About Doghouses
Doghouses are particularly important for outside dogs. They must have protection from the elements, especially in cold winters and hot summers. Doghouses can be purchased or custom built.
Function
Doghouses protect your dogs from the elements and give them a secure place to sleep. Whether your dog is an indoor dog or an outdoor dog, it should have a doghouse if the dog is going to be outside more than an hour at a time. The doghouse will keep the dog warm in the winter and protect it from the sun in hot summers.
Types
There are different types of doghouses you can buy. Some are made of plastic, others of wood. They can be as simple as a square box with a flat roof to something designed to look just like your house. They can be part of a fenced kennel, giving the dog his own area of the yard. Many people like a doghouse that is not only functional, but looks nice, too, as it is part of their backyard. They tend to buy specially made doghouses to fit their outdoor lifestyle.
Geography
Doghouses should be used for pets all over the world. There is virtually no area of the world that has the perfect temperature at all times of the day and night, and domesticated animals need extra protection from the elements, and, depending on which part of the world you are from, security from wild animals. People are becoming more educated about the care of their dogs, and are willing to spend more on a comfortable doghouse, particularly if they have more than one dog.
Features
Doghouses can be built with a frame and plywood, or they can be as complicated as having a frame with an interior and exterior wall with insulation between the two walls. A large doghouse the size of a small garden shed might be part of a kennel. It may have multiple areas for multiple dogs and an area to store items such as extra blankets and feed, an area inaccessible to the dogs. Some doghouses may also have windows. A doghouse may also be built off the ground--on its own decking, especially if the owners have decking in the back yard. The decking helps to keep snakes and bugs out of the doghouse.
Considerations
When purchasing or designing your doghouse, keep in mind the area you live in. The doghouse you purchase or build should protect the animals from the different types of weather in your area of the world, it should take into consideration what types of prey may have access to your yard, therefore having access to the dogs. If you live in an area where wildcats, wolves or other animals tend to come into the backyard, you should consider a fenced kennel/doghouse combination.
Warning
No animal should be left unattended outside for long periods of time. If your dogs are absolutely outdoor dogs, you should check on them every few hours. Make sure they have water and that they have not dug under the doghouse or the kennel fencing. Typical outside dogs are working dogs and are not considered pets. Working dogs include a pack of hunting dogs, herding dogs or sled dogs, who prefer to be outside anyway. Dogs are social animals, so even with all the creature comforts outside, they will not be happy, unless they are with a pack of dogs. A single dog kept as a pet should be kept inside.
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