Registered: Dec 2007
Location: VA
Posts: 325

anybody ever use them? had a guy at work tell me that he always uses it. i used hay but looks like its holds a lot of moisture in it needles might not be as bad as they are not too thick thanks

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Jan 2010
Location: Anderson co Tennessee
Posts: 1944

ya right on the hay,,i like straw and cedar chips ,,never used pine needles imo wouldnt see a problem

__________________
Country Boy Can Survive



Anderson County Coon Club
Lance White
865-919-7234

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Sep 2006
Location: Flowery Branch GA
Posts: 729

Straw packs the best and holds heat. Needles are thin and dont hold much heat.. Ive never had this happen to me but my wife is a vet and she said she sees several dogs a year who eat pine needles and they puncture the intestines and stomach and get bad infected.

__________________
TREE BLAZIN KENNELS
GRCH GRNITECH TREE BLAZIN HALFTIME SHOW
Ground Hound Designs "like us on Facebook"

Last edited by Jon Millwood on 10-22-2011 at 03:14 PM

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Jan 2010
Location: Anderson co Tennessee
Posts: 1944

learn something new everyday,,,thanks for the advice

__________________
Country Boy Can Survive



Anderson County Coon Club
Lance White
865-919-7234

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Sep 2007
Location: ackerman,ms
Posts: 2229

my vet said pine needels were as good as it got.... around here when it gets cold everything beds in a pine thicket.... nature usually knows best

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Sep 2006
Location: Flowery Branch GA
Posts: 729

quote:

---

Originally posted by patches9452
my vet said pine needels were as good as it got.... around here when it gets cold everything beds in a pine thicket.... nature usually knows best

---

__________________
TREE BLAZIN KENNELS
GRCH GRNITECH TREE BLAZIN HALFTIME SHOW
Ground Hound Designs "like us on Facebook"

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Sep 2007
Location: ackerman,ms
Posts: 2229

quote:

---

Originally posted by Jon Millwood
the reason most animals bed in a pine thicket is because the briars and thick brush help knock the wind off.. We are talking about domestic animals the difference being us the owners can provide better for them..everybody has there own opinion..

---

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Aug 2010
Location: Coldwater MS
Posts: 1328

IT SURE IS FUNNY HOW SOME PEOPLE THINK THERE WAY IS THE ONLY WAY.

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Not Yet
Location:
Posts: N/A

I have used them before, and they did fine the only problem is that they tend to break up finely after a while and are a little harder to clean out of the box. As far as them being cold, well I have laid my sorry hindend down on them several times out hunting and they seemed pretty warm to me? I guess a dog could eating them and having problems....some dogs will eat about anything, expecially pups.

Another thing I know is true, like most people I do not use any bedding in the summer to keep fleas at bay, but as it gets colder I put bedding in the box. It has been around 34 here in the holler I live in and my one of my dogs is tied under a big white pine with fresh wood shavings from Tractor Supply in the box. Here is the kicker the dog has pulled the pine needles up close to her box and sleeps outside on them as opposed to the fresh chips in her box that she slept in all summer without bedding.

I am guessing that dog knows a little more about bedding than I do. I am considering using them in all my boxs now after seeing what she has chossen and what I know is true about wild game as well. I only quit using pine needles a few yr back when I thought I knew which was the best? Another dog perfers leaves over the shavings, she is sleeping out as well.....maybe these blue dogs have went bonkers?

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Not Yet
Location:
Posts: N/A

quote:

---

Originally posted by captaincody
The reason she is sleeping outside on the pine needles is for the heat out of the ground. Later on after the ground gets colder or freezes i bet she will be in her box. Just a thought

---

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Oct 2011
Location: blacksville w.v
Posts: 11

so what happens when they chew the cord?.........lol i use straw and my hounds like it....

__________________
Home of Pr "Deans Midnite MoonShine"

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Aug 2010
Location: Troy NC
Posts: 2288

use oak leaves. they have acid that is good for healing wounds and im sure they will keep them warm. don't think it will kill'em. when you rack your yard, throw a pile in there and see what happens. i never tried it, but sounds good to me.

