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Dog House Questions, Answers, and Comments
Questions and comments about building dog houses and other pivotal issues of the
millenium are welcome via email.
Please read through the questions and look over the gallery. You may find
the answer to your question is already in here somewhere.
Topics thus far:
I love your doghouse construction website - the
text is simultaneously informative and hilarious - but you left out one
key bit of information that's keeping me on the edge of my seat (and it's
not because I have a big behind, since it's been photographically proven
that I have no behind): what breed of monster perros did you build this
sucker for?-TL
Lana and Mavis are full grown females of
the Rottweiler/Australian Shepherd breed combination, but the Black Forest
chromosomes far outnumber those of the Outback. So they weigh about 85
and 95 pounds respectively. Check
this page to see a sketch with approximate measurement in inches.
(Sorry metric system stalwarts, but you just can't walk into a hardware
store in Georgia and ask for a centimeter tape measure. "You want
a whut, son?")
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Expecting to find: buxom women tied to small outbuilding
in nothing but panties and a collar (then again forget the panties). Find:
Small children and drunken ex NC State graphic designos creating a living
space for canines. Imagine my shock and disillusionment. I'm going to
report you to your provider so that you and your ilk can be removed from
the internet (thus) providing more bandwidth to the pornographers and
hustlers who deserve it. The conspiracy knows who you are and where you
live (for now). -DJS
Outbuilding, is that some type of oblique
reference to out-house? Shocked and disillusioned? I reckon I would be
too if I had paid good money to study civil engineering in a building
festooned wiyh concrete gargoyles, and then had to "surf the web"
to try and figure out how to build a simple dog house. You know, if you
don't stop spamming me, I'm going to tell mom that you are just pretending
to be involved with the conspiracy of normal humans.
I'm sorry, what was the question?
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Nice site. One thing I did when I made my dog houses
was to keep the roof flat. I pitched it enough for water runoff (of course
I'm also in California) and kept it flat so that my dogs could use it
as a sunning spot. I also hinged the roof so that it was easier to clean
out the dog house. Also, for cold weather areas (although any dog shoud
be brought inside if it gets cold enough especially if it is NOT a northern
breed), you want to design the house with an interior wall, such that
the inside space is just large enough for the dog to curl up in. That
makes the most efficient use of body heat. The "front parlor"
can be kept as large as needed for sprawling especially if the summers
are also hot and humid. In other words, the interior wall partitions a
smaller area for curling up and keeping warm from the larger area in front
of the doorway that is cooler. -CTM
Shrewd observations, C. Although you don't
mention the size of your dogs, their ability to leap onto the roof combined
with the feasibility of a multi-room dog house in the Golden State suggests
to me that we are not talking St. Bernards here. But this is exactly the
type of site and canine specific innovation and that every dog house architect
should strive for. It sounds to me like you took into consideration your
dogs size and lifestyle, your local (dry) climate, and even ongoing maintenence
(hinged roof for cleaning) which was something that I never thought of.
Great ideas, I hope you can post some photos to the net so that the we
can all see this technique.
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Thanks for the website. I really got some good
ideas. I live in ( a New England state). We usually have a couple weeks
of -30 or -40 degree weather in the winter. The rest of the winter hovers
around 0-10 (degrees fahrenheit) . I've heard that a small dog house with
a baffle (i.e. a partial wall to protect the dog from the wind) will allow
the pet's body heat to keep the shelter warm. This does require insulation.
Any thoughts on this? - JD
This question needed to be asked. I duly
note that it is the middle of August when you pose the question, good
timing.
I beg you to immediately forget about building a dog house like this.
If you let your dog stay outside during these type of winter conditions,
you will kill your dog. I mean it.
I too, have heard this apocryphal "body heat conservation" nonsense,
do not buy into it, it is a death sentence for your dog. Thirty or forty
below zero are would be considered harsh conditions on the Iditerod. I
bring my dogs inside my house when it is forty degrees above zero.
"Not a fit night out for man nor beast" is a good rule of thumb.
