Posted: 9/26/2010 9:58:01 PM EDT
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We recently acquired our first dog, a 3 year old golden retriever. The dog is primarilly an indoor dog however Mrs. FishKepr occasionally works as a substitute assistant school teacher. Now that the school has started she may be called away 2-3 times a month for about 6-7 hours. Question: As long as we provide an insulated dog house, would it be OK to leave the dog in the back yard in near freezing temperatures during those times? If not, how low can we go? |
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Quoted: Is there a possibility that you can get power to the dog house? Yes, but I'd like to get outlet cover of some kind in case it rains while a device is plugged in. Right now our outdoor outlets have the standard flap covers. Quoted: Your dog should be fine indoors for 6-7 hours without a break.  During the day? Really? I think the longest we've left her in the house alone during the day was about 3 hours and she was taken out right before that. I think I'd start getting nervous at the 5 hour mark.  |
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Quoted: Quoted: Is there a possibility that you can get power to the dog house? Yes, but I'd like to get outlet cover of some kind in case it rains while a device is plugged in. Right now our outdoor outlets have the standard flap covers. Quoted: Your dog should be fine indoors for 6-7 hours without a break. During the day? Really? I think the longest we've left her in the house alone during the day was about 3 hours and she was taken out right before that. I think I'd start getting nervous at the 5 hour mark. There are many options for exterior electrical device protection. My concern was getting power out there so you could plug in a heating element. |
Healthy adult dogs who are housetrained should have no problem holding their urge to relieve themselves for up to eight hours. Many people work eight hour days and their dogs are inside during their work hours without a problem. Heck, my sixteen year old dog and my four month old puppy can hold it for eight hours. 
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acclimation is the key.
You can take a siberian husky and if he is kept outdoors all the time he will be fine in -40 you take the same dog and keep him indoors, then put him out in weather half that cold he'll freeze to death. A golden retriever is capable of living outdoors in Canada 24 hours a day 12 months a year if that dog has an insulated dog house that he can retreat to....provided the dog is an outdoor dog. If you want to keep your dog outside occasionally, I suggest you have him sleep outdoors at night in an insulated dog house during the fall, this will help him acclimate. If you don't do that, his standard coat and an insulated dog house he can retreat to will probably be fine for 8 hours provided weather doesn't get below freezing. You may even want to get a heat-lamp. Heck, a dog with a coat like the Golden in an insulated dog house, a standard 100 watt lightbulb is going to provide a good bit of heat. If you are really clever you could fix it with a motion-detector inside the doghouse....just make sure it can be on 24 hours a day without starting any fires!. A mudflap or some sort of door on the doghouse is a good idea too. Check out the Dogloo and Dogloo flap at Lowe's. Straw bedding or carpet bedding is a good idea too. You want to get a doghouse big enough for your dog to turn around in, but small enough so his body heat easily and quickly fills it. |
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Quoted: Healthy adult dogs who are housetrained should have no problem holding their urge to relieve themselves for up to eight hours. Many people work eight hour days and their dogs are inside during their work hours without a problem. Heck, my sixteen year old dog and my four month old puppy can hold it for eight hours. My old Lab (RIP Mikey) at 12 years old could go 12 hours at a stretch. It was terrible on me to make him do it but we had no choice in our work schedules. I would pamper him dearly for a day or so for being so good. Great dog  |
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Quoted: Quoted: Is there a possibility that you can get power to the dog house? Yes, but I'd like to get outlet cover of some kind in case it rains while a device is plugged in. Right now our outdoor outlets have the standard flap covers. Quoted: Your dog should be fine indoors for 6-7 hours without a break. During the day? Really? I think the longest we've left her in the house alone during the day was about 3 hours and she was taken out right before that. I think I'd start getting nervous at the 5 hour mark. A 3yr old dog should be fine in the house alone for 8hrs or so... A puppy, not so much... |