# dog gets too hot in crate at night



## SquashNut

Is there any thing we can do to keep our dog Maggie from getting over heated in her crate at night.
She woke Dh up last night panting, when he let her out she went out side and laid in one of the holes in her pen to cool off.
I was thinking I could freeze a bottle of water and let her have it at night inside her crate.
It's only May here and we are already having this problem. It is too soon to start using our air conditioner.
we cann't keep her off the bed so letting her roam at night is not going to work.
Maggie seems to get very warm easy.
Any other suggestions appreciated.


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## jen74145

My guys have been getting way too hot in the house too, so they've been sleeping outside... maybe something to think about?


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## RandB

Is is one of those airline type crates? If so, switching to a wire one allows better air circulation. Even better would be setting up an exercise pen which has an open top and more space inside. Another possibility depending on the dog, tie her with a leash attached to the leg of the bed, with a dog bed on the floor, at night.


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## TNnative

RandB said:


> Another possibility depending on the dog, tie her with a leash attached to the leg of the bed, with a dog bed on the floor, at night.


This is what I do with our Jack Russell. It's working out very well.


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## farmergirl

Our dog is currently crated during the day, which I hate....but she has developed the nasty habit of ducking out of our fencing wherever and whenever she can. Ou entire place is fenced and cross fenced, but still she finds a way under...and if she can't get under, she just gets a running start and sails OVER the 4ft fence! Anyhow, until I get a border collie proof dog run set up in the backyard under the oak trees, she's indoors when we're gone and I set up a large rotating fan in front of her crate to keep her cool. So far it's working just fine, though I do plan to have her outdoors all day in the shade within the next month or so (before it gets REALLY hot here).


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## Snowdancer

I let Lucky roam at night and use a $9.99 baby gate across my bedroom door. I got mine at WalMart but I've seen them for a couple of bucks at garage sales.
The nice thing with one of those mesh gates is the airflow isn't blocked and he can see me but he can't get in & on the bed unless I choose to leave the gate off.  

Depending on the size of your dog, since it's a pressure gate you can raise it some so the dog can't jump over it but yet can't wiggle his way under it.


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## GoldenMom

Ruby is that way too so she has her own fan (set up to only blow accross part of the crate so she could get out of the way if she got too cold). She also has a Canine Cooler dog bed (they really do work).


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## SquashNut

Unfornuately Maggie is only 7 monthes old so she is still in the chewing stage of life. Which is part of the reason she is in the crate to start with.
I am sure glad I don't have her fur coat.!
Forgot to say, Maggie can jump 4 foot no problem.
We have a 4 foot peice of ply wood that is supposed to keep the dogs out of the back rooms, she jumps it every once in a while.
we thought she was a rottie when we got her, but more and more people are saying she is mostly German Shepard, with a few other types thrown in.


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## Terry W

The bottle of frozen water will work well-- my Chessie actually uses one as a pillow in the summer! My late Irish Setter would snuggle with his-- he would push it to his tummy and go to sleep!

oh-- the frozen water bottle works wqell for other animals as well.


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## Peepsqueak

I had to leave my dogs outside in the heat because my dh hates them inside the house and we were having work done on our house. I used blocks of dry ice to put in their dogloos and it kept them cool. You can also freeze gallon jugs of water and put them inside the crate to cool it off....if you use the dry ice be careful not to shut the crate off from air too much (that it has vents.....) and use small chunks at a time because it gives off gases....

put it in the rear of the crate covered so they do not touch it and burn themselves...it can be covered with towels and cloth. The dog will naturally stay away from it...or put it on ceiling of crate and it will last to keep cool

They also have cooling pads in the store. They cost a little, but they are worth it....you can also freeze towels and they last awhile too.


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## lonelyfarmgirl

having shown dogs for a long time, I know dog supply catalogs sell mini fans that clip onto the front of a wire dog cage.
dog show people use them alot in the summer during competitions. they actually are really great.


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## pancho

I have found that my dogs would adjust themselves to the weather if they were not crated. Never liked crating anyway so that is a good excuse to get rid of them.


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## Willowynd

The canine cooler mats are awesome! Cooling bandanas are good too. So are the cage fans- I just worry about using them in wire crates with a pup who chews- I have seen my own pups chew on the wall through a wire crate or pull in something that was close by (once it was a cord- fortunatelty it was unplugged).


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## Sarah Bella

We keep our lab's crate in the basement on a tile floor, its the coolest spot in the house. Perhaps you have a low level cement floor where you can put the crate.. good luck


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