Gun Dog Forum

I have a lot of carpet scraps. When it comes to hauling dogs in the winter do you believe using carpet is better or worse than straw in the bottom of the box?

If it is really cold or the kennel is in the back of an open pickup, dogs may well need to make a nest to conserve heat. Can't do that with carpet scraps. If the kennel is inside the heated vehicle or even inside a closed camper cap, insulation and such is less important. However, the most important thing is to have a relatively small space for the dog to occupy(less for the dog to have to heat) and to have that space as free from drafts as possible. The drafts steal the air that the dogs body has heated forcing the dog to generate more heat.

FWIW,corrugated cardboard, cut up into into small pieces is a VERY effective way to insulate a dogbox. The airspaces in the cardboard are great insulators. In a pinch, so is newspaper crumpled up. The dogs will get dirty from the newsprint ink.

RayG

Where do you travel and in what? SUV/truck camper shell vs open truck. Wire crate vs insulated dog box. What breed of dog? Pointer vs Chesapeake.

Down to 40F with no wind exposure carpet is fine. Straw changed often is better if colder. Keeping them dry and out of the wind is more important than bedding.

No need to be rude Neil.

Neil wrote:Where do you travel and in what? SUV/truck camper shell vs open truck. Wire crate vs insulated dog box. What breed of dog? Pointer vs Chesapeake.

Down to 40F with no wind exposure carpet is fine. Straw changed often is better if colder. Keeping them dry and out of the wind is more important than bedding.

Neil,

Some of us don't know enough to give you "experts" all the information you need, but I will give it a try. I drive a 2014 F-250 diesel with no cab. My dog box is a three hole Uplander from Deer Creek. It is their standard size except it is 2 inches taller with vents in the front, back and sides. All can be adjusted from closure to open. I paid extra for the poly floor because I though it would be warmer. The dogs are GSP's. One is 20 months and certain to be an all age dog. She will run in Boonsville in the futurity. The second is 3 or 4 and a former runner up in the futurity at Boonsville. He is now an FC and AFC. The third is a house dog that will hunt to heck and back so long as you have a collar around his neck on good days and around his groin on bad days. In either instance he is going to test you at least once every time out just to make sure he has done something bad. Love them all and just want to keep them warm. We are in southeastern Ohio. It rarely gets below zero on an outing. The majority of the time it is between 20 and 40 when we travel with the dogs. One dog weighs 58 pounds and his left nut didn't drop just right. The other is 55 pounds with two nuts hanging correctly. The third is a 40 pound female. The lip of my box is not supper tall and straw seems to come out easily thus the carpet idea surfaced. The dog with the nut that didn't drop is really bad to push his straw out the front door. Thanks for any information you may be willing to share. You have also provided an excellent example of why I don't attend field trials which is the subject of one of my threads. ANYTIME YOU ASK A QUESTION SOME GUY WHO LIVES THROUGN HIS DOGS AS OPPOSED TO GOD, FAMILY AND FRIENDS WANTS TO CRAWL UP YOUR A$$ and chew on you for asking any question probably because his dog didn't run worth a crap the last time he touched the ground.

mnaj_springer wrote:No need to be rude Neil.

Saying it would be helpful to give more information is hardly rude.

But I noticed, as usual, you contributed nothing of value.

Hotchkiss wrote:

Neil wrote:Where do you travel and in what? SUV/truck camper shell vs open truck. Wire crate vs insulated dog box. What breed of dog? Pointer vs Chesapeake.

Down to 40F with no wind exposure carpet is fine. Straw changed often is better if colder. Keeping them dry and out of the wind is more important than bedding.

It would be helpful if you would take the time and effort to give some basic information.

