Dogs with an outdoor space....

By this I mean an area, i.e a shed/kennel etc that they spend periods of time in.

What set up do you have? Do you have heaters? If so what....

Do they get too hot in summer? too cold in winter.

Basically im looking for some hints and tips. I have 5 dogs, 4 border collies and 1 JRT they all currently live in the house for me.

Im thinking about doing something for them in the garden for them to spend some time in, ideally when we get back from walks, or have a house full of people and having all the dogs around doesnt work that well.....

They will still sleep nights in the house and wont be out there for more than a few hours at a time, but I do like them to be pampered where possible

I have a kennel and run. It isn't heated but in the winter the kennel bit is filled with straw, their bed sits on top of this with a blanket or duvet folded in it. (I buy these in the local charity shop as they never last very long)
Mine don't sleep out overnight and the kennel is used much in the same way that you are thinking of using yours. The run is covered over so they are not too exposed to the elements.
I think it depends what sort of dogs you have, my two have been used to going out since they were quite wee and neither seem to suffer from the cold. They are definately not the kind of dogs that don't want to go out if the weather is bad-they don't give a hoot and will happily run around in mud, rain or snow.
In my opinion the outside kennel is one of the best investments I ever made, once they were past the puppy stage I didn't really like crating them, they can have a wander round, see out or curl up and sleep(which is what they usually do )
I know that if I am out for a while they are safe and sound and not rampaging round the house

My husband keeps most of his workers in outdoor kennels on chains (not for me or mine, but works for him and his ) although his 15 year old retired bitch and her granddaughter both live in the house. He always has clean, fresh straw in all the kennels for them and they are put in the barn (again bedded down on straw) if the weather is particularly inclement.

Like you, I fancied having somewhere to put my four when they were wet, muddy etc or when people were round and it wasn't convenient to have six dogs in the house. I did look at buying a really fancy wooden kennel, with covered run, heating, lighting and electric. It was fab actually, but would have been a real ballache to transport from its current home up to us. We then hit on the idea of transforming one of our two porch rooms (where we had the chest freezer and kept wellies and stuff) into a dog room. It has worked really well. I emptied and painted it, put an oil heater in it, covered the concrete floor in vinyl flooring and then vet bed on top, took the door off and put a dog gate up. The dogs go in it without any fuss at all and it works well. I do only use it for perhaps an hour at a time though and defo wouldn't want them sleeping in it - as I like them in the house with me. I also don't put them in it when we go out, as I like them to have the run of the house - but it is really handy to have it there for times when needed.

I also meant to say that collies will have no probs being outdoors in the cold, just so long as their kennel or space is draught free.