# winterizing for the dogs



## performanceknls (Apr 4, 2009)

We are starting to winterize the kennels in the back and thought it would be a good idea to share ideas for those with multiple dogs.
Our dogs dug holes all in the dog runs over the last year so we had rain that last few days and we took the rototiller out and tilled all the runs and leveled them out. next I need to make sure I have barrels or dog houses for each run then I think we are going to put cedar chips in all the runs. So how are you getting ready for the cold?

This was last winter and there were a ton more holes, the runs were pocked with them









Now all pretty!


----------



## Indigo Bully Connection (Dec 21, 2006)

is that snow in that first picture lisa??? Heck, it looks like real dirt now, not the desert!


----------



## meganc66 (Mar 6, 2009)

whoa it snows in NM?!?!?!?!
holy molyyyyyyyyyyy

and ya, it looks like the desert before the tiller runs thruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu


----------



## StaffyDaddy (Mar 28, 2009)

Nice improvement! I need a rototiller LMAO


----------



## meganc66 (Mar 6, 2009)

i know, me too oz! ima have to steal my friend's. haha


----------



## performanceknls (Apr 4, 2009)

Yeah we happen to have lots of fun tools and I use the heck out of the tiller! Yes it snows here and yes that was snow in the first picture. The first picture was last year it snowed for the first time this morning but it all melted by the after noon. Shoot it is 33 degrees out side right now!!! Burrrrrr


----------



## meganc66 (Mar 6, 2009)

HOLY MOLY it's colder in new mexico than it is in Michigan! CRAZY!!!!!


----------



## JFlowersLA (Oct 14, 2009)

I'm actually impressed that you have trees in NM. I know Phoenix the only trees you saw were in Parks or man planted ones around down town.


----------



## OldFortKennels (Mar 10, 2006)

I custom made all our dog houses so that in the winter I can take the tops off and slide a plasitc barrel inside the dog house. I then insulate all around the barrel and re-atach the roof. I then cram the house full of STRAW, not hay. Straw is hollow and holds heat better and not as much moisture. This has worked every year. I also increase the fat content in their food as a dog will shed lbs when it goes outside its house and shivers.


----------



## meganc66 (Mar 6, 2009)

OldFortKennels said:


> I custom made all our dog houses so that in the winter I can take the tops off and slide a plasitc barrel inside the dog house. I then insulate all around the barrel and re-atach the roof. I then cram the house full of STRAW, not hay. Straw is hollow and holds heat better and not as much moisture. This has worked every year. I also increase the fat content in their food as a dog will shed lbs when it goes outside its house and shivers.


that's a really cool idea for the dog house! i never would have thought of that!


----------



## OldFortKennels (Mar 10, 2006)

It really came about because we had all barrels at one time, ticks and fleas cant hide in plastic but it looked really *******, so I began to think how can I hide these things!!!!

Lisa nice setup. Just curious if you have ever had any trouble with dogs fence fighting?


----------



## BLUE PIT BULL MAN (May 22, 2009)

Right now im working on a kennel that should be sufficient year round its gonna be half barn style and half chain link all concrete floor with 6 stalls and a full roof over. so far i just have the Chain link the hard ware for the chainlink and metal poles, also I got 28 12foot cedar posts and 3 16 foot posts. I have an idea of what im makin i could not find any plans so im gonna wing it. but here is my little illistration. 








i know my illistration is kinda kid like


----------



## OldFortKennels (Mar 10, 2006)

That should be nice!


----------



## BLUE PIT BULL MAN (May 22, 2009)

OldFortKennels said:


> That should be nice!


thanks i will keep you posted as it comes along.


----------



## meganc66 (Mar 6, 2009)

WOW. 
come build me one of those.
oh wait.. i dont really have a yard for that...

one day... you can come build me one of those. LMAO.


----------



## t1dirty (May 21, 2009)

OldFortKennels said:


> I custom made all our dog houses so that in the winter I can take the tops off and slide a plasitc barrel inside the dog house. I then insulate all around the barrel and re-atach the roof. I then cram the house full of STRAW, not hay. Straw is hollow and holds heat better and not as much moisture. This has worked every year. I also increase the fat content in their food as a dog will shed lbs when it goes outside its house and shivers.


:clap:good idea with the barrel.............i just made my dog house with two walls and put insulation in there and hinged the roof so i can clean them out easier


----------



## performanceknls (Apr 4, 2009)

OldFortKennels said:


> I custom made all our dog houses so that in the winter I can take the tops off and slide a plasitc barrel inside the dog house. I then insulate all around the barrel and re-atach the roof. I then cram the house full of STRAW, not hay. Straw is hollow and holds heat better and not as much moisture. This has worked every year. I also increase the fat content in their food as a dog will shed lbs when it goes outside its house and shivers.





OldFortKennels said:


> It really came about because we had all barrels at one time, ticks and fleas cant hide in plastic but it looked really *******, so I began to think how can I hide these things!!!!
> 
> Lisa nice setup. Just curious if you have ever had any trouble with dogs fence fighting?


We up the feed in the winter too but it gets hard to put weight on dogs like Tempest and Siren because they work so much they can't keep weight on. That is why my dogs run agility or other sports in jackets.... yeah I know the guys at Schutzhund make fun of us but they all have GSD! lol
I really like that house idea because we are getting barrels for the other run but they do look really awful and I was thinking about trying to hide them.

As far as fence fighting goes I really do not have issues because I teach them when they are young that is a really bad idea if they want to keep breathing! lol If some gets an attitude I break out the no bark and the remote e collar and I will sit in the kitchen and wait for the trouble maker to make a move. A few perfectly timed correction on the e collar and no more fence fighting. I will sometimes even out clients dogs out in the dog runs and my dogs leave them alone but that is another reason I do not want to get an adult dog. Puppies are easier to train in the dog runs.


----------



## boogiebot (Oct 7, 2009)

BLUE PIT BULL MAN said:


> Right now im working on a kennel that should be sufficient year round its gonna be half barn style and half chain link all concrete floor with 6 stalls and a full roof over. so far i just have the Chain link the hard ware for the chainlink and metal poles, also I got 28 12foot cedar posts and 3 16 foot posts. I have an idea of what im makin i could not find any plans so im gonna wing it. but here is my little illistration.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


blue please dont take this the wrong way....but man that picture is awesome!!! i had to giggle just because it looked like something that I would have done...lol


----------



## boogiebot (Oct 7, 2009)

performanceknls said:


> That is why my dogs run agility or other sports in jackets.... yeah I know the guys at Schutzhund make fun of us but they all have GSD! lol


Lisa - since you brought up the jacket thing this is something that has been on my mind. its getting quite cold here in vancouver probably around 40 or so (not too sure because we use celcius) about 5-8 degrees celcius. But i think that i need to get jacket for my pup something water resistant and warm. Any suggestions?

sorry dont meant to high jack your thread just thought i would ask here instead of starting another.


----------



## OldFortKennels (Mar 10, 2006)

E collars are awsome!


----------



## performanceknls (Apr 4, 2009)

ok so I was going to put cedar chips in the runs but no one has them in a large amount so I think I am going to see if I can get them in a truck load. we used straw in all the runs and put crates or dog houses in all the runs. Once I find more dog houses on cragislist I will add them instead of the crates. My dogs do not stay in the runs when it is too cold or overnight anyway so that will do for now.


----------

