Registered: Oct 2011
Location: S.W. Wisconsin
Posts: 17

I am considering using plastic barrels for houses and was wondering how they do in the winter for warmth. How the dogs do with them and do you keep them on the ground or raise them up a little?

Any suggestions would be great!

Thanks
Jeff

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Jeff McCarthy
Darlington,WI

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Registered: Mar 2008
Location: Dansville,MI
Posts: 419

My buddy uses them on all his kennels and basically the only worry he has is condensation. He drills about a half dozen small holes along the bottom and builds a 2x4 frame that keeps the barrell off the ground, and put custom doors on them, works for him.

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Registered: Aug 2006
Location: milan,mi
Posts: 1379

no warmth or insulation would never use them, Hell I have found nice insulated dogloos that cost 100 on craigslist for 20 just a thought

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Registered: Oct 2009
Location: s/w michigan
Posts: 735

ive used barrels for years but this year i have heavy duty wood houses given to me by a retired coon hunter..but my barrels worked great load them with straw and they create insulation... drill a few holes on the bottom and use 2x2s to make an upside down V to keep them from rolling.... not sure on temp ratings but they work better than them plastic igloo houses imo

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Registered: Nov 2005
Location: Iowa
Posts: 2963

Dad & I have used them forever & I'm 64 yrs. old. Never had problem with good straw in them. Even better put on south side of building or big bale of hay on north side of them. Plastic or steel, don't matter.Take care, Ron.

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Registered: Oct 2011
Location: S.W. Wisconsin
Posts: 17

Thanks for the info. I had a few worries since we can have wind chills of 30 below and actual temps of 10 to 15 below for several days.

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Jeff McCarthy
Darlington,WI

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Registered: Aug 2005
Location: marlette michigan
Posts: 1048

i live in the thumb of michigan i have used barrels for years.yes you do have to put holes in the bottom and lots of straw.everything i ever tried to cover the door with they rip off.so i gave up.my kennels are off the ground and i put privacy panels all the way around except for the gates.seems to work fine for me never had a problem.

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I'm in SE Minnesota. I started using the plastic barrels last year. My kennels are enclosed on 3 sides with a roof, only open to exposure on the south side.
I put a couple short pieces of 2x4 on the bottom of them to keep them from rolling but other than that they sit on the ground.
I bed them with straw in the winter, and just a few shavings in the summer. I give them fresh straw before any major cold snaps and change the straw out whenever I feel its needed over the winter.
I drilled a couple small holes in the bottom of each barrel for a drain but I'm not sure if it is necessary.
I've put barrels next to my old wood boxes and had the dogs pick the barrel. I'm happy with them and it seems the dogs are too.
What I like best is they are cheap ($15 a barrel but I've seen them for less on craiglist), they are light and move easily for cleaning and they are easy to wash out.
I'd recommend keeping them out of the wind but I know guys who use them in the wide open and push a little snow around them. Keep them bedded good and keep the opening out of the wind and they should be fine.
I'd keep my dogs in a barrel before I'd ever keep them in one of those igloo dog house or plastic dog house sold in stores.

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Registered: Jun 2003
Location: cambridge,ohio
Posts: 4143

quote:

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Originally posted by micooner
no warmth or insulation would never use them, Hell I have found nice insulated dogloos that cost 100 on craigslist for 20 just a thought

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dogloo's are high price junk..

this old dog is 13 1/2 in this picture ,born and raised his whole life in a blue barrell ,,most of it in this one,his choise over a wooden box..he passed at around 14 + - yrs old,,his son has took over his barrell now..

covering them with dirt/snow helps block off the cutting wind and in the extreame cold way up north would be like a yote/wolf den under ground.

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Registered: Dec 2003
Location: Mercer PA
Posts: 4837

I have used them for years and all the dogs have lived just fine. People who believe they are no good are simply just uninformed or choose to use what they think as opposed to fact as the basis for their conclusion.

