Need non doodle DOG advice please ASAP UPDATED WITH PICTURES!!!!

[Jennifer and Jack]

So I have a neighbor, right next door that has a small mixed breed dog of some type, He weighs about 15 pounds, He is an outside dog only.... He does not have shelter during the day and at night they put him in a crate in a screened in porch with a towel over it,

I have tried many times to get them to give me the dog so I could find a home for him, they don't really do much with him, when their child is at their house sometimes once in a while she plays with him.

Well I am now watching their dog and their bunny both outside which it is very cold for SC here.. As you guys know I am not flowing in the money to say the least but I returned a bunch of things to the store today that I didn't have to have and I bought their dog a doggie igloo home, it has a tunnel and then a round circle in it to protect him from the elements..

Here is the issue.... He is so skittish he won't come near me... I sat in the cold for an hour. he would smell my hands then run away. I took his gross bed that was in his crate and put it in the igloo alone with some towels, it has a bottom to it so it won't get wet and I tried to get him to go in there.

I put the igloo right where he always tries to hide which is behind their child's kitchen set.... anyway He wouldn't go in it while I was there, or come near me. so I made sure he had food, found some blankets for the bunny crate and covered it and left

I just went back to check on it, the little guy has pulled his bed and towels out of the igloo home.. There was a toy I see he put in there but he was not in there. His belly is wet from sitting in water today and it is cold out.

when I told the owners, who are my friends who are at the hospital having a baby that Jack bought their dog a home, the guy was like "why the he%% did you do that, now he is going to be a dumb a %% and chew the towels up and make a mess.

Anyway.....now I don't know what to do, did me trying to be nice to this dog cause more trouble at least in the crate he was locked in and it was covered with a towel, it is a very small crate but now I am afraid with his wet belly and not going in there, though I Know he was in there at least a bit because a toy is in there that he is now going to be stuck outside all night.

I don't know what to do, I tried to ask the owners but they don't care about him, they said just leave him.. I will go over early to make sure he didn't make any mess or anything for which he will be hit for... but do you think I should go try to catch him and stuff him in the crate or do you think he will get used to the idea that it is his home and he can have his own safe, warmer dry place? 

I am so upset.. I so didn't have the money to do this but I can't let my dog outside to potty without hearing him and knowing it is freezing., it has broken my heart for a while... 

What do you think, should I go put him back in his crate or what?

[Joanna, Zoe & Bender]

Oh Jennifer you have an incredible heart! That was really sweet of you to get the pup an igloo and I'm so glad he got accustomed to it. Thank you for caring and giving him a safe, warm, dry home. Please keep us updated on the little dude.

[Jennifer and Jack]

[Lisa, Daisy & Dexter]

Aw Jen, he looks perfectly content in there....thanks for being his buddy!

[Jennifer and Jack]

He hasn't gone back in there except to drag the bedding out. I don't get it, he is sitting in the pouring rain and won't go in there. WTD? 

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

He is one very confused little dog who very obviously needs to be indoors.  How terrible to be watching this.  I don't know what you can do now...: (

[Jennifer and Jack]

[Jennifer and Jack]

My mom has another idea, she feels like they may be with just having a new baby, short on money, I know that they are. We are going to try to see if we can find a very good home for him and then tell them that someone fell in love with his picture and wants to buy him... we will offer as much money as we can, I can offer money if I return the igloo and my mom said she would chip in to try to buy him, then we can find him a home that he deserves.

The only thing is I need a lot of help before we go that route, this is a non house trained, skittish dog who destroys and eats things. Not exactly an easy dog to place, we have an amazing rescue group here and I will get their input long before we were to do something like that because that is way over my head.. but if things get bad enough, we can try to buy him from them.. but for now, I feel better knowing he has at least the lowest forms of his basic needs met........

 Thank you for your input... we are all so passionate about our babies and it is hard to understand everyone else not being as passionate as we are but if I can make a difference in one dog it may not mean a lot to the whole problem but it sure does to the dog that now has a place to sleep.

[Lisa, Daisy & Dexter]

4 tiny paws at a time Jennifer.

[Linda, Charlie Brown and Beau]

Jennifer ~ bless you!  This is a happy photo in that he found his way into the igloo and can be dry and warm there. 

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

Thanks for sharing the photos.  Grateful that he has shelter and a friend :) You and Lisa are right. 4 tiny paws at a time! The Starfish Story :)  I like your mom's idea.  If you decide to go this route, please post and/or message me... I'll be happy to donate something towards the little guy's purchase.

[Jennifer and Jack]

Thank you so much. I am going to talk to them again soon, they just got home from the hospital.... 

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

Love the pics...so happy you helped this fella out!