The Dog House - An Essential Item For Your Pet

Everybody needs a place of his own, and your dog is no exception. That's why having a good dog house is so important for your pet. And if your dog spends a significant amount of time outside, his house becomes even more important.

In addition to being a place where he can go to "get away from it all", the dog house will also provide him with protection from the elements. It will help keep him warm in the cold weather months, and even keep him cool in the summer if it is properly insulated.

We're not going to go into the numerous plans, designs and materials here. You could probably write a book about it.

And if you are somewhat handy, you could even build one youself. There are numerous plans available anywhere you look.

Instead, we're going to give you a few things that need to be considered whether you are getting a work of art, or simply building something functional.

Size is perhaps the most important factor to consider. You really don't want it to be more than 12 inches longer than his body, and no more than three inches higher. The reason for this is simple. If the dog house is too big, your pet's body heat will not be enough to raise the temperature inside to the point where it will keep him warm in cold weather.

Also, you want the height of the door to be about 3/4 of your dog's shoulder height. He'll fit in just fine, and the smaller opening will again help with temperature control inside.

Make sure your dog house has a floor, and keep it a few inches off the ground as well. Setting the house on top of the ground is of no use when it's raining or snowing.

If possible, whether you are making it or buying it, keep the entrance off center. That way if there's a draft, your pet will be able to sleep away from it.

You want your dog to be comfortable inside. Put straw or old blankets in his house. You may even consider covering the opening with a flap of some kind (perhaps a carpet or piece of plastic) to help keep the wind out.

When deciding where to put the house, consider facing the opening south for more warmth in the winter.

You want to make sure your dog has a constant water supply. If it gets really cold, the water in his bowl will freeze. You may want to consider a heated water bowl.

What you don't want to use is a metal food or water bowl. Sure they are durable, but your dog's tongue may stick to it in freezing temperatures. Have you even seen the movie "A Christmas Story?" If you have you'll know exactly what we're talking about.

Recommended Merchants

Dog.com - Discount Pet Supplies - Our favorite online merchant. Dog.com has a huge supply of dog houses for any size dog.

Petco.com - Petco is another merchant with a great supply of dog houses at reasonable prices.

Pet Street Mall - All we can say is wow. If you are looking for something a bit more fancy, Pet Street Mall will probably have what you are looking for in a dog house.