GSP's outside in the winter

[iceman2010]

I was wondering how many of you keep your GSP's outdoors even in the winter months, I know up here in northern MN it gets to be some pretty cold and windy days. I recently got a GSP and am getting a kennel come spring and I was wondering if next winter comes around she will be okay outside.

[MNHuntress]

I'm a GWP owner, yeah I know not the same thing. But get a hound heater (MN made) and a remote thermometer. Play with the temp control on the hound heater until it makes the house about 50 degrees. I can monitor the temp in her house in my house. Her house faces south for a reason. It's also got plenty of marsh hay, don't use straw because it breaks down very quickly. Lastly I had to build a little wire cage around the temp remote in her house because she thought it was a great play toy.

[Ryan_V]

Mine is outside. I have one of those igloo houses for her inside my garage. I think she stays plenty warm. (garage is insulated but not heated) when it's cold, I also put a heat lamp on her. Also make sure they have plenty of fresh water

[mitch]

My GSP stays outside too. We put a dog door into our garage and built an insulated kennel inside. Then we put a covered heat lamp, a heated dog pad, and some canary grass on top of that. We also put a heated water bowl in the outside kennel. Maybe a little overkill, but my GSP can be a big baby about the cold weather sometimes.

[Ryan_V]

My GSP stays outside too. We put a dog door into our garage and built an insulated kennel inside. Then we put a covered heat lamp, a heated dog pad, and some canary grass on top of that.

I want to come live at your house! Most kids don't have it that good!

[LightningBG]

Access to a garage or a well build dog house is key. Beyond that, a heat source of some type and access to liquid water and the dog will be fine.

[Acemac]

my 40 lbs French britt stays out side durring the day in her out side kennel I have a steel gundog supply house out there and even when its -10 out she sleeps on top of the house.

think you just got to let them get used to being out side dont put a indoor dog out on the coldest day of the year and expect to not have issues.

[CaptainMusky]

I have owned many GPS's and they have always been outside in even the coldest weather. A couple things I do in preparation. I have a 5 gallon bucket for water. I put one of those trough heaters to keep it ice free in there. Not sure of the real name, but I purchased it at Mills FF. I tried the heated buckets, but they didnt work as well.

I put blue tarp on the outside of the chainlink fence to block the wind. I use straw, use a couple bales over the course of the winter. The house is fully insulated, including the top. I have the dog food in a feeder inside the house and have roof in two sections so I can take it off to feed him. This way he only has to come out for water.

Never had any problems. The other thing I do is change up the food I feed him to even more fat content. I typically run something high fat to begin with because of the breed's energy level and calorie burn, but in the winter I find something even higher.

[Hammertime]

We have always had our dogs inside for social interaction with them. I do have a heated garage with an indoor kennel and a dog door to go to an outside kennel when we are at work. I am in between gsp's right now, but we put a deposit on one that will be born later this month and home in april!