If you would not spend the night (or day) outside in a plywood shed, your
faithful dog has the same thought process. But the dog is depending on
you to open the door and toss another log on the fire. The dog house is
a shelter against sun and rain, not extreme cold.
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I had my original houses built by (a freelance
carpenter) over 8 years ago, but some fundamental things were lacking
-mostly a decent foundation. Now, I'm having to replace them because of
massive wood rot. When I built my present houses, we did use dog measurements;
my biggest problem is moving them around for cleaning purposes. I think
I might put this set of houses on wheels. My houses are under my deck
and I like to be sure there is not any dirty stuff behind the houses and
that there are not too many bug-things living back there around the houses.
We're in Alabama and we get bad bug-things, the kind that will rot flesh.
Do you have any ideas or suggestions as to whether large caster-type wheels
might work-PW
Rotting of the floorboards. Insist on pressure
treated lumber for floor constructions. I quote myself "Since this
wood will be close to the ground and unsurfaced, pressure treated wood
is mandatory. It is the only wood that will resist rotting and infestation."
In addition, the wooden part of the house should be raised up above the
surface on concrete or stone or brick. Cap blocks are inexpensive (less
than a dollar apiece here) and work well.
Wheels on your dog house. I do not think it is good idea, for these reasons:
1. With large dogs (like Rottweilers), I imagine a 150 pound wooden skateboard
piloted by an equally massed dog. I am troubled by the prospect of one
dog slamming the house against the other dog, running over feet, etc.
If you have kids or other small mammals nearby, they might also be at
risk from the roaming residences.
2. Even if you used heavy duty lockable casters or chucked the wheels,
the structure would be weakened at the points where the wheels were attached.
Even with fortification the house would still be apt to blow around in
strong winds.
If you want to move the houses periodically for cleaning, I suggest using
the casters to fashion a heavy duty dolly that you could hoist the house
up onto.
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Date: Tue, 28 Aug 1956 01:21:10 +0000
From: ELVIS
MIME-Version: 1.0
To: kkstrong@mindspring.com
Subject: Thanks for the information
I enjoyed your web site and appreciate that you've made your dog house
plans available for free. I can't believe the tone of some of the e-mail
FAQs that you've posted on your site. Ideas like a hinged roof are certainly
good, but don't people read your disclaimer before going on about cold-weather,
parlor space, etc.
I always knew you were still alive, now
I have proof. Well maybe. The pentagon invented the internet back in the
fifties, and nobody really said what you did in the army. That punchcard
e-mail is awfully slow. Yet I am still puzzled by how you anticipated
the dog website some seven years before my birth. Guess that's why you're
the king.
Give Old Shep a pat on the head for me, and thangyaverrymush.
PS. You can't believe the tone of my e-mail? Let me just say that the
King of Rock and Roll chiming in from 1956 is about par for the course.
TCB.
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I own a Rottweiler named C and she is very sad
for she does not like the rain. She has heard that El Nino is on it's
way to California and she should expect many rainy, cold, and down right
icky days this winter. She has submitted a request for a home of her own.
I found your page and love the house you built (so does C). Anyway, what
C does not realize is that her adoptive parents are spastic when it comes
to constructing anything. We have a friend that will help but with the
construction but I was wondering if you could gelp us with the materials
list. Do you have the amounts of lumber and plywood you used? -JDH
It has been about three months since the
page went online and I almost got away with the nebulous materials list.
I left the details sketchy because I was focused on the technique, rather
than trying to provide an exact blueprint of my specific dog house.Your
question was inevitable. I will give you some more details, with the following
admonitions:
1) My dog house was designed for two Rottweilers, who could have a couple
of Mastiffs over for cocktails comfortably, if they only knew a couple
of Mastiffs. If you have only one dog, you will not need dimensions this
large, but do make sure she can comfortably lay on her side.
2) Any type of stylistic shortcuts or amendments you make will deplete
from or add to your materials. I urge you to get graph paper to plan each
surface (floor, walls, roof) and refer back to my picture pages, which
show the actual usage of wood, before you show up at the lumber yard.
