It's A Dog's Life In An Insulated Doghouse | Pets and Animals

By EmanuelElley
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A dog is supposed to be "mans best friend", so why do we continually treat our pets like the enemy? We expect them to stay in hot plastic bunkers in summer and endure cold temperatures in wood or tin structures in winter. Just imagine the discomfort that your pet may feel when left to brave the elements inside an un-insulated doghouse.

Most pet owners allow their dogs to live indoors, especially when the weather turns foul. This may give the humans great pleasure, but it's not always what's best for their pets. Some pets, despite their loyalty and love of their people, simply prefer the comfort and independence of their own personal space.

Your Dog's Happy Place

Like a human home, a dog house should be a welcoming place of comfort and safety. There are some key factors that must be in place to create the perfect home for your pet.

The most important point is to choose or build an insulated doghouse. The health and safety of your dog depends on having proper insulation, no matter where you live. Even the mildest climates will have wet days and chilly nights, and all pets need to generate their own body heat from time to time. In other parts of the world, it gets downright cold during both daytime and nighttime hours. A properly insulated doghouse keeps the cold outside and the warmth inside.

The role of an insulated doghouse will be similar when the temperatures are high. The insulation acts in reverse, keeping the inside of the doghouse nice and cool, even during the blistering heat. This is extremely important, as extreme heat can cause dehydration and heatstroke, and UV rays can cause irreversible damage to your pet.

It's not enough to simply insulate your doghouse. The structure must also be waterproof and capable of evaporating inside humidity quickly enough to discourage the formation of mildew. For this purpose, many pet owners prefer to give their dogs an "inner sanctum", or a second entrance placed inside the doghouse that's not directly aligned with the outside entrance. This allows the dog to hide from high winds and inclement weather inside the second room. The capacity of the doghouse will be enhanced, providing even more comfort and protection in both hot and cold weather.

Build your insulated doghouse to accommodate the full height of an adult dog. Make sure that the structure is as tall as your adult pet, plus no less than 1/3 of his or her size. To calculate the ideal size doghouse for your pet, you will need to measure the dog (or find out how tall he or she will be at full adult size) when standing, and also measure the length of your dog when lying down. Then, add on an additional one-third of these measurements on all sides.

Remember that the doghouse opening must be visible to the dog when standing and when sitting. The entrance must also be large enough for your pet to use without effort.

One point that is often overlooked is the air circulation of the doghouse. It's a good idea to build the doghouse on top of stilts or an open foundation, allowing air to circulate beneath the house as well. This will help to prevent unwanted pests from infiltrating the doghouse, and will make sure that the structure remains warm and dry.

Your dog is your best friend, and you can't deny that he or she deserves the best. An insulated doghouse is the only way to provide the protection and security your pet needs, whatever the weather.

About the Author

Freelancer Emanuel Elley enjoys writing articles for numerous Internet sites, such as http://duzat.com and http://litoc.com.

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