Anyone use a heat lamp in their kennel?
Discussion
Kramer the Labrador is 6 this year & we keep thinking as he gets older sleeping in the garage might not be the best for him. So I'm starting to look into these but I'm a bit bewildered by the choices.
Something with a thermostat & timer would be ideal but I wondered if anyone had any experiences?
Something with a thermostat & timer would be ideal but I wondered if anyone had any experiences?
My three have just slept outside in the run all winter, my oldest GSP is about 7 or 8 now. They batter the door down to get out at night and into bed. Personally I think you're being too soft. ps my dads labs slept outside all their lives with no heater. If its very cold I give mine a slightly larger ration of nose bag. Just make sure they are sleeping off the floor, their backs are dry and they have shelter, then they are fine outside.
Personally i live in a house. My dogs stay in the house all winter. In summer whilst at work we leave them outside but with access to the utility room which is separated from the house by a locked door.
Depends on the dog really, we have a brace of Grays so need warmth as they have no body fat.
Slightly more leaky than other dogs i've owned. Both were racers not pets so not the same i guess.
Winter can get messy.
Depends on the dog really, we have a brace of Grays so need warmth as they have no body fat.
Slightly more leaky than other dogs i've owned. Both were racers not pets so not the same i guess.
Winter can get messy.
boy said: My three have just slept outside in the run all winter, my oldest GSP is about 7 or 8 now. They batter the door down to get out at night and into bed. Personally I think you're being too soft. ps my dads labs slept outside all their lives with no heater. If its very cold I give mine a slightly larger ration of nose bag. Just make sure they are sleeping off the floor, their backs are dry and they have shelter, then they are fine outside.
Well I've subscribed to this theory for the last 6 year I just figured as he's getting older it might be better for his joints like. He has a dog flap to his run outside & although not too bad it's bound to be a little drafts in there.Slink said:
why not have a large heat mat type thing? like a heated blanket but for a pet bed? would make more sense than a blindingly bright light above them....
I think they're infra red so aren't like a light bulbLaurasOtherHalf said:
I think they're infra red so aren't like a light bulb
We use 8 
heatlamps currently for breeding chicks and ducks (wouldn't put a dog in with them 
)You get a dullish, but bright red light and a smallish spot of heat, with them being hung fairly low down (or you get no effect) probably the wrong size and implement for a dog, as. If you do get one, it's probably easy enough to get one without any other features but a hi-lo switch and turn it on and off by hand. They are fairly cheap, but can chew through bulbs so you do have to buy decentish ones.
Wouldn't recommend them however, something like a thermal bed would work better (like the thermal socks), of the aforementioned heated blanket (watch out for chewing though!
)Would not go for one of the heated electric blanket jobs as dogs do chew and fido might get a nasty shock as he is chopping down on is bed, go for a ceramic heater, say 150-200w or bigger ,do mount it in a safety cage as they get a little hot t say the least and if fidotouched it with his nose he'll get a burnt snozzer.
no light out put but lovely and toasty dog.
no light out put but lovely and toasty dog.
LaurasOtherHalf said:
bexVN said:
Jasandjules said:
Let him sleep in the house? A nice bed on the floor next to yours?
That's our Jimmy's place at night k that! I could say fk that to having a dog sleep in the garage but I wouldn't because I get everyone has different ideas to pet ownership.I couldn't tell you what would be a suitable heat source except I'd probably avoid a heated bed, too much risk of overheating/ burning him.
Quite a while ago someone posted pics on here showing the kennel set up for their dog including heat sources used but unfortunately I can't remember who it was, which is going to annoy me now!
Edited by bexVN on Sunday 14th April 20:54
Slink said:
why not have a large heat mat type thing? like a heated blanket but for a pet bed? would make more sense than a blindingly bright light above them....
My parent's dog was in the vet over night and they left a heat mat on all night. The burns left on the dog were horrible and took a long time to heal. The dog was caged so could not escape the heat, I don't think they're ok to be left on all the time.Jasandjules said:
LaurasOtherHalf said:
For want of a better phrase, fk that!
Well, the snoring does keep me awake sometimes......k that!Plus I'm not sure if its true but I did hear that it's quite a serious health hazard due to your immune system being low whilst sleeping & the germs dogs can carry as not being great for you.
But anyways, I digress. Doesn't look like there's much of a solution with regards to heat. I screwed his bed down to a pallet & I could always fit some heat reflected material between them I suppose.
He's a trained gun dog & unbelievably obedient but he does tend to treat anything in his kennel as his & when we've bought him soft furnishings he's chewed them up in the past. That was in his younger days so it might be worth getting him a blanket perhaps.
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