Dog Kennel Guide

If your dog spends his nights indoors then you have probably never given a thought to what would happen if you needed to put him outdoors to sleep.  It is not just a simple case of moving the kennel that he has always used in the kitchen out into the garden.  You will need to provide him with an insulated dog house to ensure that he doesn’t get hypothermia in the cold winter weather.

Wooden dog kennels are the most naturally insulated dog kennel as wood is a warm material.  Not only this but it is a simple matter to increase their level of warmth even further.  First tack some insulating felt to the walls and ceiling and then place a layer of chipboard over the top of this, keeping it securely nailed in place.  Some people also add false floors to their dog kennel to give a further layer of warmth beneath the dog as the cold can seep in from the ground below.

If you are building the kennel from scratch then you can make sure that your dog is particularly snug by using insulated dog house plans.  These are easy to find on the internet and are totally free of charge to use.

Though wooden kennels are the most well known type of insulated dog kennels there are also plastic kennels which have been designed specifically with outdoor use in mind.  These are a relatively new idea which is rapidly catching on.  Produced with a raised floor and a layer of insulating foam between the outer and inner shell these features, as well as a cat flap style front door, make them a great contender when considering which kennel to buy.  They also have the added advantages of being easier to clean than wooden dog houses and not needing wood treatment each year to stop them from rotting.

Of course if you live somewhere that the temperature falls drastically at night then you might need more than insulation to keep your pet warm.  Luckily there are quite a few dog accessories on the market to help solve this problem.  Firstly, there are quite a few different items of clothing that can help your dog to maintain his body heat.  These range from pyjamas to dog sweaters and can be bought relatively cheaply online or at your local pet store.  As well as dog clothes there are heated dog beds, which maintain a regular temperature all day long.  The only issue with using one of these is that you will need an electricity supply to plug it into.

So, if your dog is whining and shivering in his dog house during the winter months then consider looking at insulated dog houses as a solution to your problem.

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.