My dog house floor is a four foot square. The house stands over five feet
tall at the roof crest.
That being said, here is an approximate list of the materials in my dog
house derived from my already published list:
1) treated lumber 2x4 (3) 8 foot long
studs
2) plywood (6) 4X8 foot sheets 3/8 thickness
3) 2x2 lumber (12) 8 foot studs
4) 2x4 lumber (3) 8 foot studs
5) shingles or other roof material (at least 2 bundles)
6) assorted trim boards (corners, lattice, 1X6 as needed)
7) "L" brackets, nails, and screws (I bought "L" brackets
until I ran out of money)
8) paint, caulk and roof cement
9) bricks or cap blocks (four should work if the site is level)
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Do you have any idea as to how one might make the
roofs hinge-able for easy cleaning? My current roofs are removable, but
too heavy to be practical. I'm nowhere near an engineer, I just know what
I'd like in a house: warm, dry, roomy and easy to clean. I insulated my
last set of houses with the pink stuff and thin plywood, worked pretty
well. -PW
Hinged roof. A previous letter on the FAQ
talks about this idea. My dog house is so big that my wife, daughter,
both dogs, and I all fit into the dog house described in the webpage.
I am six foot three and weigh 240. If the entrance is large enough for
Rottweilers, it should be large enough for someone to get their upper
body into for cleaning. A hinged roof, like wheels, are suspect in high
wind conditions. A hinged front or rear siding panel might give you better
access with less structural compromise.
I am interested that you used fiberglass wall insulation inside your old
houses. I was afraid to use it for fear the dogs would accidently rip
it or that future pups might unwittingly chew at it (the stuff is a major
tissue irritant). Did you install interior walls in these houses or did
your dogs ignore the insulation? Any insight you could give on this issue
would be beneficial to a lot of people, I have not covered it.
I did use interior walls. My husband thought I'd lost my mind. These
are, after all Rottweilers - German dogs with coats built for German weather
- much worse than Alabama weather. But my old man Rottie at the time was
8 and I couldn't stand the thought of him even being chilly. So I did
what I thoght was right - like I had seen done at houses being built.
I got the pink stuff, installed it and cut walls to cover it. Then I caulked
the seams with the silicone stuff. I thought it worked well. Dogs never
acted cold.
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Subject: Mr. Jones
Forgive me and correct me if I am wrong but doesn't Pendejo mean stupid
or idiot? Or is it Bendejo? A bit close for comfort. No? -Baking in Southern
Cal
Yes. That is exactly what that means.
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(A certain website) claims that many breeds of
dogs can live outside during the winter (even in the frozen north) if
they are provided with an insulated doghouse of the proper dimensions.
-CW
I noticed that the person who posted the web page
you refer to did not sign his name or cite any credentials which would
lead him to make such a conclusion. I have written the host to point this
out, but the fact that the page was last updated during the Bush administration
doesn't bode well for a prompt response.
Unfortunately, a lot of people believe what they read
online. Even if this plan is totally do-able and safe, somebody would
take a shortcut and end up killing their dog. This information would seem
less cavalier if it came from an identified and accredited source.
I recommend that you stay away from the "deep
winter dog house" concept unless you could get your veterinarian
to sign off on the exact plans. I seriously doubt she or he would endorse
it, but let me know. I say bring your (Jane Dog) inside when it gets real
cold. We used to confine our dogs to a locked hallway on cold nights when
they were puppies, they were always raring to get outside in the morning.
You might consider a laundry, bath, kitchen, or utility room inside the
house where your young dog's destructiveness can be minimized.
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Your site should be called "This old Dog House"-JG
Maybe I can talk Bob Vizsla into hosting it.