__________________
Danny VunCannon
Home of :
Amazing Grace
Mossy Pond Modacious (MO)
Mossy Pond Amazing Gracie

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Not Yet
Location:
Posts: N/A

straw is a very good choice and is widely used, how ever I do not use it, and here is one reason why.

If you have your dog chained to a peg or such so the dog can run in a circle, think twice about the straw, the dog can pull the straw out of the box, it will wrap up around the peg not allowing the chain to spin around it, the dog will continue to run around that peg untill he is completely wrapped up. If it is cold enough the dog will lie there and could die from the elements.

I know not all people chain there dogs, they need a kennel most perfering "above ground" these days. I like to think my dogs stay in better shape on the chain, I got several kennels 10x12 and a huge fence in area for the dogs, but for the most part there hindend is on a chain.

The second reason I don't use straw is mites, use to have a problem with ear mites, took the straw away, and haven't had much of a problem with it since.

I do have a hound heaters as well I use on some dogs, but when every nickel counts, I personally think you will be fine with the needles, or as amazingcursouth said leaves.....but they will hold water.

I am not trying to sell anyone on the pine needles, chips or heaters, only what I have done. I plan on building a box soon and wrap an electric water piper heater in the bottom and see how that works??? Those hound heaters are pretty spendy and well my boxes are big. I even put carpet on the inside walls of the dog box and flaps over there openings in the later months. As I see the temps here staying where they are and knowing they are going to continue to drop, I will probably start looking for some used carpet from a friend that lays it.

Last edited by on 10-23-2011 at 04:31 AM

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Oct 2011
Location: blacksville w.v
Posts: 11

lightly spray crude oil on the floor of your dog box b-4 placing straw as bedding to stop mites flees ticks and other little critters that aint so good for your hound

__________________
Home of Pr "Deans Midnite MoonShine"

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Not Yet
Location:
Posts: N/A

crude oil? just reg old burnt motor oil out of the truck or car?

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Sep 2007
Location: ackerman,ms
Posts: 2229

quote:

---

Originally posted by KardinalKennels
crude oil? just reg old burnt motor oil out of the truck or car?

---

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Mar 2011
Location: Maryland
Posts: 214

quote:

---

Originally posted by patches9452
my vet said pine needels were as good as it got.... around here when it gets cold everything beds in a pine thicket.... nature usually knows best

---

__________________
Sleep all day, keep them coons up all night with walker power.

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Jun 2007
Location: SW Wisconsin
Posts: 286

I like to use straw. If you are worried about mites, I always throw some SEVEN DUST in with the bedding. This will take care of the mites and works great for flea and tick control.

__________________
GRNITECH PR Stylish Super Sally

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Jul 2007
Location: WESTERN MARYLAND
Posts: 5948

STRAW AND SOME CEDAR OR PINE SHAVINGS THROWN IN. HELPS THEM SMELL SOME BETTER. LOL.

__________________
Home of;

Nt.Ch. Gr.Ch. Gr.WCh. Pr. McMillans Blue Crystal
Ntch. GrCh. Pr. McMillans Blue Magic
Gr.Nt.Ch. Pr. McMillans Blue Hawk
Nt. Ch. Pr. McMillans Blue Rage
all are gone now but will NEVER BE FORGOTTEN


CH. PR. MCMILLANS TREE ROCKIN BRANDY
CH. PR. MCMILLANS MIDNITES STINGIN SADIE

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Jun 2007
Location: Williamsville,Virginia
Posts: 2196

Here the past couple of weeks I been thinkin bout what to use this winter for my dogs' bedding.I was gonna try pine straw this year cuz ever time I put put wheat straw in their houses,seems like within a day or 2 later they have kicked it all out.Don't know exactly why.That's why I'm gonna try pine straw.I was just scopin out a place today to rake some up.
Rob Gregory

__________________
High Lonesome English Kennels
Robert Gregory
Williamsville,Virginia
home#- 540-925-4437
cell#-757-339-3454
Home of:
"PR"High Lonesome Hannah. Nt.Ch. Hardtime Miss Kitty's Cat

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged