I struggle in my mind with this issue a lot. I have two dogs, and we used to have a great little set-up to keep them warm in the winter. Short of having a Sliding glass dog door or pet doors for wall installation that lead straight into the house, it’s hard to provide for your dog in cold weather while you’re at work all day.
I don’t really feel badly about any weather above 25 degrees. They have dog houses out there, and they can snuggle together. But lately, I’ve taken to putting them in the garage during snow storms and severe weather. I mean, I know of someone who puts her dog into a carrier all day outside, and he’s been just fine. But with my dogs, they kick out the pad or bean bag or blanket-whatever I put in there-so it gets wet and then they have nothing to snuggle into. Or if the nippy little terrier drives my beagle out of the big house, I’m not sure he can get into the little house.
So I put them into the garage…but since they pee and poo just EVERYWHERE, I’m debating whether to get a PetSafe dog crate to keep them in while in there. Is it cruel, though, to ask them to hold it all day? They’d have to hold it 10-11 hours. I just don’t know.
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