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Subject: Your dog house website of hideous evil
Your website is the ultimate evil. Why would you
dare to teach dogs to build their own homes? You are obviously a sick
individual with a warped mind. When all of the good and decent people
of Earth, and all of the mighty dolphins that rule the sea with an iron
fist are forced to bow down to the evil dog queen, I hope you realize
it is your fault, and your fault alone. YOUR INSANE PLOT WILL DESTROY
ALL OF HUMANITY!!!!! You have betrayed mankind. Our only hope is that
no dogs are able to obtain the materials needed to put these plans to
use. YOU MADMAN!!!!!
Sincerly,
The Vice President of the United States
Quagilbly Barbleface
That's Mad Dog to you, buddy. When dog houses
are outlawed, only dogs will have out houses. (Think about it.)
So unless you want to find yourself piddling on the nearest fireplug in
the canine-dominated future, I would suggest you immediately get to work
building an immense dog house. Your only hope is that the structure will
be so enormous, that your tail-wagging masters will be unable to locate
you in its cavernous recesses.
Seriously Quag, with hominids like yourself a heartbeat
away from the nuclear "football", will the destruction of humanity
be my insane plot, or yours? Nice try at shifting the blame, though.
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you aparantly know little about dogs or good dog
house design.
dogs perfer a flat roof, slightly lower in rear
for drainage. they like to streach on the roof, also off kennel floor
when wet or snow. if house is in an enclosed kennel it should be located
away from sides to prevent jumping over fencing.
house opening should be offset to one side with
a divider part way down. this prevents being exposed to wind, rain and
snow. it is much warmer, gives the dog needed privicy. also opening should
not be at floor level. floor should be raised to allow air circulation.
a removable floor for cleaning is best.
there are excelllent factory models available,
insulated with removable raised floor. they are used from the tropics
to the artic. I have found them less expensive than building after taking
every cost into consideration.
I am no longer in business, retired and almost
80. I founded and operated a 100+ kennel for many years and tried everything.
-WL
What is the address of your dog house building
web page? I include links to every other dog house page in the world,
just to show that I am unafraid of the competition.
Why? Because I don't make any money off this, as a
matter of fact it costs me money and time to do it. I do update the site
frequently and answer every inquiry that comes in. I have put scores of
hours into it. So ease up a bit, please.
Even though you opened up your dialog by brutally
slamming me, you raise several good points:
The flat roof is very popular, I suggest it on the
planning page for people who are looking for a structure that is simple
to plan and build. People who own large, high jumping dogs are well advised
to put the house a considerable distance from a barrier fence. This was
overlooked and is now included in the "site considerations"
portion of the planning page.
The interior partition idea has been addressed. I
do not endorse it because I get too much mail from people in the frozen
climes who think it might be okay to let their pet stay outside during
a 40 below night because they built a partition. "Those frostbitten
feet might leave prints on the linoleum" is all the consideration
some people pay their canine compadres.
On the issue of factory manufactured dog housing,
this is the "How to Build a Dog House Site" not the "How
to Pick Up A Telephone and Order A Pre-Fabricated Dog House Site".
Those folks are welcomed to contact me, though. When I first wrote this
page, I imagined a solitary dog owner like myself trying to build one
dog house specifically for his/her dog and his/her home. I did not foresee
the amount of interest from professional breeders, though I welcome it.
I am certain that manufactured dog houses are much cheaper than hand-built
ones when you are buying them twenty at a time.
I respect your experience with dogs and dog houses,
and sincerely thank you for taking the time to respond to my work in such
detail. I welcome you to visit my site often and give me (guff) as you
see fit.
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For a hinged roof: on a "Snoopy"-style
house (the majority of doghouses), only hinge one side. For any type of
doghouse, use a weatherproof "piano hinge" if one can be found,
and no matter what kind of hinge is used, put a baffle underneath the
hinge-- running the entire length of the doghouse-- to keep the wind &
cold from seeping through the less-insulated hinged area. Insert screw-eyes
on the underside of roof overhang on the hinged side and in the wall,
then use a double-end snap to keep the roof from lifting in the wind.
