Questions about big dog breeds and dog houses.

Our dogs are mostly indoor dogs but we have one Bernese Mt dog who loves it outside, even in the winter. Now I think he would stay out longer but I make sure he comes in to get the snowballs out of his feet when I think he has been out long enough. He then comes in and sleeps by the wood stove and hangs out.

Here is my question. A few years ago when he was little we got him a dog house, one made for large breeds. My kids could go in it! It was huge! He never liked it, we couldn't even get him to go in it. We got it for him not because we want him outside but because we know how much he liked it, we thought a place to lay down out there would be more comfortable. But he was still allowed to come and go as much as he wanted to. He just never took to it. So, we gave it to a family with a new dog and they wanted one.

Is this common with large breed dogs? That maybe he felt to big to go inside? I have never had a large breed until the last few years and I got to wondering about it awhile back.

 

I don't think it's common with big breeds specifically.

I do think it's common for some dogs to just not like dog houses, though, regardless of size. And if he likes being outside, then maybe being in the snow is part of what he actually likes. He wants to be out in it and not hide inside a house or something.

 

It's not related to any size of breed. Maybe you didn't give your dog enough time to get used to the dog house? Was the dog house fully enclosed? Some dogs don't like total enclosure, it makes them feel trapped.