What do you use as a temperature guideline (on the cold side) for comfy outdoor time? I woke up this morning and it was 32 degrees outside!! (this doesn't happen very often in south texas)

I usually put the dogs out for four hours or so until lunch, but it seemed so cold... they stayed inside. Was I worrying about this too much? Obviously it differs for type of dog, etc. But just as a general guideline?? It would be during the day only- they sleep inside at night.

They have an almost finished doghouse. Hoping to get the roof screwed down this weekend But so far they haven't gone in there for any length of time. If I tell them to go in, they'll climb in, and then come back out again- of course it was nice out when we tried this. Anyway...

Hi, carolyn-

I think if you live in TX, you probably don't ever need to worry. How cold is the low temp around there in the winter? My pup is a housedog, but I grew up w/dogs who were never allowed in the house (GSD's also). It can get in the single digits here, and as long as your dogs have somewhere out of the wind available, with some bedding like straw or something, I think they would be fine. Ours would either go in the barn, the garage, or a doghouse. They didn't just have one space that they preferred, as long as they had somewhere out of the wind and moisture, basically. Believe me, if they feel cold enough, they'll use the doghouse. That's my 2cents. I don't think unless you have a freak blizzard w/super low temps, your dogs would be in any danger living in TX. If you are really worried, you can buy heat lamps made for doghouses, I believe.

To agree with Kori, assuming we are not talking about a very shorthaired dog like a boxer or dobie and as long as the dogs can get out of the wind/rain/snow they should be fine. I used to live in North Dakota, it can sometimes go for weeks without even hitting zero (meaning we stay below!) and my shepherds did just fine with their dog houses and a good bed of straw. You have to keep in mind though, that these were all healthy, adult dogs who were accustomed to the temperatures. A neighbors GSP, however, was not so lucky. He was left outside (can't recall if he even had a doghouse) during a cold snap and died. So if any of your dogs are very short haired, I would recommend keeping them in for sure!

I now live in Tennessee and my three dogs (GSD, Lhasa, and a mix) all live outside. It doesn't get as cold as up north, but plenty cold IMO, and the dogs are all fine outdoors. The only dog that lives in the house is my mom's chihuahua puppy.

lol, well... one of mine is a GSD with the traditional double coat. The other is a gsd mix with long hair (but no double coat). I think they'll be ok, but I guess I wimped out when I opened the door and went BBRRRRRR!!!! Plus realistically they're inside dogs. They go out for a few hours at a time, but never out for the night. Its cool that they've grown a semi-winter coat (I can tell that they're ears are furrier).

I grew up in central IL, but have lived down here for long enough that I'm a wimp with the cold now, lol. On a more positive note, it's supposed to be 80 degrees this weekend

Thanks for the input!

I thought Thirty Two degrees F was the optimum operating temperature for a GSD, mine love it and won't inside if given a choice

 Quote: Dennis Jones

I thought Thirty Two degrees F was the optimum operating temperature for a GSD, mine love it and won't inside if given a choice

ROFL! Mine love the cooler temps as well. Especially this year and the poor shepherd I dragged to TN with me. She thought she was going to die in the summer heat (not that it doesn't get hot in summer up north, but it was different to her). I actually shaved the poor beast (she was so much more comfortable she wasn't even embarrassed :-P). Hopefully she'll be more adjusted this coming summer and I won't have to make her look like an idiot, lol.

32 degrees means we don't wear coats to go outside here! I went on an hour snowshoe walk the other day without a coat, and had to take off gloves and hat...it was 26 degrees Fahrenheit.

I think a health GSD, even a dog acclimated to warmer temps would be fine in 32 degree temps, as long as they aren't getting wet and have a place to get out of the wind if they wish.

Lol-- I get the drift already, but incidentally, if you were snowshoeing I bet you were moving pretty well and burning some calories! That keeps you plenty warm When I'm cycling in the early-morning-winter here it's hard finding that perfect balance between warmth and sweating- especially when you add wind-chill (try biking along at 18-20 mph plus the wind chill, it cools off fast!). My aunt lives up your way, Cindy, and we discussed the weather at christmas. She just couldn't understand how I thought 30 or 40 degrees was cold, hahaha. She even sent me her old parka (which I'll probably use once a year).

Seriously though, thanks for all of the replies. I just didn't want to err on the wrong side of caution and end up with a sick or worse dog-- especially when i wasn't there to keep an eye on them. I can't believe how attached I've gotten to them- what did I ever do without a dog???

I think it got up to a balmy 27 here today. At least thats what the car temp said when I left work about 4 and I think Jerri(GSD) spent several hours outside today, her choice. What part of Tennessee are you in? I'm close to Memphis


Lisa

At the moment over here in Belgium it is 7 degs below centigrade so it is quite cold with frozen water outside Tap that is, and the Dogs water freezes many times a day, but they do not stay in the Kennel. Its now 7.15 in the Morning, Pitch Dark and they are outside in there run sitting next to each other playing through the steel bars of the separate pens
I do not think they feel the cold at all, inside the Wood Kennels is a Plastic Basket and we do not put any bedding in the basket we have found it to be a waste of time, they pull out anything fabric and pull it around in the Pen,
Straw dows not stay in long and is inclined to break up causing dust to float in the air inside the Kennel so they are okay as they are,
We worry too much about the Dogs thats my opinion
Any form of heating is certainly out for me, Not with Dogs who have lived outside the House all there lives, They look in great condition with a beautiful thick shining coat
This is my opinion only, and all my Dogs have lived Outside in Kennels for the 55 plus years i have owned them
i think a Dog who lives outside, grows a slightly different coat too a Dog who lives in the Human Conditions inside a house meaning it grows a slightly thicker coat Nature takes care of its own without more help from us humans