building a warm dog house

Some dogs spend all the time outside.  When the weather turns cold or hot outside dogs  need to be protected from the elements.  Some dogs, like Northern breeds, may prefer to stay outside in there dog house and can handle the winter. Other dogs, like small dogs with little hair are not suited  for extreme cold or heat, and should not be left outside in poor weather conditions.

The dog house should be big enough for the dog to stand up, turn around and lay down.  A bigger dog house is not needed.  As they like the security of the 4 walls.  Also, in the winter months they will use there own body heat to heat up the dog house.   You may also build the insulation right into the dog house, creating an insulated dog house  is not that hard.  The insulated dog house will help keep your dog warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

Usually you can purchase  a door as an accessory to a dog house.  Some people only put the door on in the winter, but I prefer to have a door always.  I  once had a dog that would only go in the dog house with NO door.  Once I put the door on, he wouldn’t go in it.  So, now, I train them to use the door in all seasons.

You don’t want to use fabric blankets or dog beds in the dog house.  Because if they get wet, when the dog tracks in snow, they are liable to freeze.  This will turn Fidos dog house in a freeze house.  I don’t think he is going to like that.   The best idea is to use straw as the bedding.  The water, if any, will seep down to the bottom keeping it away from your dog.  Also, if you build the dog house so that the roof comes off you can clean it, remove or add new straw and also treat it for ticks and fleas.