Neil,

Some of us don't know enough to give you "experts" all the information you need, but I will give it a try. I drive a 2014 F-250 diesel with no cab. My dog box is a three hole Uplander from Deer Creek. It is their standard size except it is 2 inches taller with vents in the front, back and sides. All can be adjusted from closure to open. I paid extra for the poly floor because I though it would be warmer. The dogs are GSP's. One is 20 months and certain to be an all age dog. She will run in Boonsville in the futurity. The second is 3 or 4 and a former runner up in the futurity at Boonsville. He is now an FC and AFC. The third is a house dog that will hunt to heck and back so long as you have a collar around his neck on good days and around his groin on bad days. In either instance he is going to test you at least once every time out just to make sure he has done something bad. Love them all and just want to keep them warm. We are in southeastern Ohio. It rarely gets below zero on an outing. The majority of the time it is between 20 and 40 when we travel with the dogs. One dog weighs 58 pounds and his left nut didn't drop just right. The other is 55 pounds with two nuts hanging correctly. The third is a 40 pound female. The lip of my box is not supper tall and straw seems to come out easily thus the carpet idea surfaced. The dog with the nut that didn't drop is really bad to push his straw out the front door. Thanks for any information you may be willing to share. You have also provided an excellent example of why I don't attend field trials which is the subject of one of my threads. ANYTIME YOU ASK A QUESTION SOME GUY WHO LIVES THROUGN HIS DOGS AS OPPOSED TO GOD, FAMILY AND FRIENDS WANTS TO CRAWL UP YOUR A$$ and chew on you for asking any question probably because his dog didn't run worth a crap the last time he touched the ground.

Not sure what offended you, but you don't have to know a lot to give your location, breed, and type of conveyance when asking such an important question. I will ignore your insults and superfluous information.

Use straw or prairie grass hay and change it often.

Neil wrote:

mnaj_springer wrote:No need to be rude Neil.

Saying it would be helpful to give more information is hardly rude.

But I noticed, as usual, you contributed nothing of value.

that is not the way you asked for more info. Seems you always have to add some little dig to let us all know we don't quite measure up. I know you will argue with this but to prove you do it, why did you add the phrase above "as usual" and why even add that whole sentence. I think the comment mnaj springer made did add something. Hopefully the poster can see we all don't agree with rude posts.

So please tell what was rude about my first post on this thread?

Neil wrote:So please tell what was rude about my first post on this thread?

Oh, I see you deleted the objectionable sentence, where I asked the OP to take the time and expend the energy to give some basic information.

Yet you left the OP's second post.

I think I get the message.

Neil wrote:

Neil wrote:So please tell what was rude about my first post on this thread?

Oh, I see you deleted the objectionable sentence, where I asked the OP to take the time and expend the energy to give some basic information.

Yet you left the OP's second post.

I think I get the message.

I hope so as you are a valuable member that has a lot of knowledge you can give to new owners. But we just don't need the attitude that you allow to show way too much and too often.

Neil didn't sound rude to me. He ask a couple of questions and gave information accordingly. Some of you boys might want to lighten up a little. I like grass hay by the way.

mask wrote:Neil didn't sound rude to me. He ask a couple of questions and gave information accordingly. Some of you boys might want to lighten up a little. I like grass hay by the way.

His original post has been edited by the moderators so it doesn't appear rude now.

Neil,

Why is it important to change the straw often and how often is often? I assume it deals with sanitation. I haul my dogs about two to three times a week from October through January. I am starting to travel more and will take a multi week trip next fall traveling to Monatna and then working my way back east. I have learned some things about the dogs and am proud of what I have done, but also realize I am really ignorant in some areas. Traveling with dogs is one of those areas. I am still learning what to do with the vents. Cindy at Deer Creek was excellent and reminded me that even when it is cold out for humans the dogs generate a lot of heat in the box and condensation can develop without some venilation. That seems like a trial and error and have been watching for any potential problems. My biggest concern about the straw is how easily it comes out when the panel is not slid down in the front door which is most of the time (the box has doors with bars on them, but a metal plate can be slid into place to seal the front of the door).

As for summer, someone told me to use cedar chips in a box as opposed to nothing at all. They said it is cooler and straw and better than nothing. Any thoughts on that?

