I guess I gave my girl too much turkey yesterday (it was just a few bites), because this morning the poor thing was huddled in the corner of her crate trying to keep from stepping on her mess. I felt so bad! I cleaned it up and lost track of time and woke my bf up later than usual to get ready for work... It was the last straw for him. He says she's going to sleep outside from now on. But it's so cold! Granted, I'm in the Central Valley of California, so there's no snow, but it's foggy and damp and she won't sleep inside her crate while she's out there, so she's left with concrete or wet lawn. What can I do? Every time I've left her alone with something soft enough to keep her warm she's eaten it. He says he'll help me pay for a dog house, but I'm still not sure how to entice her to sleep in it without locking the door... Please give me some suggestions.

I'm sorry, but this sounds like an issue between you and your boyfriend. Sounds like there are bigger issues going on than you just waking him up late. Does the dog belong to both of you? I don't agree with keeping a dog outside, so I may be biased - but huskies want to be part of your pack and stay with you. Our dogs love the outside, but love to be with us more.

I know... He's gotten tired of me arguing those points for now. She was supposed to be both of ours, but she's pretty much ended up being mine. He may change his mind eventually, and I'm still going to let her in while we're home, but for now I need some way to keep her warm for the night that won't damage her intestines.

Sky needs to be feel safe. Having a warm place to sleep near you, will make her feel safe and part of your pack. Sleeping outside and away from you will make her insecure.

Isn't Sky a rescue? If so, she'll have even more anxiety.

As far as the pooping in her crate, feed her hours before you put her inside for the night. And make sure that you give her a long walk before you put her inside so she can eliminate.

A new dog in a new house is going to have issues. I think that if she pooped in her crate, she really must have been in distress and couldn't hold it. That is not willful behavior.

Just so you know, my dog pooped on my bed when we brought him home!

I know the pooping wasn't her fault. She had an upset stomach. It's the first time she's gone in her crate. We aren't even supposed to have her inside the house, really. I figured that we could stretch the landlord's rule a little if she slept in her crate, because she wouldn't be able to do any damage to the house.

I'm not sure if I should consider her a rescue. I bought her from a coworker just before she left the company. She said a husky was too much for them to handle. I don't know much about her background, because I didn't know what sort of questions to ask at the time.

She slept outside when we first got her, during the summer, and did fine. I brought her in last month because of her spay and then didn't want to put her back out because of the change in the weather.

No one here uses a dog house? Even a heated one? I have no intention of banishing her to the yard. She spends nearly all of the time that we are home and awake inside with us.

if its the first time she has messed in her crate - and it was due to an upset tummy - then surely you do not need to banish her to sleeping outside. She had an accident! They happen occassionally. I would hate to be in your position - give her another chance - its cold out and she needs her mommy!

I agree with everyone on trying to keep her inside, but let's not forget she's a husky with two insulating coats on at all times. She was bred to withstand cold climates. I knew one that slept outside in the middle of Idaho winters it's whole life and did just fine. It would wake up with snow on it, shake it off, and be ready to go. In central California she should be just fine. She'll probably be more comfortable now outside than she was in the summer heat.

So the only reason that you're thinking that she needs to sleep outside is because she pooped in her crate? Other than this incident does she behave in her crate at night? Seems to me like your bf is the one pushing the issue for her to sleep outside, right? If so, then he's just using the one time poop issue as an excuse. Sorry, don't mean to bash him. I take the dogs side all the time with my hubby I personally wouldn't let her sleep outside. No matter what. If she's inside when you're home then I don't see the need for to sleep outside. Huskies love being near their pack and she might get depressed

I agree with Riley- she's undoubtably capable of sleeping comfortably outdoors especially in that weather.

that being said I'd never have my dogs sleep outside, that's just not how it works here. Then again its so freaking hot here theyd probably overheat and get sick if i did lol I don't understand the issue though, is it because she had an accident in her crate?

If you are going to have her sleep outside I'd just make sure the fence was secure and that you can't really see into the yard or it's at least locked. People do steal dogs right out of yards. My dogs enjoy the dogloos that we have at work.

I agree totally with all the advice. Sounds like the BF has an issue with dogs being inside and using the incident as an excuse. Something else to consider is she may have a desire to roam / escape if left outside at night and spooked. Also disturbing the neighbors could be an issue. And then there are thieves, etc....

arooroomom wrote:

If you are going to have her sleep outside I'd just make sure the fence was secure and that you can't really see into the yard or it's at least locked. People do steal dogs right out of yards. My dogs enjoy the dogloos that we have at work.

Posted at the same time with the same thoughts.

Put a sleeping bag out back for the B/F......... problem solved.

Here4thePics wrote:

Put a sleeping bag out back for the B/F......... problem solved.

Hear hear!

rileyflorence wrote:

Here4thePics wrote:

Put a sleeping bag out back for the B/F......... problem solved.

Hear hear!

Len you always crack me up. You must be a really funny guy in person! LOL!!

MelissaI wrote:

rileyflorence wrote:

Here4thePics wrote:

Put a sleeping bag out back for the B/F......... problem solved.

Hear hear!

Len you always crack me up. You must be a really funny guy in person! LOL!!

Not really most people think I'm as dull as a cheap Chinese made kitchen knife. My advantage here is the fact that I "hear" everything I read, which is more then I can do face to face.

When i got Josie she came with a small homemade dog house made out of plywood and some 2x4s. The floor of the dog house had carpet in it. I think theres plans to build one acording to your dogs size on the internet. (we got rid of that one and got one of those iglue type dog houses :/. Josie dosent like it lol.) She seemd to love that homemade one tho. But for sleeping in the cold. Last year one winter night we let her out to go to the bathroom before bed and look to find out shes in her dog house and wont come inside at all. Bribing her with treats, pulling on her leash, everything she wouldnt come in. So just thought she wanted to stay outside that night. So just left her alone. From about 10pm till 6am she stay out there. Got to about 15-20 below 0 that night to. She didnt move all night. I was up ever 30 minutes to an hour tho to see if she wanted to come in at all. And nope just wanted to stay outside all night. That was the only time while I had her that she slept outside at night. (have had her for about 13 months now) I might build Josie a new dog house sence she seems to not like that iglue one. Even tho she only slept outside that one time lol. If comes down to it where your bf is gonna make your dog sleep outside. I could find the plans for you then you can give him those and say once you build this then shell sleep outside. (hoping he has no wood working skills) lol

Here are a couple plans I came across when I was looking to build one:

http://lowescreativeideas.com/idea-library/projects/Dog_House_0408.aspx
http://wayneofthewoods.com/doghouse.html
http://rivervalleyhusky.com/5036.html

I ended up combining all of the design into one doghouse that shows how truly spoiled my pups are.

Hope this helps.

A well insulated dog house packed with straw or hay will do her just fine.
She's a husky, they were bred for the cold and I wouldn't worry about her since you live in California. Siberians in Alaska can withstand temperatures as low as -50 F.
She may be more comfortable outside anyway now that the temps are cooler.