Registered: Jun 2003
Location: Central Michigan
Posts: 6544

Here in Michigan I recently received notice of two new bills in our legislature. They want us to make sure our kennels stay between 50 degrees and 85 degrees.

Any time we start applying human ideas to animals without regard to the animal's physiology we are doing more harm than we can imagine. The two new bills in Micihgan are proof of that.

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Larry Atherton

Aim small miss small

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Registered: Sep 2010
Location: New Paris, Indiana
Posts: 7076

Subliminal animal control just like the ridiculous prices on .22 ammo are nothing but subliminal gun control.

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Registered: Mar 2007
Location: Nashville, TN
Posts: 133

I've honestly never seen keeping a dog comfortably warm (not HOT) hurt his hunting ability. Dogs that I kept inside the house with me in the past have gone out and hunted and never came back because of the cold. Does staying in a warm house keep YOU from wanting to go hunting or being out in the cold? No, because it is something you WANT to do. Real coon dogs WANT to hunt and the ones who have it in them will. That's just my own personal opinion. I've never seen being warm hurt one yet. Dog can survive a lot of things--and so can humans but why make them just SURVIVE when they can be comfortable. Don't you like to be warm? Well, they do too. I am not saying dogs are humans but they do feel things and they feel cold. Fur helps them just like clothes help us, but I think they stay healthier and happier if kept comfortably warm. The Hound Heaters do not overly heat a house. I haven't put a thermometer in my dog's house but it never feels too warm. Just comfortable for a dog. And comfortable doesn't mean they are spoiled or anything of that nature. I really don't understand why people think because you take good care of a dog that they are spoiled. (ie..comments about sweaters etc..) My dog sleeps in the dog house with the Hound Heater but I don't see that it's hurt him as far as being out hunting. He wants to go, go go!
Everyone can do what they want of course but I can tell you that so far that Hound Heater hasn't hurt my dog any. I think he'd stay out in any kind of weather just to get to go hunting. The Hound Heater simply makes him more comfortable when he's "home" in his dog house.
Personally I think they are a good thing.
Rocket 88

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Registered: Mar 2008
Location: warsaw ohio
Posts: 131

I think the key to keeping a dog warm and comfortable begins with the dogs box. Make sure it is air tight, drafts are killers on extremely cold periods. Make the box small and compact with a little insulation on the top and bottom. too much insulation is not good might cause dog to sweat. Add plenty of straw and put a flap over the door, dog will be fine. His body heat will warm the box up nicely.

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Registered: Nov 2009
Location:
Posts: 293

I dont know why people always have to bash or get upset when someone mentions they have top of the line dog houses, top of the line kennels, or heated dog boxes. I've never seen a group of people argue when others want to take the very best care of their dogs. I just dont get it.

Why not make your dog as comfortable as you can?

Heaters keep bedding dry, longer, saving you money in bedding costs.

Heaters keep weight on a dog by lower the amount of calories it needs just to survive. Less needed calories means less feed and less feed is money saved.

When I spent good money on those Dogden2's I bought people told me I was crazy for spending that much money on dog houses...that first winter I feed each dog 2 CUPS per day of feed less. It's a huge savings to keep your dog warm.

Yeah, I do feel better when it's zero out and I know my dogs are in the best possible house and are as warm as I can keep them.

Dogs dont like heat? I've never seen a dog that didn't want to curl up inches away from a wood stove and stay there all day long.

My hounds are outside but my retired bird dog has always been inside...laying so close to the wood stove that his fur is hot to the touch. Many mornings he'd go from laying next to the wood stove, to an ice cold dog box in the back of the truck...sit there for a 2 hour drive, hunt 4 hours or so...as hard as he could..and then back in the box for the ride home. Living next to that wood stove never caused him any negative impact whatsoever.

What I have an issue with is these idiots who complain about "winter kill" because their dog froze to death living under the back porch! Lets complain about those people for a change. They're the ones causing these crazy laws forcing people to take care of animals. Without laws there are morons out there willing to keep a dog ties out with no house at all. Think about that.

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Registered: Jan 2010
Location: Greene County Ohio
Posts: 1264

Sorry guys, I didnt mean to start an arguement..LOL

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Registered: Mar 2007
Location: Nashville, TN
Posts: 133

Matt, you didn't cause any trouble. I'm glad you asked about the Hound Heaters. I'm happy with mine and think you would be too. Nothing wrong with asking about a product someone else has used. We all learn from each other on here or I hope we do.

And Mike, thank you so much for your well thought out post. Everything you said is true. You said all that I wanted to say but said it better.

People can do what they want with their hounds but I hope that most will realize that keeping a dog comfortably warm is not a crime. I think it's just using good common sense.
Rocket 88

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Registered: Jun 2003
Location: Central Michigan
Posts: 6544

Mike,

I have had dogs for 47 years and coon hounds for 37 years and never had a dog die due the cold. In fact, the majority of my dogs live past 13 years old.

I don't care how you spend your money. As long as you don't mistreat your dogs, i don't care whether you heat your dog boxes or not.

Fact is Bush Wacker's post is 100% correct. A good dog house dry bedding and plenty of water is all that a dog needs to be healthy through cold weather.

Now if you and Rocket 88 or anyone for that matter want to do more that is fine go a head, but don't get upset with me or others for stating facts. I actually read back through the post. I did see some attempts at humor. I saw some personal accounts. I did not see any one seem to get upset ... well not until I read your post anyway.

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Larry Atherton

Aim small miss small

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Registered: Mar 2009
Location: tn
Posts: 667

How many of you have actually checked the temp. in your dog,s house with a thermometer,you might be suprised how much heat a dog,s body creates,given a good house and plenty of dry bedding.

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