This can also be done with hook-and-eye closures, like the ones often
found on bathroom and bedroom doors in older houses. It's important that
they be weatherproof and made to keep the roof as tightly closed as possible,
lest the wind manage to get underneath anyway and loosen them.
My other suggestion... Contrary to popular belief,
the door should not be placed in the middle of the front wall unless the
house is in a warm climate. It should actually be placed to one side of
a long wall, if the doghouse is rectangular, and to one side of whatever
wall will face front if the house is a square. It may not be as aesthetically
appealing, but it's much more practical in a cold climate. It can also
fit with the architectural scheme of an asymmetrical early Victorian like
my house.-EC
Your hinged roof suggestions are right on, and should
be the last word on that topic. In regards to your iconoclastic views
on door location, my hat is off, shame on me for being such a Charles
Schultz traditionalist. I know that I have finally begun to reach my target
audience when I hear from a man who speaks of asymmetry and aspires to
build a Victorian-style dog house.
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While simple hinges are certainly high wind hazards,
if latched properly they can work very well. The only drawback is that
with tall houses it is actually harder to bend over into it that it is
to crawl in the front door.
Access panels can be good also, and they don't
have to compromise the structural soundness if just cut into the ply-wood.
Just make the panel itself slightly over sized and use weather stripping
and a tight latch. This also aids in removing puppies to a more appropriate
place for raising (other than the obvious dangers of exposure, I have
seen many puppies squished accidentally by mom
It doesn't get cold where I live (the subtropical
US), but we do have significant rain. So I find that the partition at
the doorway does provide some shelter from the elements.
I also find that my dogs (greyhound in particular)
tend to tear their boney selfs up without bedding. Just please DON'T use
hay. It may be cheap and easy to change, but hazards range from allergies,
to irritation (like eyes or sensitive bellies), to parasite explosions.-Dr.
W. DVM
Your observation about the too-high hinged roof is
so obvious I cant believe no one has pointed it out until now. I think
I should go ahead and recommend that the hinged roof idea is probably
only a good plan for small to medium houses. Your admonitions about puppies
and bedding are absolutely correct and should be told to the rest of the
world. Pay attention folks.
I asked this veterinarian for a statement about the
ongoing controversy on this page regarding cold weather dog houses. I
told him that I live in fear that some misguided jughead with a modem
and power tools will unintentionally sentence poor Fido to an existence
that would cause Jack London to shudder. His response:
Dogs (domesticated for how many thousands of years?)
should be brought in out of bad weather.
Not much leeway there. Let's all be nice and let our
dogs in.
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You must be a weenie. If you bring your dog inside
at forty degrees. I sleep with my dog outside at forty degrees. In sled
dog races when it gets cold out. They don't stop the race if it's cold
out. Dogs like to be outside,even if it is cold out. -FO
A man defends the hot dog and gets called a weenie.
Gee, F, thanks for the observations, but my website
wasn't directed at homeless people with telepathic pets. Perhaps you should
pawn your computer and try to put together a security deposit on an apartment.
Here's a pointer: prospective landlords (and employers) will be really
impressed when you use complete sentences.
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A job well done in the design and layout of your
website. It is nice to see someone who represents all of us - the weekend
carpenters...dads...after work putzers......men of the 90's - who are
not afraid of imperfection. In fact, I applaud you because of how you
openly advertise mediocrity... Someone, not in the least bit interested
in building a dog house, would find your site entertaining ... The info
contained in your website, however, can get any bonehead interested in
building a doghouse started in the right direction (barring cosmic interference,
as you so astutely pointed out).
As an owner of a Newfi in the mountains of (a northwestern
US state) I could very easily say "This dog is tough - she can take
it" and keep her outside all the time. However, then my dog would
turn into a jumping, whelping, whiner in dire need of attention. My family
would not get to experience the close companionship offered by a "big
dog". Continue your humane defense of canis domesticus, otherwise
we might as well trap a few canis lupus', chain 'em in the backyard, and
throw them a deer or elk carcass occasionally for entertainment.-BO
I will not openly advertise Mediocrity until the Mediocrity
people send in their monthly dues. Why should they get a free ride when
the fine folks at the International Brotherhood of Half-Assed Jobbers
pay top dollar for the type of exposure I provide on an ongoing basis?
