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How Cold Is Too Cold To Leave My Jack Russell Terrier Outside In Cold Weather?

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Kristin Bartlett Profile
Kristin Bartlett answered
Actually, dogs are made to withstand temperatures way below 40 degrees. It would do him no harm at all to be outside. It is just that you probably feel bad about leaving him out in the cold. If you want to get a heated blanket then go for it. Like, I said dogs can withstand the cold with no problem. My dog used to love running around outside in the snow. I thought he was crazy. It all comes down to your feelings. If you feel bad about him being cold then comfort him.
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Katie
Katie commented
You can leave a dog outside in ANY temperature and weather as long as the dogs has a place he can go to get away from it when he has had enough.

Jack Russell Terriers are small dogs and small anything has a hard time keeping warm because they lose body heat faster and don't have fat as insulation. A heating blanket is not good because if it is too hot for him then he has to choose between overheating or being out in the cold. Also on a really cold night when your dog really needs it, it could fail (since I had never heard of a heating blanket approved for outdoor use) and your dog could freeze or get really sick.

You need to make sure that the dog house is wind proof. (No drafts)
Wind prevents the dog's body heat from warming the air in the dog house and wind chills the blood in the capillaries near the skin, which slowly lowers the dog's body temperature until it freezes to death.
This includes making sure that the door of your Jack Russell's dog house is not big enough for a Saint Bernard to fit into. Go to What the DogHouse is Made Of paragraph.

The dog house should not be directly on the ground.
Even putting one brick in each corner, helps keep the floor of the dog house from being in direct contact with the cold ground.

What the DogHouse is Made Of
You need to make sure that the walls of the dog house are not so thin that the cold can seep through. If this dog house is a thin plastic one that is only good for shade and protection from the rain, then you should have padding at least one inch thick on the bottom. This "one inch" is measured when their is weight on the blanket or towel or rug, not when it is fluffy and full of air. Walls of cheap plastic doghouses should be covered on the inside with something at least one centimeter thick OR wood can be attached to the exterior of the walls. If glue is used to keep wall insulation in place then be careful of chemical fumes. If nails , screws or staples are used, be careful to ensure that the doghouse is still waterproof. I recommend using duct tape or strips of velcro with old towels or old blankets. You can get them at yard sales or garage sales and it doesn't matter if they have (small) holes, rips, tears, food stains, or paint stains. If the door is much bigger than the dog needs it to be than, you can used velcro or tape to attach a piece a tarp over the door.
-- If the door is 20 inches tall, your dog is 12 inches tall, and you want the door to be 15 inches tall, then find a piece of tarp that is 24 inches long. You would attach the tarp about 2 inches above the top of the door so that 22 inches hangs loose/free. Cut the loose/free part vertically (up-down) into strips that are at between 1-3.5 inches wide.
Here are some pictures:
http://www.premierplastics.com.au/images/visiFlex.gif
http://www.premierplastics.com.au/images/Strip-Door.gif
http://www.pvcstrip.com/doors-weldscreen-smooth-background.html
These are "strip curtains" or "strip doors".

Or buy/make a dog house with thick walls, throw some blankets in, and put some bricks under it.
Anonymous Profile
Anonymous answered
It's better to keep him indoors if you can. When I keep my pitbull outside in the cold he shivers.
I always hear that dogs can withstand cold weather, but my experience taught me that there's a limit for their tolerance. My dog prefers sleeping indoors in winter.
Anonymous Profile
Anonymous answered
That is very cold for your dog the poor thing could freeze it should have a doggy jacket to help keep it warm because its fur wasnt made for cold weather and 10 months old is young and could get it sick
Anonymous Profile
Anonymous answered
You shouldn't let your dog sleep outside it is cruel.Although dogs have coats they can get cold too ! Dogs have frozen to death in cold weather,It is fine to LET HIM OUTSIDE,BUT IN REALLY COLD WEATHER IT IS BEST TO KEEP INDOORS AND CLOSE TO YOU.

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