# Dog House



## backhome (Oct 25, 2004)

Does anyone know of a good commercially available dog house that is well suited to a 70 pound lab in a cold weather climate (North Dakota)?


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## kgpcr (Sep 2, 2006)

I built mine out of plywood and 2x2's and put a layer of plywood on the inside so it is double thick. My dog loves it. She has a pillow that she likes to sleep on out side most of the time uless its really cold. You know labs. Last winter when it was -20 here in Minnesota i put a kennel heat pad in her dog house, the dog house is in the garage and she has a door to go to her run outside when she wants. Well the first morning she was sleeping on a run outside her house. the next morning she was in her house but the heating pad was outside of her house. I checked it and it did not get very warm but it was to warm for her.


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## kgpcr (Sep 2, 2006)

I built mine out of plywood and 2x2's and put a layer of plywood on the inside so it is double thick. My dog loves it. She has a pillow that she likes to sleep on  out side most of the time uless its really cold. You know labs. Last winter when it was -20 here in Minnesota i put a kennel heat pad in her dog house, the dog house is in the garage and she has a door to go to her run outside when she wants. Well the first morning she was sleeping on a run outside her house. the next morning she was in her house but the heating pad was outside of her house. I checked it and it did not get very warm but it was to warm for her.


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## Goldeneye (Feb 24, 2006)

I have never seen a commercial house adequate for this climate.

I have plans somewhere for a great house I used for years. I built it myself in an afternoon.

I would build one for sure.


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## Dick Monson (Aug 12, 2002)

Some place in the archives here there are several topics on this subject. This was a good one:


> As for some help. I do two things for my dogs. I have a door flap so they come into the garage. Inside the garage, I have made a dog house out of a dead freezer. You won't beat the "R" factor and you can open up the hood to change out bedding (use old blankets).


Maybe some commercial house is built with an L shaped entry wind break but I've never seen one. It is a must have for outside.


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## gonehuntin' (Jul 27, 2006)

When I had a kennel in a state with a cold climate, I had them made at a sheet metal shop. I had an inch of insulation sandwiched between two layers of metal. There was a wind baffel in the house and they had "shed" roofs, sloped, and removable. They were very economical to make. About 36"x36" as I remember. How about the "igloo" dog house; have you checked them out? You don't need as good a house as you think (depending on your breed). Our labs used to lay on TOP of the house even in a blizzard. All you could see was a big snow covered lump. For bedding we used marsh hay.


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## hunter52 (Dec 16, 2005)

I built one about a month ago. It is about 2.5X 4 feet. I used 2X4's and put insulation between the two. only took a half day or so and I ordered one of those hound heaters to put in the upper corner. Here is the site for them, http://www.houndheater.com/

If you want plans just go to Google.com and type in dog house plans and you will find a ton of them and then you can just take them and make them your own. Mine turned out great, just need to find something for the door once it gets real cold out.


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## Dick Monson (Aug 12, 2002)

Talked to a buddy today that used that freezer idea. He got a junked chest type freezer free, pulled the motor, drilled a hole in the corner to start the door with a saws-all, slapped on a swinging doggy door, and put the wind baffel inside. He also had a pet heat pad that you could set the temp and controled by a theromostat. Taking good care of the dog adds time to his life which is too short anyway.


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## always_outdoors (Dec 17, 2002)

Old freezer like Dick says.


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## thorpebe (Oct 3, 2003)

I was looking at making a dog house like a barn with a hay loft so I can fit a tote in it with some training things and food and ect. Has anybody seen anything like this before.


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## sevendogs (Sep 19, 2003)

Do not use plastic. It is too hot in summer and too cold in winter. Build or buy used one made out of playwood or wood.


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## DJRooster (Nov 4, 2002)

My neighbor, Bubba, built us a really nice dog house/garage in case we get locked out of the house. It is heated and has a very comfortable couch in it for when the wives say we get to "sleep in the doghouse!" You have to love a neighbor who thinks not only of himself but the rest of the "hood!"


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