My English Golden Retriever is 3 years old and has never had a dog house. When it's cold at night in the winter, or hot during the day in the summer, he comes inside to the heat and air conditioning. He's always slept on our screened in porch at night but since I rebuilt the porch, I don't want him doing that anymore. So, I built him a dog house. A really nice, big, dog house that gives him plenty of room to move around or stretch out. Especially with the next few days of cold, I want him to have a place to get out of the wind while I'm at work. The base is 4'x4', with a pitched roof 2' tall on the sides and 30" tall at the ridge in the middle. It is lined with carpet and has a big bed on one side. He wouldn't go through the flap door unless he was made so I pinned the flap up for him to see in there and get used to it. No luck. I've only seen evidence of him going in there one time and that was where he tried to drag the bed out the door. Luckily, I have had dogs do that before, and tear up the bed, so I cut a sheet of plywood and slid it in the bed cover, under the padding. Anyway, how do I get the dog to use the house? I know at times he is looking for a warmer spot because I have found him laying in the mulch on cold days, rather than the back patio. This morning I put his food dish and water in the dog house where he will have to go in there if he wants to eat and drink. I though this may help him get used to it. Y'all think this will work? Is it a mistake to feed him in his dog house for some reason? Any other tricks/tips? I know, the hard core or non-dog lovers will say, "he's a dog, he has fur, he'll go when/if he gets ready", thanks, but save it. Looking for helpful comments.

He�ll go in when he wants........





LOL

Most of my yard dogs wouldn�t sleep in a dog house no matter what. I always thought it was because they felt like it limits their ability to protect their surroundings by being closed in.

Crawl in their with him

Sounds like you're doing what you can do to show him it's purpose. In all seriousness, he'll probably use it if he gets cold. I know that doesn't help. Lol

Funny you say that. My younger kids think it's part dog house, part fort. I have seen them force the dog in there and then climb in with him.

He will go in if he needs to. Don't worry about him he is built for the cold

My two won't usually get in the dog houses unless I fill them with hay first.

Well at least YOU will have a nice place to go when you are in the Dog House!

We taught all our dogs over the years that their lot, kennel crate or dog house was their �box�. That was the command I gave them.

Our lab now knows �out back� for our fenced in back yard and his kennel crate is his �box�. But we have been teaching him since he was a pup.

You could show him it�s a good place and nothing to fear with treats and also like you�ve done with food. Sooner or later he will go in there or he won�t. Either way the dog will go where they are comfortable. If they want the rain or snow then so be it. They figure it out

Trust me if he needs to go in it he will go in it if it gets cold enough

Our dog would rather crawl under a storage building than his house.

Yes, put food in there. Maybe not water because of the drool mess, but if he wants to eat, only feed him in the house. He's a dog and won't starve. You also need to remove any other bedding option he may have and he will use the house.

You may want to insulate the inside some with that pink foam board they sell at home Depot. Sometimes large dog houses can be too large and don't let your dogs natural body heat warm the area. That's why many premade dog houses seem small, because they are more thermally efficient and will keep the dog warmer.

My last dog wouldn't go onto his new house. He sat outside in a pouring rain with his head down. He figured it out on his own eventually.

Most people buy over sized or build over sized dog houses for their dogs. Dogs need just enough room to turn around and curl up. Think about the size space that their body heat has to heat up.

Smaller the better.

It might be too big and drafty for him.

I'm just guessing here.

I've got three dog houses and I'm down to 2 dogs. They seldom go any of them now. I made them a small 4x4x2 enclosed place in the barn. Have it stuffed with straw. Put a heater in the front of it today, wired up so it can't turn over. I got in it and dogs did too. They may or may not use it but it's there if they want it.

Our dog lives I'm our front porch. He's got his own chair and how own couch. When it gets really cold we usually put him a big box with blankets in it and he'll get in it to get out of the wind.
I put him a big packer with blankets in it yesterday. The little bastard won't go in it. Kids and wife all worried about it. I said if he gets cold, he will go in.

Put a bitch in heat in the dog house.

Rosie O'donell available?

Have you considered central air? Never put a heating pad in tho. they chew the cord and get electrocuted. Don't ask how I know this.
Mark he said Bitch, not fat hog in heat. what a revolting idea that is.

I don't even think a dog would hit that.