# AC For Doghouse?



## Meerkat (May 31, 2011)

Our old dog is really hurting from heat now and no way can we keep bringing her and the middle aged one inside. I'm totally allergic to her even more so now that she is old, more dander.

We have a small AC we used in the bus just sitting in storage. It will cost more energy but she is worth it. We will just turn it on a couple times a day when the heat is really bad. 

Goes to show how much you can change so never say never. I thought that rich evangelical was nuts for having air conditioned dog house.


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## Pessimistic2 (Jan 26, 2017)

Meerkat said:


> Our old dog is really hurting from heat now and no way can we keep bringing her and the middle aged one inside. I'm totally allergic to her even more so now that she is old, more dander. We have a small AC we used in the bus just sitting in storage. It will cost more energy but she is worth it. We will just turn it on a couple times a day when the heat is really bad. Goes to show how much you can change so never say never. I thought that rich evangelical was nuts for having air conditioned dog house.


As a general rule, because of the really bad effects of high temps (85+ every day), and extreme humidity (85%+ almost every day), I bring the dogs in from around 9 AM to maybe 5 PM (with a couple short trips outside to do their business). They are "family," and there's no way I'm leaving them out there in that blistering heat/humidity to just lay there and pant, pant, pant, all day!! Would you leave your kid out in 90 degree heat and 90%+ humidity with no way to cool off? Me neither!! Your A/C idea is a good one, and I'm sure the dog appreciates it!! :2thumb: :beercheer:


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## jimLE (Feb 25, 2015)

good move,with the ac...and good luck with her..

im the same way with my 2 baby girls.a Pomeranian,and a chihuahua..their meant to be house dogs..but yet,id never leave them outside all day..much less take um for a walk during the heat of the day..


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## Meerkat (May 31, 2011)

We have been putting them in the bathroom but even there the dander manages to spread into living into room. Once I breath it in it actually smothers me and makes my eyes and nose burn. One is already inside all the time and gets bathed 3 times a week but she has long hair and not as bad as the short haired dogs. Still I vacuum and mop all the time. She is allowed only in living room. 

I never was allergic before last several years.


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## Tweto (Nov 26, 2011)

If I couldn't bring them into the house then putting AC in a dog house sounds like something I would do.


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## jimLE (Feb 25, 2015)

or at least a good shaded area like a garage with a fan to circulate the air in there,while the garage door is up..


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## Sentry18 (Aug 5, 2012)

You could make an ice cooler AC for them. I have seen them used for tents, not sure why they wouldn't work for a dog house.


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## ClemKadiddlehopper (Aug 15, 2014)

We have an old truck camper out back near the chickens. We cover it with old hay and keep the dirt floor inside damp. The dogs can be comfy and might even wake up to kick some fox patootie when needed.The chickens like to lay eggs on the top and everyone is happy. (but not those out foxed foxes)


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## RedBeard (May 8, 2017)

Sentry18 said:


> You could make an ice cooler AC for them. I have seen them used for tents, not sure why they wouldn't work for a dog house.


Nice! I was going to suggest that.


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## terri9630 (Jun 2, 2016)

Temps or heat index over 90 and we bring not just the dogs in but the rabbits too. The dogs will suffer from the heat, the rabbits will die.


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## Meerkat (May 31, 2011)

terri9630 said:


> Temps or heat index over 90 and we bring not just the dogs in but the rabbits too. The dogs will suffer from the heat, the rabbits will die.


 I didn't know that about rabbits. Right now they are back in the bathroom till we can finish rebuilding doghouse. It was so heavy we had to take it all the way apart and now rebuild it with a few additions for AC stand and window. Very slow progress in this heat and humidity 104 index. I just hosed off the porch while resting.
We use screws on EVERYTHING we build and have fro past couple decades in case we need to take it down. Sure beats pulling out old nails. :wave:


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## terri9630 (Jun 2, 2016)

Meerkat said:


> I didn't know that about rabbits. Right now they are back in the bathroom till we can finish rebuilding doghouse. It was so heavy we had to take it all the way apart and now rebuild it with a few additions for AC stand and window. Very slow progress in this heat and humidity 104 index. I just hosed off the porch while resting.
> We use screws on EVERYTHING we build and have fro past couple decades in case we need to take it down. Sure beats pulling out old nails. :wave:


Rabbits overheat easily. Wild rabbits are adapted to this area and have learned how to keep cool. Domestic rabbits are European rabbits and have to burrow underground to stay cool which makes it difficult to monitor, care for and harvest them. So, our rabbits get air conditioning.


