Lab owners: I have a 5 year-old Black Lab named Rocky who lives outside under an elevated playhouse. While I can provide him a lot of straw for bedding, the floor space to too large to heat all of it. I am wondering if anyone can recommend some type of heat lamp that I could mount for cold winter days. We live in East Tennessee, so usually the upper teens would be considered a real cold wave here. My Vet has told me that he should be fine, but I am still concerned about him. Suggestions will be appreciated. Malcolm
Really, if you have to keep him outside, he needs a purpose made kennel. If not, can you make a smaller box for him to sleep in? Just a towel/vetbed as a door to keep the draughts out and plenty of dry straw? Or better still, invite him into the house with the rest of his family
Thanks for the suggestions. I am putting a partition in his house to reduce the space and have purchased a Brooding Lamp for heat with a red infrared bulb. Red light is supposed to offer health benefits to both animals and humans. He most assuredly will receive lots of attention this winter and should bask in a warm environment on a daily basis. He is the sweetest dog that I have ever owned. But, after all, he is lab and would eat the furniture if he came inside.
Hi, some good ideas here .If you are worried about chewing you can have him inside safely in a crate too.
Originally from Kingsport. Years ago my Malamute was a mostly outside dog, but in the past 30 years all of our Labs have slept inside, usually in our bedroom and often on the bed. They all learned early on, which things they could destroy (their dog toys) and which they shouldn't. It always amazed me that they mostly figured this out on their own. Cooper will almost immediately start to dismantle a new plush toy, but never touches furniture or clothing. I really can't imagine leaving a Lab outdoors away from his/her family. All of ours would stay fairly close to us if we were home, but mostly sleep all day in the house if we left them. We have had a dog door for years so they could go outside if they needed. FWIW, My Malamute only destroyed two things he shouldn't have, a book on the natural history of dogs (he thought we shouldn't know) and the back of a chair when we left him one night and was unhappy about it.