A jumping, whelping, attention-starved dog is not
a good thing under any circumstances, but a Newfoundland in avalanche
country... we're talking public safety issues here.
As for the entertainment value of chucking carci into
the lawn: Yeah, I live in Georgia, but we did outlaw that practice last
November and we're really trying to shake the old stereotypes. Give us
a chance, man.
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How much plywood did
it take to cover the roof?
If you are building the exact dog house that we built,
the two roof decks are 37 X 60 inches each. This was done with four 37
X 30 panels but could have been done (more easily) with two 37 X 60 panels.
Either way you are looking at two sheets of plywood. If you made your
house a little less deep than mine (since yours is only for one dog) you
could probably get by with one sheet for the roof. Math makes my head
hurt.
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Who would have thought
that going to Altavista and typing in "How to Build a Doghouse"
would give us everything we need to build a small abode for two Jack Russell
Terriers from Hell!
I strongly suggest you build a large abode
for those Jack Russell Terriers from Hell! After all, they will need plenty
of room to entertain their Demonic Doberman, Diabolical Dalmation, and
Satanic Samoyed friends who'll be teleporting in from time to time.
Do not arouse their unholy wrath!
I realize now I wasn't tripping when I saw Eddie on
"Frasier" do a 360 with his head.
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..... saw your dog
house and dog house plans. I am needing to build a dog house for my 90lbs
black Lab dog. Could you please tell me approx how much money it cost
you to build the dog on your web site?
Let's see, I could take this three ways:
1. Literally (infering that the dogs themselves were the product of some
bizarre suburban genetic engineering experiment). Don't you think I would
get more chicks doing a website about cloning instead of carpentry? I
suppose I open the door for speculation when I showcase the involvement
of my mutant pal Pendejo.
2. Cynically The "dog" on my web site you refer to is the actual
content of the site itself; in other words you think my site sucks the
big one. In this case I would echo the salutation I gave to the horse
you rode in on.
3. Pragmatically You really want to know how much it cost to build
the dog house. Since I stole all of the materials off of
construction sites, I brought this bad boy in for under ten bucks.
Seriously, the plywood was donated, but if I had to
pay for everything it would probably be in the $90 to $110 range. You
can probably come out cheaper with a somewhat smaller design since you
have just the one dog.
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I'm amazed at some
of the comments I read! When did people become so critical and rude???
No wonder my living companions are dogs! I may or may not follow your
plans, or anyone else's for that matter, but I certainly appreciate very
much that they were available when I went searching.
According to my research, the human race achieved
it's current level of rudeness in mid July, 1994.
Don't despair. Most of the people who write me are
nice, mentally stable folks who love dogs. The reason why I publish almost
all of the nutcase and doofus mail is because:
A: I have a warped sense of humor
B: Controversy and conflict make for a more interesting and entertaining
website
C: I hope that people that are on the bozo borderline might see how dumb
some of those knuckleheads sound and opt for a greater level of responsibilty.
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When I was in the service
in Alaska, we had 6 huskies that lived at our Coast Guard station. These
dogs lived outside all year, even in -30 degrees with 25-30 knot winds,
without any man-made shelter. These 6 dogs were made up of 2 generations
of a family that had lived at the station (and may still live there for
all I know) for many years. They were born outside, lived outside, raised
their families outside, and died (mostly of old age) outside. Many were
the mornings when we would go out of our nice heated buildings, give a
whistle for the dogs and see these mounds of snow come to life where the
dogs had lied down for the night and had been covered with snow. There
were days when you couldn't even tell where the dogs were until they moved.