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## RedBeard (May 8, 2017)

Don't know if it applies but can dogs get ac sick like humans? The first time i visited fl i got sick from going in and out of the ac. Sucked so bad! I realize your talking about a consent cool but i was still wondering.


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## Meerkat (May 31, 2011)

RedBeard said:


> Don't know if it applies but can dogs get ac sick like humans? The first time i visited fl i got sick from going in and out of the ac. Sucked so bad! I realize your talking about a consent cool but i was still wondering.


 Good question and yes I'm sure the drastic temp change can be bad for them. But what we will do is monitor the ac and make sure it doesn't get cool enough to make a huge difference but cool enough to give them relief. Old dog really pants now when he get too hot. So she will have to have some kind of cooling off period.


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## Flight1630 (Jan 4, 2017)

Would sitting on a block of ice be better or something similar?


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## terri9630 (Jun 2, 2016)

RedBeard said:


> Don't know if it applies but can dogs get ac sick like humans? The first time i visited fl i got sick from going in and out of the ac. Sucked so bad! I realize your talking about a consent cool but i was still wondering.


I don't know. None of our animals have ever had a problem with it. We don't wait until it gets really hot before bringing them in. If it's supposed to hit 90 we just bring them in after feeding the other animals in the morning. We let the dogs out when we feed in the evening and take the rabbits out right before sunset when the temp starts to drop.


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## tmttactical (Nov 23, 2015)

Okay, here are two idea's. One, turn roof of dog house into a swamp cooler (water runs across roof, down spout, collected and pumped back onto roof.

2) Get a mister hose and connect to inside of dog house and mist the dogs. Hose would have to connected to a solenoid valve and either a temp (thermostat) or motion detector. Temp too high, valve opens mists dog. A whole lot cheaper that running an A/C system. Just my 2 cents.


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## terri9630 (Jun 2, 2016)

tmttactical said:


> Okay, here are two idea's. One, turn roof of dog house into a swamp cooler (water runs across roof, down spout, collected and pumped back onto roof.
> 
> 2) Get a mister hose and connect to inside of dog house and mist the dogs. Hose would have to connected to a solenoid valve and either a temp (thermostat) or motion detector. Temp too high, valve opens mists dog. A whole lot cheaper that running an A/C system. Just my 2 cents.


I don't think a swamp cooler will work. It's to humid in Florida.


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## Sentry18 (Aug 5, 2012)

What about just putting a powered ventilation fan on the top of the dog house and air vents on the sides? It would at least continuously circulate cool air through the dog house.

We have a few of these on our roof.


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## RedBeard (May 8, 2017)

Sentry18 said:


> What about just putting a powered ventilation fan on the top of the dog house and air vents on the sides? It would at least continuously circulate cool air through the dog house.
> 
> We have a few of these on our roof.


That and a homemade cooler ac would probably be perfect. Plus cheap to run if it was all 12 volt with it's own solar.


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## Meerkat (May 31, 2011)

Sentry18 said:


> What about just putting a powered ventilation fan on the top of the dog house and air vents on the sides? It would at least continuously circulate cool air through the dog house.
> 
> We have a few of these on our roof.


 It is too hot and humid although that is a good idea fro some places.



RedBeard said:


> That and a homemade cooler ac would probably be perfect. Plus cheap to run if it was all 12 volt with it's own solar.


 Another good idea and we don't plan to leave AC there just til I can vent through a window or door for inside air to blow into doghouse.

We finished putting it back together today and will set in small window unit we had in the bus we sold.


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## Sentry18 (Aug 5, 2012)

Caribou said:


> Here is another option.


Why didn't I think of that!


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## Meerkat (May 31, 2011)

Caribou said:


> Here is another option.


 Caribou remember when yall were helping me with solar well I got a small freezer just fro something like this. But all the work around here I just want somethign we don't have to care for or reload.


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## sgtusmc98 (Sep 8, 2013)

RedBeard said:


> Don't know if it applies but can dogs get ac sick like humans? The first time i visited fl i got sick from going in and out of the ac. Sucked so bad! I realize your talking about a consent cool but i was still wondering.


I don't think this is what your talking about but generally it is healthier for a dog to just be outside. Normally the only negative side affect is shedding, dogs should shed a couple of times a year but inside outside dogs shed many times over a year.

However we do often put animals in climates they wouldn't naturally live in so help is needed.

My dogs do have a really good place to go for both summer and winter. I have to store my hay up on big pallets and the dogs crawl under it so they have a den where hay falls through the cracks and they have 10 feet of hay insulation over them most of the year.


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