Are you a dog owner concerned about the welfare of your outdoor-dwelling furry friend? It’s no doubt that sometimes, dog owners prefer to keep their canine outdoors for some reason. And in such cases, a dog house is a great way to provide them shelter.
This is usually a great solution for full working households to keep their beloved canines while out of the home. But, what happens when the weather plummet and turns cold – with the winter chill beginning to bite?
This is definitely where a heated dog house to keep your pets warm is very critical. This “solution” particularly comes in handy for old dogs, pregnant and whelping dogs, and single-coated dogs.
Even though these pets have the ability to self-regulate their body temperature, still, they still need you to keep them safe and warm during winter for more comfort.
Contained in this article are many tried-and-true ways on how to heat a dog house.
Steps to Heating a Dog House
It is only natural that dog owners want to ensure the comfort of their dogs. But, there are many ways and steps they must take to keep their pooch’s dog house heated and adequately cozy. For the sake of this article, we could categorize the methods into two.
First on how to heat a dog house without electricity and the next one is applying heat to the house.
Leveraging Dog’s Natural Heat
1. Dog House should be Sized Appropriately
There’s no wrong in wanting to get the largest dog house available for your furry friend. But, there are many factors you may want to consider, and winter is one of such. It is usually more challenging to heat a large house.
As a rule of thumb, every dog’s house should be big enough to accommodate all their movements. Whether they are sitting, standing, lying down, or turning around. Any attempt to make it too big will reduce the likelihood of being able to contain the heat of your pet’s body inside.
2. Add a Door
It is a fact that your pooch’s body is between 101 and 102 degrees, and most of this heat flows right out the front door. Thus, adding a door is a great way to ensure that this heat is captured and contained, thereby heating up the house.
While you’re at it, you may want to make sure that this door is not in the direction from which the prevailing winds blow.
3. Cover Holes and Fix Cracks
Like any house worth having, your pet home should be built without any trace of cracks, holes, or fissures outside. This way, it doesn’t allow cold air to get inside.
The best dog houses should be constructed with the safety of your dog in mind. And as such be free from items that are harmful such as splinters, loose nails, sharp edges, and cracks that can lead to your dog being injured.
4. Clothe Your Dog
A common way to keep a dog warm, every dog owner can identify with, is clothing their pets. It should be noted here, too, that you can’t trust some dogs to wear clothes; they probably will just chew them up or rip them off, leaving the remains at your feet.
But, the most elegant solution is perhaps a dog winter jacket, specially designed for such a purpose.
5. Add a Bedding
During periods like winter, the ground beneath your dog’s house is bound to get cold, and as such, there has to be a way to avoid direct contact with your pet.
There are a couple of bedding available in the market for this purpose and can be found on a marketplace such as Amazon. You want to opt for an outdoor bed, and pine and cedar shavings alternatively.
6. Stuff the Unit
In as much as it is necessary for your dog to have a roomy space in his/her house when space is in excess, it has a way of lowering the average temperature. As much as this may not allow your pet enough room to play within the house, it gives your dog a cool place to sleep in the summer. At least, it is only meant to last during the winter period.
While there aren’t any plug-and-play ways in reducing the open space inside the house, things you could use range from dog blankets to sealed water jugs, or big pillows.
7. Stay Clear off Wind Direction
It is common sense, yet worth mentioning, that your kennel should not be placed middle or even near a stream of cold air. Even if the house is placed indoors, it shouldn’t be kept right next to a door. You may want to consider putting the unit in locations such as the garage.
Even though you need to give the dog its private entrance, you can cut a hole and build an overhang or small porch on the outside. The entrance can be positioned towards the cutout; to keep the elements at arm’s length, it may need covering with a vinyl flap.
8. Install Proper Dog House Insulation
There’s no way you want to provide warmth for your pet without insulation. This is one of the most important requirements of any dog house.
An insulated dog house translates to a house providing a great deal of warmth and comfort for your dog during cold weather such as winter. These insulation panels are to be installed in the walls, roof, and doors. You may want to consider wooden dog houses against plastic dog houses, as they have tiny air holes for providing heat retention. Also, the use of regular or EPS foam helps to provide better insulation.
9. Install Proper Flooring
Floors are an essential element to include in your dog house. They should be strong – whether they are strictly for the floor, walls, and roof to avoid any form of leaks. It must also come with proper insulation to regulate the temperature inside your pet’s house.
You may want to go for good insulation examples such as wood shavings, a small mattress, or straw, and they are perfect for units made of plastic material and allow for easier maintenance and cleanup.
In the same vein, you may need to avoid ceramic tiles and metal as flooring, as they are known to keep the cold temperature. This, of course, does not provide any benefits for your dog.
10. Elevate to above the Ground
It is also very important that you position your pet’s house, especially when kept outdoors. The proper positioning of the house is off of the ground away from running water or puddle areas, especially if you are where it rains a lot.
This way, you are avoiding winter cold water from entering the house. Knowing that when it does, it makes it harder for you to heat up and maintain the house. Also, the ground is generally going to be cold during winter, especially the concrete floor.
Alternatives: Heated Dog House
1. Dog House Heating Pad
Heating pads are designed as strengthened rubber pads that are meant to provide an extra layer to your pet’s dwelling. It works the same way as a cooling bed, but instead of absorbing heat, it produces heat.
If you want to get hold of these items, just be certain that you will get the kind that is meant for kennels. It should be made of a safe material in case you have a dog with chewing habits.
2. Electric Heater For Dog House Outside
This is one option a good number of owners have opted for. As much as they are portable enough to fit into smaller spaces, it is important to make sure that the cable is positioned in a way that no harm is posed to your dogs in case they love to chew on items.
Better still, you may want to go for the electric heating devices that are battery-powered (there are many of them).
3. Solar Heating
If you are looking for an eco-friendly and affordable way to provide heating for the dog house, this might be the ideal option. A solar unit functions by heating up as soon as the sun’s rays hit it, and thus distributes an amount of that heat into the connecting pet home.
One of the implications of this is that when night comes, the dog will have to depend on his body heat and the remaining heat from the solar heating unit.
4. Dryer Hose Dog Heater Method
Using a dryer hose is a good heating option for dog owners who have their dog house located next to their own house. This will need you to acquire some plywood and cutting a chunk of it such that the piece fits in the window of the area that is nearest to the house.
You may now cut a hole in the plywood to the diameter of the hose, and then fasten one end of the hose to the plywood material, thereby connecting both houses. Afterward, propel air from your house to that of your dog’s with the help of a tiny fan.
Final Words On How to Heat a Dog House
As a dog owner, making sure that your dog remains warm and comfortable, even when temperatures plummet, should be an utmost priority. There are many ways to keep your pet’s house warm during the cold winter season, as I have mentioned above, and even more. Or, you can also get pre-built dog houses that provide exactly what your pet needs.
Have you ever needed to heat your dog’s house? Do you mind sharing the methods you used? I’d love to hear about your methods – whether they involve the methods listed above.
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