New Doggie Condo
If you recall, we recently put a shed in the backyard (that Andy moved all by himself). It was just in time for the pooches to get some shelter from the cold midwest weather. The new doghouse, I feel, is more like a condo because it’s not as extravagant as the old versions at the last house.
Here’s awesome Andy out cleaning the boys’ room before they got home from the groomers last night:
It doesn’t look like much, but the left side of the shed is boxed off with two heat lamps hanging into the bedroom and dining quarters. 
Have a closer look:
Okay, this photo is with the ceiling removed looking down into the dogs’ area. Imagine the doggie door all the way to the left. When they enter the boys walk right into their comfy bed of blankets, warmed by an overhead heat lamp. There is a small divider to keep the blankets out of the dining area, which has the black water dish (also with overhead heating to avoid frozen water) and a silver tote turned automatic dog feeder.
The doggie condo has much less space than the last doggie palace, no radio, ramps, throw rugs, or A/C (yet) but I do believe less is more in this case; they so far (knock on wood) have not gone potty inside this house to our knowledge. They seem to enjoy their new house and we like it too. Plus, we can use the entire rest of the shed!
Okay, I was telling Ryan about the doggie house last night and we are both intrigued.
Do the dogs stay in here all the time? Do they also go in the house? Are they able to get outside to go to the bathroom?
Inquiring minds want to know! =)
It’s very cool!
I put the dogs outside when I get up in the morning and bring them inside for the night when we go to bed. We’ll bring them in to play or hang out, but if we’re not going to be right there with them we like them to be outside so there are no accidents.
We have a timer set on the heat lamps so it turns on a half hour before they go out so it’s nice and toasty for them. (It also turns off around 11PM.) They run outside first thing in the morning, do their business, then they jump into their bedroom in the shed through a doggie door. They have free access to the fenced in yard all day; they are not contained in the little “condo” in the shed, they go in and out as they like.
It’s great because we don’t have to worry so much about them not having enough exercise, or being too cold, not enough food, etc. When we go away on the weekend we have family that comes over to check on them a couple times a day. If for any reason the heater fails they are still protected from the elements and they also have a regular doghouse in the backyard if for any reason they somehow cannot get into the shed.
I’ve tried to think of everything possible.
These shed/doggie houses are AWESOME.