Won't go in Dog House

[wendieann]

I bought my dog a very nice used dog house. Excellent size too. I even put her old dog blanket in it, but she will NOT go in it! When it rains outside, she will sit on my steps waiting for someone to open the door.

How can I get her to sleep in there???? Or at least go in there when the weather isn't perfect??

We sold ours

My dog always sits under the honeysuckle bush

You could try feeding her in there

I'd second feeding her in there.

Some dogs just aren't that bothered about shelter. One of mine will sit out in the rain for hours rather than go in his kennel/shed/stable/kitchen (he is spoilt for choice), just because there is a minute chance that something interesting might happen outside. He's more likely to take shelter from the cold than the rain tbh.

Oh. I thought this thread was going to be about people being too scared to post in the Doghouse because we are all evil.

I think what the dog is trying to say is that you should move into the doghouse and leave the whole of the actual house for her. She might let you in for snuggling time.

why is the poor dog put outside

My dog also wouldn't go in his (large) dog house. I spent hours in there trying to tempt him in with biscuits. Eventually it got converted to an excellent wendy-house and now I put the kids in it instead!

kilmuir Not all dogs are house dogs. Not all dogs want to be house dogs. In fact one of mine will cry piteously if we do anything as mean as shut him in the house during daylight hours, when there is much more interesting stuff to do outside.

Personally I have issues with keeping dogs in overly warm centrally heated environments and then bathing all the oil out of their coats (to make them smell nice), so that when they do go outside they get cold and wet. I wouldn't however go onto a thread and judge someone for bathing their dog.

First rant. Hopefully the last

We're thinking of getting a dog flap in to our garage so that in the summer months he can spend more time outside but have somewhere to shelter from the heat/rain etc. I suspect he will have other ideas as well He loves being outdoors and snuffling about under bushes etc, so being outdoors won't phase him.

Well, she is usually around me 24/7...curled around my feet, or not far away. I can't even go to the bathroom with her!

She does love being outside, especially now the weather has warmed up. I don't want to leave her in the house, during the day, as it's much nicer outside. More to see, and hear, the breeze and fresh air.

Painted this house to match ours, and the kids put their hand prints beside the door. Looks so cute.... Oh, well... :)

I think you need to crate train your dog with the kennel. That seems to be the obvious solution.

noinspiration not much of a 'family' pet or do you keep other members of the family isolated outside.

Ah, the competitive I treat my dog better than you do thing....

Well, no, mine aren't just family pets, they work as well. And no, they are not isolated outside, I am out most of the day with them. And no, they aren't treated any differently to anyone else in the family. We all have the choice of being out in the grounds (acres, not garden), in the shed, the kennel, or the kitchen. Largely the humans opt for the grounds or the kitchen. The dogs have a different order or preference, which depends on where we are and whether we are doing anything that involves them.

Your dogs are I am sure very happy with their house based life - mine wouldn't be. My point is don't judge, all people and all dogs have a set up that suits them.

Sorry wendieann, we got a bit off topic

DH made a lovely kennel for our older sheltie a few years back. It is beautiful, the sort of thing that would cost you a fortune to have hand made. Dog would not go in it. He would stand in the rain rather than go in it. The cat used to sleep in it now and then, if it was sunny. DH would mutter in disgusted tones about having built a kennel for a cat.

Then we got our second dog. She thought the kennel was wonderful and would make a beeline straight for it every time she went in the garden.

Suddenly sheltie decided it was his kennel and no little upstart puppy was going to have it. Now he goes in there regularly.

However, often when they are both indoors....well, let's just say we think it still really belongs to the cat .