Hi Ash. It sounds like you’ve created a warm space for a dog that isn’t especially intolerant to cold, so unless the temperature gets very low where you are things sound pretty good. In fact, some of the problems we have with people keeping dogs outside is when they have had dogs like yours and then they transition to a single-coated more cold sensitive breed but don’t change their management.

What’s the point in having a pet if it’s at k outside day and night? This place is so backwards sometimes I just don’t understand how people’s brains work here… get a dog, ignore it, leave it outside, annoy the neighbours… why? Get a bird table or a fish pond if you’re too lazy to care for a dog. Morons.

Hi Ingrid. You’ll notice I put kelpies both in the single and double coated categories. They can be quite independent if raised correctly, and can definitely learn to sleep outside happily in time. I would start gradually from about 16 weeks of age depending on the weather but before that, have already taught him from 10 weeks that being separate from his owners in the house for short periods is no cause for alarm.

Hi JD. Thanks for reading before making the decision. I think in your case it will be fine- Labradors are quite cold-tolerant and you seem to have a good setup.