spin off- kennel matt heaters

[CatOnLap]

can someone point me in the direction of a good safe mat heater for my plastic kennels. The killer puppies have matured out at 100 lbs apiece and now that its summer, have been relegated to the outdoor kennel. However, we are so glad to have our house back, clean and unlittered with their latest "what pillows/furniture/blankets can we kill today", that we would like them to live outside year round- we have mild winters- rarely snow and night temperatures around freezing for a month or so, so a kennel heater is a must.
Recommendations ?

Here's a pic of the killer puppies having killed their first feather pillow.

http://images.yuku.com/image/pjpeg/332163152b66cc0205a1ce437def9732bea38b3e.jpg

[Sparky Boy]

Wow. If they do that to a pillow, (very cute BTW) I'm not sure I'd want them on an electric mat. I bought one for my semi-outside dog last winter and she will NOT lay on it.

[CatOnLap]

well, I used an old waterbed heater for a while, and they loved it- would find the two of them curled up in the one heated kennel, but it was 20 years old and gave up the ghost. They were so cute with the pillow, but I couldn't decide to be mad or laugh. And laughing made the feathers fly as I was trying to sweep up! My clever plan is to put the heaters under the kennel floors. If I can find some large enough.

If someone has an alternate suggestion that works, that would be great too. So far the heaters I've found have plush covers- that will definitely not work and they are too small- meant for little dogs. I also found a large one but it only heats to one temperature- 100 degrees, and I think that may be too hot for them- maybe that's your dog's problem.

[Sparky Boy]

Actually I tried it in the house first while it was unplugged. She wouldn't get on it. I even tried sitting on it with her but no luck. She was abused early in her life and we got her as a rescue so she gets skittish over the strangest things. Understandable I suppose.

[Tiki]

My dogs 'live out' year round and we have very cold temperatures here - especially at night in the winter. Now, to qualify 'living out' - they have dog houses in the garage with a doggy door set into the people door, so they can choose to lie out in the yard in shade or sun - as they like, or they can come into the garage and lay on the concrete floor - it it's very not, or in their houses - if it's cold. The dog houses are the plastic type with removeable tops for cleaning - if necessary. They have insulated floors. Actually the floors are hollow and filled with nitrogen (I believe) to insulate them from the ground. They work great and the dogs love them. Virtually nothing to destroy. Even short-haired dogs will grow some winter coat if they live out, rather than in the house, and it will be quite enough with this kind of protection for them to get through winter. Animals don't have the same problems with weather as we do - unless they are kept as hot house flowers to begin with.

[Robin@DHH]

Take a look at the heat mats made for pig litters. There is one in
the latest Valley Vet Supply catalog I got made by Kane. Generous
size, up to 27" by 48" and not too much electricity to heat it. Looks
like it would be pretty sturdy. No cover at all. I think that Jeffers
in their Livestock Catalog offered one with a thermostat which might
be cheaper to operate. I considered one for a winter foaling but
that proved unnecessary.

[CatOnLap]

I found them!

They appeared in our local feed store this week and I immediately bought two. They heat up to about 70 F, they are made of hard plastic and the cords are shielded in a non-chew wire coil. They fit nicely into the bottom of the x-large plastic dog kennels, and then I just put their regular bedding on top and plugged them in. They are about 75 watts each, so no worse than having a couple of lightbulbs burning all night. Giant puppies love their new heated mats.

They were about $65 each- even cheaper than a water bed heater.

[greysandbays]

I found them!

They appeared in our local feed store this week and I immediately bought two. They heat up to about 70 F, they are made of hard plastic and the cords are shielded in a non-chew wire coil. They fit nicely into the bottom of the x-large plastic dog kennels, and then I just put their regular bedding on top and plugged them in. They are about 75 watts each, so no worse than having a couple of lightbulbs burning all night. Giant puppies love their new heated mats.

They were about $65 each- even cheaper than a water bed heater.

Have they got a name that I can search on the internet? I'm looking for something similar for my barn cats.

[lauriep]

I got mine at PetSmart last year, and they sound similar to CatonLap's, but came with a thin fleecey cover. My two pitbulls did very well on them (with regular bed placed on top) last winter, in their plastic dog houses w/doors. They were very snug.