How to Keep Outdoor Dogs Warm in Winter

Start by limiting time outside

The AKC says dogs are at risk of frostbite once temperatures fall below 32°F and suggests limiting small dogs to 10 to 15 minutes at that point. Thick-coated arctic breeds usually manage 30 minutes to an hour. The AKC also reports that most state tethering laws bar keeping a dog tethered or confined outside below freezing or during storm warnings.

So for most families, keeping an outdoor dog warm really means giving them a warm indoor place on cold days and nights, and using the yard for shorter spells of play and bathroom breaks. Puppies, seniors, small and short-coated dogs and dogs with health conditions should stay mostly indoors in winter, with short supervised trips out. A well-fitted quilted dog coat or winter dog jacket from our dog winter coats collection can help on those short trips, and our winter coat guide explains how to fit one.

What a winter dog shelter needs

The ASPCA says outdoor dogs need a warm, dry, covered shelter when it is cold, and the AKC adds protection from wind and rain. Size matters: a shelter should be big enough for your dog to stand, turn around and lie down, but not so large that their body heat cannot warm it. Raise the floor off the frozen ground so cold and damp do not soak in.

Face the doorway away from the prevailing wind, or fit a heavy flexible flap over it. Insulate the walls and roof where you can, and the AKC suggests foam board between inner and outer walls for kennel buildings. Check the shelter after storms for leaks, drifts across the doorway and wet bedding. If you are buying rather than building, compare insulated dog houses.

Bedding that keeps a dog warm

Bedding has to stay dry to keep a dog warm. Anything that soaks up snow or rain and then freezes, such as a wet blanket or towel, becomes colder than no bedding at all. Change bedding as soon as it is damp, and choose materials that let moisture escape and can be fluffed up and replaced easily.

A raised outdoor dog bed or cot inside the shelter keeps your dog off a cold floor. Check bedding every day in winter, not just when you clean the yard, and shake out or swap anything that has packed down flat, because flat bedding traps far less warm air.

Heating outdoor shelters safely

Heat sources outdoors need real care. The AKC advises keeping heaters clean and vented to the outside, keeping flammable materials well away, and putting heat lamps and cords out of reach of dogs, with cords covered in approved conduit. It suggests a waterproof heated mat on a thermostat controller as a safer way to keep a set temperature.

Never use a space heater a dog can knock over or chew, and never run fuel-burning heaters in a closed space. The AKC recommends smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in kennel buildings, with batteries checked regularly. If you are not sure a setup is safe, keep your dog inside instead.

Food, water and paws

Dogs burn more energy staying warm, so an active outdoor dog may need a little more food in winter. Ask your vet how much, so you do not overshoot into weight gain. Water is just as important in winter as in summer, and a frozen bowl is no bowl at all, so check it several times a day or use a heated bowl designed for pets.

Ice, snow and rock salt are hard on paws. Wipe your dog's feet after time outside, trim long hair between the toes so snow does not ball up, and use pet-friendly ice melt on your own paths, as the AKC suggests. Keep antifreeze well out of reach and clean up any spills, because it is poisonous to dogs.

How to keep a dog warm at night indoors

Indoors, give your dog a bed raised off the floor and away from drafty doors and windows, with a blanket they can burrow into. Small, thin-coated and senior dogs may like a covered crate or a bed with high sides. A light dog sweater can help a hairless dog in a cool house, but take it off when your dog is left alone. Browse dog winter coats for the walks outside.

If your dog shivers hard, seems stiff or sluggish, or has pale or gray skin on the ears, tail or paws after time outside, bring them in, dry them and call your vet.

This page is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your pet.