# bedding for outdoor dogs ?????



## lisaward (9 November 2006)

what do you bed your dogs on .
mine live out and the old girl is feeling the cold this year.

at the moment they have big duvets and sleeping bags,do you think they'd be better on straw ??

they are border collies.


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## Tia (10 November 2006)

When I lived in the UK my dogs were bedded down on hay.  I did use straw once but I found that it wasn't really warm enough for them so I switched to hay and yes they were definitely much more cosy with the hay.  I used high quality hay and it fluffs up nicely and smells good and for the amount you use it is worth getting a good grade for them.  

Before using the hay, they had duvets but with all the mud in England they were always filthy and wet and never really dried out - that was the main reason I moved onto hay.

Over here in Canada we don't really get mud - the worst it ever really gets is when the dust patches get a bit wet but when you stand on those areas you don't sink anywhere.....odd!  Anyway here my dogs are bedded down on duvets plus they all also have those Vetbeds (pieces of special fur fabric) on the floor - they are smart dogs mine, they always lie on the Vetbeds if they come in from playing in the pond or if it has been raining and they never lie on their beds with the duvets in until they are dry.  Weird but true.

My dogs are Collie, SpringerXcollie and a Shepherd.


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## k9h (10 November 2006)

We use to use shredded paper (still do for hounds &amp; fluffed up every day &amp; changed once a week) Labs use to be on it to but I got the big beds from Kennelmate &amp; they also have a vet bed on top to stop slipping when they jump up onto their beds in the kennel. Old terrier has a couple of hessian sacks. They all seem warm enough. We also have heat lamps above on a timer in the winter so before they go in beds are warmed up, very good for after a days picking up. Farm dogs just had straw in theirs &amp; were warm enough.


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## claire1976 (10 November 2006)

Our 3 are in the garage during the day with a dog flap leading outside into kennels. The garage has carpet and they have beds raised off the floor with fleece blankets. Then I have a heater on for them to keep warm.
But I let them in the kitchen at night. Think I probably baby them a bit but they are all short coated and wussy!!


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## filly190 (10 November 2006)

My three have exactly the same as Clare1986's post.  They have heating.  I buy wool blankets for 0.50p from our local charity shop and just throw away the old ones.

They are warmer in the garage, as at night we dont have our heating on in the house, so if they were in the kitchen they would be really cold.

I also make them dog coats from old jumpers from the charity shops and when its really cold they have two each on.  They usually get trashed, but its pence.


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## lisaward (10 November 2006)

of course they are smart dogs they have collie in some of them LOL

thanks everyone think i am worring too much,may try paper hadn't thought of that.maybe local doctor will let me have some.


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