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Registered: Mar 2009
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Posts: 163

work fine just have plenty of straw in them heck dogs lay in the snow half the time any way

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chris west

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Registered: Jan 2011
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Posts: 386

If you use kennels look at this option. But if you chain it wont help, chain would get in the way of the door.


http://www.k-9kondo.com/categories/K%252d9-Kondo/

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Registered: May 2006
Location: Southern Oregon
Posts: 1344

Has anyone tried to put a doggie door in one? Like the one's you put in your house door?

I've found a couple that are not the light flexible plastic, but hard plastic that I think might work..

I like the idea of just buying the K9 Condo door (you can get it from LCS) but it is still $70 or $80 for just the door.. Might as well buy the whole kit for that..

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Registered: May 2010
Location: NW Ohio
Posts: 529

I built my kennels off the side of my shed and use barrels on the inside of the shed with a K9 Kondo door mounted on the shed. I am really liking this set up, dogs seem to love the barrels, when I had pens inside my old shed with sleeping boxes my dogs were almost always outside, now I can't get em out of their barrels, even in summer they stay cooler than shade tree temps. If you buy the K9 Kondo doors order directly from them, when I bought 3 from them they were less than half what nitelite sells them for.

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Registered: Jun 2003
Location: cambridge,ohio
Posts: 4143

nice kennel setup..

those white barrells will work on the inside like that
but if left outside in the sun and cold will shatter in the wintertime if a really large/heavy dog likes to jump/stand on top of them..

the blue is heaver plastic and works better for tie out dogs.and dont chill and shatter..

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Registered: Oct 2011
Location: S.W. Wisconsin
Posts: 17

Andrew wish I had your set up. Looks real nice.

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Jeff McCarthy
Darlington,WI

Do the world a favor and take a child in the woods so they're not in the streets!

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Registered: Aug 2006
Location: milan,mi
Posts: 1379

quote:

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Originally posted by wildbill
dogloo's are high price junk..

this old dog is 13 1/2 in this picture ,born and raised his whole life in a blue barrell ,,most of it in this one,his choise over a wooden box..he passed at around 14 + - yrs old,,his son has took over his barrell now..

covering them with dirt/snow helps block off the cutting wind and in the extreame cold way up north would be like a yote/wolf den under ground.

---

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Registered: Feb 2008
Location: Near Asheville
Posts: 981

I used barrels once, for about a month. Condensation was bad. Do not waste your time unless you place the barrel away from getting rained on like the guy above.

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Registered: Jun 2003
Location: cambridge,ohio
Posts: 4143

quote:

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Originally posted by micooner
Thats why I never paid 100 for the dogloo but by the time I drill holes in a blue barrel to drain the condensation and put it up on 2x4's so it won't roll and fill it full of straw to try and insulate or enclose the barrel in a frame I guess I could build a wooden,insulated ,dry nice dog house for ol spot LOL

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Registered: Feb 2011
Location: iowa
Posts: 36

i take another barrel cut it in half then cut one half of that half and bolt it to the front of my barrel that keeps the rain and snow out

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Registered: May 2010
Location: NW Ohio
Posts: 529

Wildbill, you must have seen different white barrels than what I have, mine are the exact same thickness and hardness as the blue ones.

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Registered: Jul 2011
Location: Shelby,Ohio
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Registered: Jun 2003
Location: cambridge,ohio
Posts: 4143

quote:

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Originally posted by ahinsch
Wildbill, you must have seen different white barrels than what I have, mine are the exact same thickness and hardness as the blue ones.

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Registered: Jun 2003
Location: Central Michigan
Posts: 6544

quote:

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Originally posted by micooner
Hell I have found nice insulated dogloos that cost 100 on craigslist for 20 just a thought

---

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Registered: Sep 2008
Location: so. IN
Posts: 26

I have a friend that uses them and he stands the barrel upright and cuts a square hole in it about 1.5 feet above the bottom and then puts the straw in. The dogs dont kick out any straw and you cant even see the dog unless he sticks his head up, seemed to work really well.

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