keeping dogs warm in shed outside this winter???

alanhiggyno1 · 26-11-2010 7:31pm #1

hi my 3 dogs live outside in shed that is not damp proof.i mean in the morning there are little droplets hanging from roof and walls are damp.its a metal shed too.im just wondering is there such thing as a special light that can keep them warm this winter.they have quilts and blankets but when i let them out the blankets are very cold and bit damp.any help would be great thanks

irelandspurs · 26-11-2010 8:13pm

Think there is but not sure where to get them,have seen them in boarding kennels,maybe from some hay down

William Powell · 26-11-2010 8:24pm

You're looking for an infared heat lamp. There used for stuff like keeping chicks (of the poulty type) warm. glambia have them sometimes. Keep a spare bulb as they don't last that long and hang them up quite high to spread the heat out. They look like this and normally come pre wired ready to plug into a 13amp socket.

Don't forget they are quite expensive to run

golden8 · 26-11-2010 8:43pm

It would be advisable to insulate the shed and have the dogs housed in a draft proof kennel/shed. Also if you are thinking of having heat lamps you need to fix the leaking problem as water and electricity do not mix. Keep in mind that their housing is metal which is a conductor of electricity.

TooManyDogs · 26-11-2010 8:44pm

What about lining the shed with wood? It would make a big difference to the heat and should stop alot of the damp problems because the dogs heat wouldnt be able to condense on the metal. UV lamps are great. If you did get it lined with wood you could put insulation between the wood and metal.

boxerly · 26-11-2010 8:51pm

There is paint stuff not sure exact name but when ye paint it on it goes rubbery and makes the roof waterproof.I did my shed and there isnt a drop that gets in.Ye could also get a tube of expanding foam and fill in all the tiny gaps and holes which would stop any draft.Put a dog house into the shed or a covered crate with lots of blankets and a heat lamp if you wish

irelandspurs · 26-11-2010 9:20pm

http://cgi.ebay.ie/Power-Saving-Warming-Heat-Lamp-Kennel-Cattery-Dog-Cat-/400175782125?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item5d2c55d8ed

lrushe · 26-11-2010 10:30pm

TooManyDogs wrote: »

What about lining the shed with wood? It would make a big difference to the heat and should stop alot of the damp problems because the dogs heat wouldnt be able to condense on the metal. UV lamps are great. If you did get it lined with wood you could put insulation between the wood and metal.

Yeah just get sheets of styrofoam (pretty cheap), glue this to the shed walls and roof then create a 'false' wall by fixing sheets of plywood to the styrofoam, it will half the heat loss, this is what I have in my dogs kennel.

mikemac · 26-11-2010 10:35pm

The infra red lights are fantastic but as said they are not cheap to run.

The dampness needs to be sorted before you start getting lights

William Powell · 27-11-2010 12:54am

The dampness in a metal shed is more likely to be condensation and the shaded metal lamp fittings are sealed and have some sort of IP standard which means you aren't going to die if you get a few drips on them. Most of these fittings are designed for use on farms so have a few obvious saftey angles covered. Best advice would be to use them with a circuit breaker to be on the safe side and keep the wires out of the way so they can't be chewed, fallen over or pulled.

dvet · 27-11-2010 2:07pm

One word of warning about heat lamps - make sure they're high enough (more than a metre above the dogs is the recommendation i think?) - and that the dogs can move away from the heat lamp if they want to. I've come across dogs with horrible burns from heat lamps that were hung too low in small kennels etc! A shed would be better than a kennel alright because if they get too warm they can probably move to another corner.

You could also try getting some hay or straw for the floor of the kennel, pile it up high and it'll keep them very cosy - and might dry out better during the day than blankets. Ask a local farmer if he has any small square bales for sale - 1 would probably fill your whole shed, unless the shed is very big!

sellerbarry · 27-11-2010 2:16pm

Keep them in the kitchen. Problem sorted. Poor dogs must have been frozen last night.

Graces7 · 27-11-2010 5:26pm

sellerbarry wrote: »

Keep them in the kitchen. Problem sorted. Poor dogs must have been frozen last night.

Please, have them indoors. The temperature is set to plummet tonight and that shed is no place for anything alive. If you wouldn't sleep there why let the dogs?

Hay and straw is what we give to our homeless people in this weather. They have no choice ; you do.

golden8 · 27-11-2010 5:27pm

Wonder is the OP still around want advise but no feed back.

TentCrasher · 27-11-2010 8:50pm

3 or 4 sheets of 3/4 plywood and a 2 rolls of insulation would house 3 dogs at a cost of under 100 euro. Resulting wooden box inside your shed would be fine.

Sigma Force · 27-11-2010 8:57pm

Yeh the metal shed will create a lot of condensation and even with insulation you'd have to be careful it doesn't get through and cause problems.
Would it be possible to buy them a small timber shed, they're easier to insulate and don't drip like metal sheds.
Some of those heat lamps can't get wet it damages the bulb if they do.
Perhaps they've changed since but last one I had there was a big warning on it not to allow it to get wet.

You could try vet bed but if the water is dripping down it's not going to help much.

dollydishmop · 27-11-2010 9:15pm

golden8 wrote: »

Wonder is the OP still around want advise but no feed back.

Hopefully he/she is...and has hopefully acted on the advice given.

With the forecast given for tonight's temperatures, the dogs could potentially be in dire straights tonight if still sleeping in their cold, damp metal shed

Discodog · 27-11-2010 9:23pm

Bring them indoors. If you are determined not to then use heatpads which heat the dog instead of heating the air.

http://www.petnap.co.uk/acatalog/pet_heat_pads.html#a30

Follow the instructions very carefully.

andreac · 27-11-2010 9:24pm

I couldnt imagine leaving dogs out in a kennel or a shed in these conditions, trying to keep warm, not nice.:(

claire2010 · 27-11-2010 9:29pm

My 6 year old labrador sleeps on a duvet in the utility room. She loves it there best room in the house

keeping dogs warm in shed outside this winter???

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