idea of a kennel but that wasn't massive. Then I gave him his new kennel and put the mat that was in the cardboard kennel into there and he has taken to it like nothing else. Also I was able to tell him "ahah" when he chewed on the cardboard kennel and he has not once done it to his hound house.

My methods may seem unconventional but they worked for my little guy. However whatever way you train your new babies I hope all goes really well and PLEASE send us photo's k!!!

Edited May 16, 2007 by First Time Puppy Owner

[persephone]

Hamlet slept ouside in a flyscreened, tin roof shed..made him a little draught-proof 'cubby' with lots of bedding.He had 2 bricks(heated all day on the slow-combustion heater) wrapped in an old jumper, and he never made a sound, or chewed anything. ( or kept me awake)

Sleeping oudoors is fine! Both puppies will be fluffy, and well- covered by coat..if they play with other they will warm up...buy/build a solid draught free kennel, face the door away from the south, and they will be fine.

Another thing...I am hoping your pergola cover can not be reached by the pups?

With long nights , and two ratbags...all sorts of damage will be done!!!

[peibe]

I do not like dogs sleeping outside, but that is me not you

I would be getting a nice warm kennel for both to share and adding lots of warm bedding

I would also make them sleep outside from day one, while I do not approve it is harder to change from inside to out once you have started it

Goodluck and remember to post pics

[Cathy B]

Hi everyone.

sorry to interrupt but I have a question about sleeping outside. My 15 yr old border collie x sleeps outside in a kennel. We live in Sydney so it is getting a bit cold. I bought him a big thick mattress/pillow to make him warm, but he keeps pulling it out and humping it. Of course then the dew gets on it and I have to try and dry it out. It is driving me mad. Whatever i do to keep the mattress in the kennel he finds someway to pull it out. I cant nail it or anything but I have put bricks on it. please help I worry about him. He is old and has arthritis.

Thanks Cathy

[cavNrott]

.

Edited June 8, 2009 by cavNrott

[Teebs]

I think the puppies will be fine, just make sure they are are warm - and like someone said, they will prob end up sleeping together

Reg. The old border X, i would be bringing him inside - he is 15, let him live his last few months/years out by being inside with his family