Selecting Dog Houses

By : Jim Brown
If you are a dog owner, then chances are you have wanted to let your dog stay outside at one time, and a dog house makes this possible. A well built dog house is like a well built house for your dog, and it should provide shelter from the elements, be waterproof and sealed well on the outside, and the roof ideally will have real house shingles put on to further provide a weather proof dog house.

The exterior of the house should be sealed against rain, moisture, and wind. This is especially important if you live in the northern climates where winter climates can be bitterly cold. A layer of straw or hay should be spread thickly on the floor of the dog house, and then an old blanket laid over the hay to make a comfortable place to curl up and sleep.

The hay or straw serves two different purposes. The first purpose is to cushion the ground and give the dog a soft and comfortable place to rest. The second purpose of the hay or straw is insulation, and this actually works two ways.

The straw keeps the dog warm and insulates the dog against the cold ground that could pull body heat from the dog. The second insulator is to trap the dog's body heat in the straw and by doing this create a zone of warmed air around the dog nestled into the straw.

It is very important when either buying or making a a dog house that you take into consideration the breed of dog and their expected mature size. If your dog is a puppy but a large breed, make sure you change the openings to allow for growth in the dog until adulthood. You may also want to research your specific breed of dog if it is still a puppy, just to make sure you know how big it is going to get.

When leaving your dog tied up outside in his dog house always make sure that he is securely tied, chained, fastened, or inside a closed fenced in area. This makes sure that your dog and any people around stay safe and out of harms way.

Always make sure that there is fresh food and water right outside the dog house so that your dog can access it. In the winter time be very vigilant about checking the water if your dog is outside in the dog house, as the water can freeze over and your dog can not get water.

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