Dog Houses: Where is Your Dog Going to Live?

Now that you have your new best friend, you need to give him a place to call his own. A humble little abode to get away from his work schedule of sleeping, eating and pooping all day. But you’ve discovered, like every other aspect of buying a new dog, there is a myriad of choices. Wood or plastic; wire cage or crate; simple or complicated; air-conditioned or non-air conditioned (no, I’m not kidding), are just a few of the choices you will have to make before buying you’re your doghouse. But before you do, here are a few tips.

First and foremost, consider WHERE you are going to put the doghouse. Some are made for indoors and some are made for outdoors. Crates and wire cages are made more for indoors since they offer little protection from the weather. And if you travel a lot, a crate might be your best choice. You might as well kill two birds with one stone.

Second, measure your dog. There’s nothing worse than getting a doghouse and your lovable pooch outgrows it in six months. A good rule of thumb to follow is to make sure your dog can stand up fully and turn around comfortably. This means of course that your final doghouse purchase should be made after the dog is full-grown. Up until that time, a crate might be a good investment.

Third, consider the environment if you are purchasing an outdoor doghouse. If you live in an area that stays hot most of the year, make sure there is plenty of ventilation. You don’t want it to be cooler outside the doghouse than inside. You may even consider an air-conditioned dog house if you live in some of the southern states like Texas. But if you do, make sure you live in an air-conditioned house. There’s nothing sillier than an air-conditioned doghouse when the owners are melting away.

If you live in a colder climate, make sure you get a doghouse that is well insulated. Also make sure the doghouse has an offset door. This provides a windbreak for your chilly pooch.

Now that you’ve purchased your doghouse, where in the yard are you going to place it? Off the ground is good if you have that ability. This allows for circulation under the house. If this is not possible, put the house in an area where you don’t mind if the dog does a little digging. Dogs like to dig out a cool place in the summer so you will likely have a few holes in your backyard.

Knowing this going in, it should make it easier to decide where to place the house. Also, when it comes to doghouse placement, be sure you can see the house from your house. No matter how well made a doghouse is, some dogs will always find a way to get themselves caught up. I know this from experience. If you can see the doghouse from your house, you will know your dog managed to trap himself long before he resorts to the plaintive howls of the mistreated dog.

And finally, bedding for a doghouse is a must. No matter how cute that blanket is that your dog loves, don’t use it as a bed. Body heat, moisture and darkness will attract fleas and ticks, and even worse, smells. Blankets, carpet, fabrics, straw or towels should never be used as bedding. A better alternative would be to cedar shavings, or a dense foam pad that is moisture proof.

So now you’re armed with all the knowledge necessary to purchase your first doghouse. I bet you didn’t realize that picking up that little puppy was going to be so much trouble did you? Don’t worry, the initial cost of getting a new pup is offset in the long run with a friend who will love you his entire life without judgment or preconceived notions.

Allen Shaw is a successful author who provides information on dogs, dog houses and information on buying a dog house.