How To Choose The Best Dog House

For those who own a garden or a terrace, a dog kennel is essential.  Here your four-legged friend can shelter from the cold in winter and from the heat in summer. Of course, the market offers such a variety that we are spoiled for choice.

Here, then, are some practical tips that will help you choose the ideal bed for your dog.

Size of the kennel

The right size of the kennel for your dog is the one that allows him to turn around, lie down, enter and exit without difficulty. If you take it smaller it will be uncomfortable and if it is bigger it will be cold in the winter season. However, a large kennel can be ideal if there are two dogs, as they can share it and warm up with each other.

How to understand which are the ideal measures?

• Height to the cross. To obtain this value, measure the distance between the base of one of the forelimbs and the back. Then measure the length of the dog, finally add the two values. Well, the kennel must not measure less than three quarters of this result.
• Length. Measure the total length of the dog without considering the tail. The kennel must have this length and width to allow the dog to turn around inside the structure.
• Height to the head. Measure from the tip of the foreleg to the top of the head held straight. This will be the minimum height; you can also choose a model with a smaller door, no matter if the dog has to bend down a little to enter. However, inside the kennel, the animal must be able to stand comfortably.

The dog’s bed: wood or plastic?

This is one of the big doubts when choosing a doghouse. Many decide to build it themselves and choose wood, having more experience in this type of work and being an easier material to work with.

Plastic is not a very common material in do-it-yourself works and in this case, perhaps it is better to buy it already made.

So what to buy? A wooden or plastic kennel ? Only you can answer this question, taking into account the following differences.

Wood

Wooden kennels are ideal for cold climates, because they are more insulating. To better protect the dog from the cold, it will be better to provide a door and a mat on which the dog can sleep comfortably and more isolated from the cold ground.

The disadvantage of these kennels is that they require more maintenance as the wood rots easily due to humidity, cold and rain. They are also more difficult to clean, although there are models with a roof opening, which opens and closes easily.

Plastic

The plastic kennels have an attractive design, which adapts to any type of garden. The material is durable and does not deteriorate from the climate.

They can be easily cleaned, even with disinfectants, without fear of damaging them. They are made of non-porous materials, which leave little room for the development of fungi and bacteria.

However, if you live in an area where it is very cold in winter, this type of kennel is not recommended this season. Like wood, plastic is also hard, so it will be better to have a mattress on the bottom.

How to protect the kennel from the cold

There are various models of kennels that can help you protect your dog from the cold. You can choose one with side doors, which prevent the cold from entering from the front.

The kennels with a sloping roof favor the flow of rain, preventing water from filtering inside or stagnating on the roof, creating a constant feeling of damp.

In short, consider your needs and those of the dog, take these tips into account and choose the best kennel for your four-legged friend.