Dog Kennel Guide

Dogs love to spend time outdoors and, in fact, many like to be outside more than inside.   For a lot of dogs the temperature outside isn’t an issue and they will happily spend long hours in the freezing cold.   For others, just like humans, they start to feel the cold after a while, especially during the winter months.  Also remember that a fur coat isn’t always a good defence against biting winds.  Luckily outdoor dog kennels can be insulated.

Start by buying some insulation felt from any DIY store.  You will need to cut pieces to fit exactly the floor, walls and roof.  Then cut out some plywood to exactly the same measurements – you need to be very accurate as otherwise there will be space for the heat to escape.  First tack the insulation to the inside of your dog kennel and then carefully place the plywood over the top.  Nail the plywood securely in place so that there is no chance for your dog to scratch or dig it off.  The final step is to caulk all the joins to make sure that there is not a single crack for the cold to seep in.

If you live in a particularly cold region, or your dog is very short haired and so feels the cold then it may be necessary to have a heated dog house.  There are several methods to achieve this but you need to think carefully about the amount of electricity that will be consumed.  A convection heater would probably cost more to heat a dog kennel than it costs to heat your own house!

The answer is a heated pet bed.  These are specially designed to use very little power and to heat your dog to just the right temperature.  You don’t want him to cook after all!  Another problem with overheating is that when your pet gets off his heated dog bed and goes outside the difference in temperature would be too great and he might catch a chill.

Heated dog beds can help to ease certain doggy conditions, such as arthritis and sore muscles and joints.  The warmth will also help to relax your pet and stop him from feeling anxious about not being with you.

A dog kennel needs to be a welcoming place, winter and summer, and the best way to ensure that your pet feels comfortable is to make sure that the temperature in it is always at an optimum for the time of year.