From casual online research, it seems there are quite varying opinions about dogs being outside during winter. It’s about 20 degrees F here right now and my dog, a nine yr old german shepherd mix (with hair about like a shepherd) loves it outside. She sleeps in an old recliner in a corner of the porch out of the wind.
She of course loves to be inside too, but during the cold nights likes to be outside also. I have insomnia, and have left her out all night in temps like this, or even into the teens (checking on her) and she is always fine. Been like this all her life.
Believe me, if she wants in, I know it. She has the little “Let me in” bark thing
I know it varies widely by breed/age etc. But I know people who say my dog will freeze to death in temps like this. Obviously not.
I prefer her to be inside with me at night, but when she wants to stay out, It doesn’t seem to bother her a bit. What do you all think?
I agree with you. I had a golden retriever-chow mix who absolutely adored winter weather. She would lay in the yard in the middle of the snow and let the snow cover her. She was never left outside unmonitored and had a covered porch to get out of the elements. But she would stay outside and play in the snow of her own accord and would let us know when she had enough and wanted to come back in.
My pugs are, as you probably can guess, wimps when it comes to cold weather. One of 'em will go out and do his business if it’s just cold, but any sort of snow or wind makes him want to stay in. The other one is a total wimp - if it’s below 50, you practically have to drag her out.
And they’re right, if you think about it. They are little and have short coats. They get cold - I see them shiver. Pugs are acclimated to couch-sitting, not being outside in chilly 50 degree weather!
On the other hand, I used to have a big fluffy chow mix mutt, who lived for cold weather. She had a long thick coat, and refused to sleep inside, even if it was in the teens or below. We asked the vet about it, and he rated her down to zero degrees. Any colder, he told us, we should give her a dog house. He never mentioned bringing her in.
Before you accuse me of dog cruelty, we WANTED her in. We would have loved to have her sleep in bed with us. But anytime we tried to keep her inside overnight she’d wake us up whining to go out.
We had neighbors with a huge long-hair Akita who just loved being outside, even in the dead of winter.
This was in Colorado, and our neighbors were both from South Carolina, so they really were freaked out about their dog wanting to be outside in freezing temperatures. They would insist she come in, but she would pace and whine to go out.
She had a dog house, but never used it. She did dig herself sort of a trough which apparently kept here cool in summer and warm in winter. She lived to a ripe old age.
We’ve always had “inside” dogs, our vizsla would not think of spending the night outside in Colorado, our mastiffs probably could manage if they wanted to, epsecially now that we’re in northern Florida.
Hmm - my German Shepherd HATES the cold. He lays on top heat registers when the temp starts to drop. And he has regular shepherd fur - it isn’t thin or anything. In fact, he sheds like crazy.
He has always been kinda weird though - maybe since he was in “the big house” (he was a shelter doggy) he grew to hate the outside. Who knows.
Norwegian Elkhound, as one might imagine, loved being out in the snow. Never had a temp too low for her, subzero (F) was fine and even better if there was snow.
The Eskimo we have now we have now isn’t quite as cold loving, be she doesn’t have as much hair as the Elkhound did - Doesn’t really seem to mind the cold, but she has to guard the hall at night and doesn’t sleep outside.
We have a doggie door, so they come in when they want, but they spend more time inside during the hot summer months and sure act like they’re comfortable below freezing.
Mom’s Yorkie, OTOH, seems to believe it’ll die below 60.
My dog LOVES the snow - but when it’s time to go to bed, she wants inside. That’s fine with me. I have seen plenty of outdoor dogs who lived outside all winter long and were fine. On the other hand, I have a friend whose childhood dog was never allowed inside, even when she was pregnant, so she had her puppies in the barn during the winter in Vermont, but it was too cold and all the puppies died.
It’s so cold, the dogs are sticking to the sidewalk. - Thornton Wilder
Given that I once had to chase my dog around the yard for 20 minutes before tackling her and a snow bank just to get her back in I’d say she doesn’t mind.