As far as bringing the dogs inside, it was a Standing
Order that the dogs were never to be brought inside during the winter
months, an offense that was punishable by court-martial under a 'cruelty
to animals' rule. This rule was put in place after a tragic event caused
by someone who thought he was being nice to one of the dogs. He brought
the dog inside where the dog got nice and warm. When the dog was put back
outside, the warmth melted the snow that the dog lied in and then the
snow refroze when the animal cooled off. He was found dead the next day,
frozen to the snow, with his head bleeding where he had smashed it on
the ground in his panicky attempts to free himself.
From what I remember of my time in AK, huskies
all over the Great White North spend their entire lives outside regardless
of the weather. I'm certainly not recommending this for anybody's pet,
just simply pointing out that are breeds that can handle it, if it is
all they ever know. -DM
Although I did not mean for my site to become a forum
about deep winter dog ownership (I live in Georgia), this has been an
emotionally charged issue that just won't go away.
Your point is sincere and well stated. A year ago
I probably would have been apprehensive to publish your letter because
of the fear that it would be misinterpreted. But I feel now that it is
important to present all viewpoints.
I am the proud companion
of a brindle female "Pit Bull" that tips the scales at just
over 80 lbs. Pandora (Pandy for short) is a well mannered, good tempered
dog (unless the UPS man comes by or another
critter is near.) and was in need of shelter where we lived in (the Southwestern
US) I opted for the
single level, flat (slanted) roofed jobby with an offset opening in the
front.
Since Pandy has been known to literally climb trees
when showing an interest in a feline, we had to keep her "staked"
up when she was outside since she would scale the fence with no effort
what so ever. When she was first staked out there, I had her fastened
to a logging chain that was wrapped around the front axle of a 72 GMC
"Jimmy" 4x4 (sans the engine and tranny) and since it was lifted
6" and had 33"
tires , she made a comfortable spot underneath it where she could rest
in the shade. Since Sir James (the "Jimmy) had been there for some
time, the tires were all sunk into the ground by about 6" so it wasnt
going anywhere, that is until another dog went by. Pandora (in 2 lunges)
pulled Sir James out of the holes it resided in and tried to drag it across
the drive to the fence.
Keeping these abilities in mind, when I designed
the house for her I also designed some key features to keep both her and
the wood loving insects at bay.
(1) The
4 "legs" that the house stood on (2x4's) were cut 2' longer
than necessary and had spikes driven through them sideways. When the house
was "planted", they were buried into the ground and "insta-crete"was
poured around them.
(2) The
bottom of the floor and the 4 legs were coated with a spray on vehicle
undercoating so as to aid prevention of rot/insects. (Available in spray
cans at your local auto parts store) I would suggest doing the spraying
at least a day before the canine is to take residence to allow proper
curing, more or less time may be needed depending on where you reside.
and finally (3) a piece of 1/2" rebar was
bent in a "U" and installed through two pre-drilled holes in
the front frame of the house, after it was threaded through the chain.
After it was pushed through the ends were bent over to prevent it from
being pulled through.
Now I know this must sound like the ultimate "redneck"
theory of building a doghouse, perhaps it is, but I wanted to share this
with you as others may be in the same "monetarily challenged"
situation I was in while building Pandy's condo.
Side Note: Pandy was an indoor dog except when
we went to town, she was placed out there to keep watch over the Chevy's
so they didnt walk away.
Second Side Note: After residing in that condo
for 4+ years, Pandy and I moved to the (big city). I had to remove the
house so the new owners didnt have to deal with it. (Older folks, just
tryin to be considerate) It took me the better part of 1/2 a day to get
the house up out of the ground and since I built it using ONLY dry wall
screws (2 to 4" lengths) it was a terror to dismantle as well.
I could have really used Pandora's skills when I was
helping my friend Pendejo rid himself of a P.O.S. '83 Sentra that had
rusted stiff in his backyard. If this is dog house building's ultimate
redneck theory, then I say people should crack open a PBR and listen up.
People should use good judgement and solicit common
sense. The fact that you are checking out this website is a good sign
that you are on the right track.
-Keep 'the letters coming. I try, but none of the
stuff I make up is as good as the stuff that comes in.
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