Hotchkiss, One consideration is chewing bedding material. If they chew, straw is easier to pass and less likely to impact bowels then synthetic carpet material.

I like wood shavings from tractor supply. The dogs push them out, but just refill as needed, they can make a nice nest in them and they feel warm when I get them out, I also like the way they smell after laying in them. I just bought a big bag from Tractor and filled both holes of my dog box for like 5 bucks, hay around here grass straw or whatever is much more expensive. Glad your dogs are doing well, booneville is a tough place to win you must have some good en's!

fishvik wrote:Hotchkiss, One consideration is chewing bedding material. If they chew, straw is easier to pass and less likely to impact bowels then synthetic carpet material.

I'm with fishvik on this one. There is a good chance if your dogs are chewers, that carpet might plug them up and it is not a cheap operation on getting them unplugged :roll: I use prairie hay(doesn't break up into dust as easy as straw does). If they push it out--fasten a 4 inch board inside the kennel across the bottom of the door to make it where it isn't as easy to push out of the box thru the bars. IMO I think the reason he wants you to change it often is because of the condensation that gets in the grass making it damp. IMO

Carpet kills dog's. They tear it apart, especially if it's a loop, it creates an intestinal blockage which if not operated on, will kill them.

fishvik wrote:Hotchkiss, One consideration is chewing bedding material. If they chew, straw is easier to pass and less likely to impact bowels then synthetic carpet material.

Thanks! That is a perfect example of something that seems to be obvious, but isn't obvious to someone like me who is trying to make this more complicated than it probably is ha ha.

Well I didn't catch where Neil was rude at all!

DonF wrote:Well I didn't catch where Neil was rude at all!

Don, the post he made were edited. I don't make those decisions unless I find something offensive or just completely over the top in someway or against the policies of the forum. I didn't think I needed to leave a post up so we could all vote on it. I think the situation was solved and is over but thanks for your concern.

Ezzy

Why is it not made obvious that it was edited by you?

Hotchkiss -

I don't want to speak for anyone else, but you asked a question about changing straw. Here's my take on it. Straw breaks down into smaller and smaller pieces and eventually turns to dust. Hay does the same, but, depending on the type of hay, can last far longer than straw. As the bedding breaks down, two things happen. First it loses its insulating qualities and second, and to me more importantly, as it breaks down the dust can become a health issue, since the dog is trapped inside the crateand must breathe that(now) dusty air. Same thing if it gets wet, because if it becomes moldy, the dog is breathing that too.

I change it if it does not look and feel like new, or if I see a lot of small pieces and dust in the bottom of the box. If you change it out before it starts to break down, it is actualy easier and faster, because there is less little stuff to clean out.

RayG

Ray,

Thank you very much!!!

I agree that carpet can kill. I don't know where you live...here in CA we can get Rice straw that holds up well, secondarily I use orchard grass...those two bedding varietals hold up and produce less dust

Chukar12 wrote:I agree that carpet can kill. I don't know where you live...here in CA we can get Rice straw that holds up well, secondarily I use orchard grass...those two bedding varietals hold up and produce less dust

Most any good course grass hay works very well as they hold their form for a long time. Straw is great but short lived and carpet or any cloth material is good till the dog decides to chew and ingest part of it and then you may encounter serious problems which I am not sure is worth the risk. Dogs do get bored while in the crate and many will find something to do that it may have never done before.

Easy, I would prefer to evaluate Neil's comments on my own, without you taking the liberty of editing according to your political correctness .I think we are all capable of evaluating his comments on our own and drawing our own conclusions. If you feel a need to over regulate maybe you need to run for congress!,,,!

a friend of mines wire hair ate the carpet in his box and died, I would not recommend ever using carpet

Neil wrote:So please tell what was rude about my first post on this thread?

Nothing.

