Puppies and Wood Stoves??

[fire_man]

I'm wondering if anybody has any dog stories to tell about Puppies and Wood Stoves, like a toy that got flung and melted against the stove. Or maybe a singed dog story. We just got a 3 month old Lab/Golden mix with tons of energy and I don't know what to expect with the stove. It's soapstone, so the external temps are a bit lower than steel. She will be 6 months old come burning time.

I want to put a wrap around gate around the stove, my wife says no gate, it's too ugly and the dog will be fine.

Any opinions, does this dog need a gate?

 

[Wood Heat Stoves]

Lots of people use gates to protect young children, so it would seem make sense for a dog, too. I don't think I've ever talked to anyone who used one for a dog, though, so maybe they have more sense when they're young than kids. If you'e at all worried, I would do it just to make you feel better.

 

[pyronut]

No gate is necessary. Your dog will not mess with the stove when hot. We have a great dane and mastiff and neither one will get too close to the stove while burning. But they do love to lay around the stove during the winter months. All will be fine. By the way that is a beutiful puppy. Take care.

 

[SteveKG]

We currently have six golden retrievers in our wood-heated home. Our main stove for heating is steel. Plus, we've been heating with wood since 1975 and have had numerous collies and golden retrievers, including puppies. Of course, when a new dog comes to us, we watch them around the stoves at first. But, in no case has a dog ever gone too near the stove or had a close call. My concern is always with a couple or more of them getting to horsing around and accidentally falling against the hot stove. But, it has never happened and is not, in our experience, an issue.

 

[fossil]

...a couple or more of them getting to horsing around...

So, when a couple or more young colts/fillies start cavorting, are they "dogging around"? Just wonderin'.

 

[cmonSTART]

I guess it's the same sort of issue as with young children. We have three young kids and do not have a gate around our wood stove and have never even come close to having a problem. Buy the gate and try it. If you find it's not needed you can always take it down.

 

[certified106]

My philosophy is they will only stick their nose on it once....lol

 

[pen]

We have an older cat and she for the first time in 5 years made the mistake of forgetting that the stove gets hot in the winter. During the summer she jumps up on the wood rack and looks out that window. For years she's never made the mistake but this last winter she did and jumped down onto a 600 degree stove. All I can say is she wasn't there for long and she'll never make that mistake again and her wounds were surprisingly minor.

I think the biggest fear may be from hyperthermia. Every dog I have ever seen next to a wood stove was trying to get drunk off of the heat!

No gate.

pen

 

[Blue Vomit]

cute pup, not sure of your setup or clearances, but you may want to try a search for Scat Mats. Battery powered dog deterrent mats. may be chaeper than a gate and your wife might like the look better. With proper training, the pup will learn not to go near that area. Don't worry just a little 9 volt zap. Very humane. If you train the right way you might be able to have the pup associate the zap with the hearthpad or whatever you have there, eventually enabling you to remove the scat mat. My parents have an electric fence for their boxer. The batteries on his collar wore out years ago but he doesn't know it. Still doesn't go through the fence! He's not too bright. :-/ Just a suggestion. Good luck.

 

[Dix]

When Murphy was a puppy ( first season with the PE), my main concern was when I realized he could just walk into the PE through the doorway, he was that small (fox terrier)

We had one incident where he was rough housing with Wilber (dalmation X) and his butt ended up to the glass (600F stove temps, or so) for a nano second, which elicited a very large yelp, for a small dog.


I bought a fireplace screen, and placed it infront of the insert, and that eliminated both problems.


I think in a few months, that lovely pup will be big enough to avoid those issues. They seem to have a respect for the stove.

 

[BrotherBart]

Yeah, a large fireplace screen is a lot cheaper and more effective answer than mega bucks fences and gates. They come in size "huge" pretty cheap.

 

[BrowningBAR]

We currently have six golden retrievers in our wood-heated home.

I hope that's a big house...

 

[begreen]

I want to put a wrap around gate around the stove, my wife says no gate, it's too ugly and the dog will be fine.

Any opinions, does this dog need a gate?

Very cute pup. I'm with your wife on this one. If he is a smart one he will figure it out just fine. Remember he is going to be 3X bigger by the time you are heating with wood. If he is a not so smart one, then he will hopefully learn by experience. Usually they do, it's a basic survival instinct if you are going to live with humans.

 

[BrowningBAR]

I want to put a wrap around gate around the stove, my wife says no gate, it's too ugly and the dog will be fine.

Any opinions, does this dog need a gate?

Very cute pup. I'm with your wife on this one. If he is a smart one he will figure it out just fine. Remember he is going to be 3X bigger by the time you are heating with wood. If he is a not so smart one, then he will hopefully learn by experience. Usually they do, it's a basic survival instinct if you are going to live with humans.

A glaring omission from my cats. And the dog likes to get his nose thisclose to the stove. I blame myself. Pets seem to reflect the intelligence of their owners. I'm not giving them much to work with.

 

[weatherguy]

I had that concern with my puppy last year but she never touched the stove, she used to like to sleep near it on the cold nights. I would only worry about it if I had two or more dogs and they liked to horse around, thats when acidents happen.

 

[davmor]

I do not worry about them when I'm around, only when I'm gone out of the house. Always put my youngest Lab in her crate so she doesn't get something on the stove. It's possible they could fling a toy, or knock something over onto the stove. Enjoy the puppy.

 

[PapaDave]

I'm with your wife on this one. Keep an eye on the pup and let her know it's not ok to be too close to the stove, she'll get it with continual positive reinforcement.
I wouldn't leave a puppy in the house on it's own with OR without a stove. :ahhh:
Our youngest has torn up an old cheap loveseat that she thinks is a chewtoy. She gnaws at it every few days.....pretty soon, the pieces will be small enough to toss in the trash. :lol:

 

[Mrs. Krabappel]

I think this thread need more pictures of puppies ;-)

 

[lukem]

I bought 3 screens on closeout from a box store and zip tied them together to make a perimeter. I'm not worried about the kids or dog touching it, but want to keep the toys and other flammables away from it.'

Dogs and kids are smart. They usually figure out fire is hot and burns hurt.

 

[weatherguy]

I think this thread need more pictures of puppies ;-)

 

[sullystull]

I have a toddler in the house...built this using railing sections purchased from home depot. Fortunately, these come in 4 and 6' sections--the same dimensions as my hearth. Since taking these pics, I've added a corner baluster to eliminate the gap.. Less than $50 invested.

 

[begreen]

Did you cap the ends? They look sharp and just about kid head height.

 

[fire_man]

Well, it looks like my wife wins, based on most responses no gate is needed. Except for Pen's cat's feet and Eileen's dog's rear end, odds seem pretty good the gate is not necessary. Thanks everyone!

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Tony, good choice on the puppy. He should be a good one. I would not worry for a second about the dog/stove thing. Animals aren't totally dumb.... He'll do fine.

 

[sullystull]

Did you cap the ends? They look sharp and just about kid head height.

I thought about wrapping pipe insulation or something similar around the ends but haven't done so yet. One full heating season and no accidents (sound of wood knocking).