What you should consider before buying a dog house

There are dog houses on the market with all kinds of advantages and characteristics, but all of them should have some common characteristics to ensure the well-being of our pet:

Weather and water resistance

When we are looking for an outdoor dog house, the first thing we should know is if it is weather resistant and if it is waterproof. Whether due to wind, rain, snow, or environmental humidity, a doghouse must ensure that your dog is not exposed to these environmental phenomena.

Raised floor

Not only does a dog house need to be able to keep water from above; you need to be able to do so below as well. A quality home should have a raised floor to prevent water from entering the door or opening. This means that it must have a thick base that keeps it above ground level or it must be raised off the ground on legs.

Cooling in summer/heating in winter

Dog houses not only have to protect from humidity and wind, they will also need to be able to keep your pet warm during the winter and cool in the summer.

Ease of assembly

A doghouse should be easy to assemble, which will allow any of us to be able to assemble it perfectly, all the pieces fit together to ensure maximum performance.

Ease of cleaning

The doghouse will not be healthy if it is not clean. For this reason, it is convenient that the dog house you choose is easy to clean, for example with the garden hose. A folding roof based on hinges, or directly removable, will make the task of interior cleaning much easier and faster. Some plastic dog houses (for the most part) have a removable floor part, so you can access the interior and clean it more easily and thoroughly. Others even have a water outlet hole, which will not only help evacuate any water that may remain after cleaning but will ensure that your pet will never lie down on a wet base.

Other characteristics that may be interesting when choosing a kennel for the dog will be: that they have some insulation to keep them warm, that there are ventilation zones to facilitate airflow, construction materials (that are light to facilitate their assembly or in case you need a change of location)

Choose the correct size

The indoor dog house doesn’t need to be as big as you might imagine. They really just need to be big enough for your dog to get in, turn around and lie down. If a kennel is too big for the dog, it will lose too much heat and won’t be able to keep the animal warm.

Although many doghouse brands size their kennels by the weight of the dogs, this may not be accurate for all dogs, because while some dogs may be small and heavy, others may be tall and skinny but weigh the same. Some simple measurements that can help ensure that the size of the kennel for your dog is correct are:

Weigh the dog

Since most manufacturers advertise their sizes by the weight of the dog they can accommodate. This will give you a rough idea of ​​the size of the house you should choose but definitely do the other measurements to make sure.

Measure the length of the dog

Measure your dog from the tip of the snout to the base of the tail (do not measure the length of the tail!). The ideal size of the house can be up to 25% longer than the length of your dog; more than 25% of the size of the dog the house will begin to lose the ability to maintain the temperature of the animal in winter.

Measure the width of the dog

To find out how wide your doghouse door should be, measure the width of your dog from the widest part of his shoulders. If you are going to buy a doghouse, the door or opening through which the animal will enter must be at least 3-4 cm wider than the width of your dog.

Measure the height of the dog

You will need to make two different height measurements:

From the base of the legs to the base of the neck: This will help you determine the height of thecat tower and cat house opening/door, which should be at least 75% of the measurement you took. Your dog will need a full-height door or opening since most dogs can easily duck into a lower door. An opening that is too large will make it easier for wind, rain, or snow to enter the doghouse.

From the head to the base of the legs: This will help you determine the height of the roof of the doghouse, which should be at least 3 to 6 cm higher than the animal, and can be up to 50% higher than your dog’s height before he begins to lose heat.