BigGameHoundsmen.com

I am in the compost buisness and what I do is put a 55 gal barrel on the groung.

Then I put 6 yards of compost on the barrel and it is stacked up about six feet, it is a great insulator, and a really cheap wat to go.

If you keep the dog house up off the ground, you must insulate it underneath as this will make it much colder inside if you don't. Just like when you sleep on a cot without a pad, you'll freeze because the air is flowing underneath it.

Thanks for all the help. I will get some flaps for my igloos and barrels.

I use plastic barrels with wood shavings, inside the barn. Food and heated water dishes are also in the barn. Each dog has a 6x12 chain link on concrete. Dogs stay warm regardless of the weather and I am never out in bad weather feeding and watering.

Zack; If you would, email me the plans for the dog houses as I may want to change from the barrels.

clbusbee@yahoo.com

put your hole to one side of the long side of your dog box, not the middle of the short side as traditional dog houses are made/pictured. Also put the hole high which helps keep the straw bedding inside. I keep my hole as small as possible- just a bit bigger than what they could barely squeeze through. Just plywood for sides- temps in PA get into the single digit negatives about 8-12 days a winter so I don't insulate. I do check each of my hounds in the middle of the night when it's really cold and typically they are curled up in thier straw and noticably toasty warm. Good luck, Paul Conway.

If building a wood house I would do just as Paul said, being able to get back away from the opening really helps especially when the winds bad.

over here in nw washington it rains alot in the winter months. i usually keep my dogs tied up to my truck, so i can feed and water them. i put them back in the box so they can keep eachother warm.
i also built a dog house on top of an old pallett. i fit four dogs in each one and they all stay nice and cozy.

I am having a hard time getting my dogs to sleep in the same dog house, one always sleeps outside. I think my dogs are doing a little better but they are still shivering in the mornings. I have one that is real skinny, he has been running hard, but I can not seem to put any weight back on him.
Thanks for the help

I have had hounds for 26 years, and in my experience feed is as important as anything. In the winter I will feed 2 1/2 - 3 lbs of raw meat and fat that I get from the butcher everyday. I also make sure they have lots of clean straw. I have a couple of dogs that pull their straw out of the house and sleep in front of it on top of the straw. I have come to the conclusion that we worry far more than we have to, it was - 20 here this morning and my 6 pups were all out barking and wrestling at 6 am.

i may not get as cold as some but we can get to 20 below and colder with windchill...but this is what i figured.....

first what ever material you use the thicker the harder the better...

2nd a rectangel shape is alwase better....the dog can sleep offside of the door which means not as much wind blowing directley on them...

3rd alwase keep in mind the more spacer there is the more space the dog has to heat...so try to keep it some what small...you dont need a 4ftx4ft dog house...but for an average sized hound and smaller 32"x22"x22" can work

4th...i alwase put a flap on the door....semi mud flaps are great...OR...the tread section off of a race car tire....if you know someone from the local track you can find some...ive found the dogs dont seem to like the taste of these items and they may chew alittle they will not USUALY chew off....keep the doors as small as possable...11x9 usualy works good for me..till they get alittle fatter...but theyll be ok...

5th...straw is better in the winter than hay....

just my opnions....