Since I started the thread, I will change the direction in which it goes. Neal, it is my understanding from others here that you have a wealth of knowledge about bird dogs. I want to learn a lot more about bird dogs and recognize my ignorance. You became the victim of more and more bad apples getting in to the barrel. I can't teach anyone much about gun dogs. I have, however, shared knowledge about other subjects with men and women who wanted to learn about the subject. Your last sentence was not written as I would have written it, and I automatically assumed you were one of the "bad apples" that seem to increase in number. That is my fault, not yours. What do I mean by bad apples? Well I am jealous because I love to hunt beyond explanation, not just birds but many types of hunting. I am old enough to have reached the point where I have more time to hunt, and young enough to have many good years ahead of me. Unfortunately, it seems as though more and more hunters attack fellow hunters rather than uniting around them and working together to protect the animals and habitat we love. Some don't understand how we could love an animal that we are willing to kill. The politically correct phrase is harvest, but we kill the animal. In doing so we provide time, energy and dollars to promote the animal, the habitat and the sport of hunting. Bird hunters more so than other hunters seem to be a dying breed. Perhaps I am wrong, but at least in the east they seem to be. I love to hear the stories about quail in the 70s and before. I was too young to chase them then. Today, bird numbers are way down and thus we have dog guys turning to field trials in an attempt to continue something they love. People tell me numbers at trials are down as well compared to the "good ol days". I don't know. What I do know is that we all, need to be a little more patient with those who are ignorant, but want to learn. Those of us who are ignorant need to be a little more patient with the elders of a sport we love. Otherwise, the more divided we become - all it does is hurt the dogs, the birds, the habitat and the hunting community as a whole. I will be happy to take a few breaths before biting back, if you will just keep in mind that there are lots of people out there that need to take in the knowledge you have acquired for years and long before forums popped up on these electric information machines a/k/a computers. Take care my friend and I wish you the best.

Carpet will work untill one dog that is a chewer ingests enough to require surgery or kill.
Carpet can also hold moisture much easier and is more difficult to consider changing....especially afield.
One would prefer to see straw rather than carpet scraps at roadsides and pull-offs.

Straw or something of the same ilk provides loft and so insulation; absorbs a bit of moisture; is nest-able; is relatively cheap and easily indicates when it needs changed....by the nature of it breaking down.
It also, when a dog vomits or has projectile diahareaa, is much simpler to renew.
It is more messy than carpet....I have one box in the back seat of the pickup and straw does migrate at every dog entry and exit....which is small taters comparably.

I expect there are other differences and so reasons to pick "straw" but those are the ones of first importance to me.

The more I am around birds and bird dogs the less I am interested in killing birds. I love to watch my dogs work Birds and I love to watch other people's dogs work Birds. Not that I don't enjoy some great smoked quail and venison now and then.

ezzy333 wrote:

Chukar12 wrote:I agree that carpet can kill. I don't know where you live...here in CA we can get Rice straw that holds up well, secondarily I use orchard grass...those two bedding varietals hold up and produce less dust

Most any good course grass hay works very well as they hold their form for a long time. Straw is great but short lived and carpet or any cloth material is good till the dog decides to chew and ingest part of it and then you may encounter serious problems which I am not sure is worth the risk. Dogs do get bored while in the crate and many will find something to do that it may have never done before.

For years I used Marsh Hay and it worked great.

gonehuntin' wrote:

ezzy333 wrote:

Chukar12 wrote:I agree that carpet can kill. I don't know where you live...here in CA we can get Rice straw that holds up well, secondarily I use orchard grass...those two bedding varietals hold up and produce less dust

Most any good course grass hay works very well as they hold their form for a long time. Straw is great but short lived and carpet or any cloth material is good till the dog decides to chew and ingest part of it and then you may encounter serious problems which I am not sure is worth the risk. Dogs do get bored while in the crate and many will find something to do that it may have never done before.

For years I used Marsh Hay and it worked great.

Marsh hay which we always called swamp grass just may be the Cadillac of bedding material.

I use shredded 'Tea bag bedding' but appreciate you guys may not have that readily available ?
25 kilo sack for about $3 dollars ,does all my 7 for about 1 week in winter,then we burn it in the wood burner stove that heats the kennels.