Winter is nearly here! It’s time to start preparing for power outages and all the hazards of snow and ice. It’s also time to stock up on canned food for people and pets, ensure the water pipes are snug and covered against hard freezes, and get the pet-friendly de-icers ready. Thick quilts and winter coats, gloves, and boots are a must, for both you and your dog.
But what about the yard and the dog house? Though Fido is sure to love being indoors all cozy and warm, he needs a way to run and play. And many people don’t have a practical way to keep dogs indoors all of the time. A lot of dogs stay outdoors most of the time and sleep in their dog houses or kennels at night.
In colder temperatures, staying outside at night when it’s even colder can be dangerous for your beloved pets. Dogs can suffer the dangers of extreme cold weather as well, including hypothermia, frostbite, and cracked paws and skin.
Just like preparing a house for the winter by insulating windows and doors, you can also prepare a dog house against cold weather.
How Do I Insulate a Dog House?
A regular dog house provides shelter from the hot sun, wind, and rain, but does nothing to protect against temperature extremes. Without proper insulation, it doesn’t keep your dog warm when it’s cold outside.
If your dog’s dog house is properly insulated, it helps your dog retain its body heat and blocks out the extreme cold.
When insulating your dog’s house, you should consider the following things:
How to Insulate: Dog House Floor
Check the floor of the dog house. It’s not good for a dog to just be lying or sitting directly against the wet and cold of the ground when trying to relax in their house. Here are some steps to properly insulate the floor:
- Install a vapor barrier between whatever floor or bedding you use and the ground. This helps prevent dampness and cold air from seeping up into the dog house. The vapor barrier can consist of tarp, heavy plastic, or some type of space blanket, but should be safe for your dog to be around. The barrier will also help eradicate any type of heat loss.
- Make a platform, like a wooden pallet, for the dog house to sit on so it isn’t resting directly on the ground.
- You can cover the platform with a plywood top and insulate the pallet with bubble wrap or foam sheets.
- Staple them to the underside of the pallet and cover the open sides of the pallet. This will prevent dogs from chewing on the insulation. Be sure to use insulation that doesn’t attract rodents and is able to safely get wet.
- You can then fit more insulation against the floor and cover it with another layer of plywood. You can purchase insulation like rigid foam with vapor barriers or some type of foil-faced product at your local home center or online.
How to Insulate: Dog House Ceiling
Just like the floor, the ceiling of the dog house needs to be protected against the harsh temperatures. Heat flows up towards the ceiling, so if it isn’t well insulated, all the heat in the dog house will just rise up through the top. There are several steps for insulating a ceiling properly:
- Use foam insulation or a type of foil, plastic, or even bubble wrap.
- Install on the inside of the dog house ceiling in such a way to cover any cracks. You need to ensure no rain, snow, winds, or cold can enter through the ceiling.
- Staple the insulation to the ceiling, then apply paneling or plywood over the insulation. Rigid foam insulation is great for providing structural support and thermal resistance. It can be cut to fit, and is a great choice for reinforcing the outside of a flimsy dog roof.
- Then, cover the foam insulation with plywood or paneling.
- Cover the entire roof of the dog house with tarps in the winter. Just be sure to remove them during the summer. The tarps are an added assurance that Fido will stay cozy and warm during the cold weather. They help keep rain and snow out, and the heat in.
How to Insulate: Dog House Walls
Now come the walls. Yes, the entire house has to be properly insulated, just like our homes! By now, you are properly getting some pretty strange looks from your pup, but he will enjoy the end result in the wintertime!
- Using the same method, place insulation on the wall, then layer with a protective paneling or plywood cover. If your dog house (and dog) is on the small side, you can install both insulation and covering on the outside of the house in order to conserve space.
- Hang pieces of carpet on the inside of the walls. You can either staple them or use installed cup hooks.
- Remove the carpet in the summer to allow ventilation.
- Monitor Fido carefully to ensure he doesn’t chew on the fabric. If he accidentally swallows any of the material, it could have serious and dangerous results.
- Be sure to give your doggie a say in the color and style. He might want to choose his wall décor, after all!
- You should then wrap the entire dog house in some type of woven synthetic material. This will help keep the heat from escaping.
How to Insulate: Dog House Door
The dog house is officially all warm and cozy and secure. But wait! There’s no door? Without a proper dog house door, all the heat can just escape out of that wide open space! Don’t forget to cover the door!
Use Proper Materials
Use materials like plastic, carpet flaps, or canvas as covering. You can even get creative and use printed material with pictures that will entertain your dog during long winters.
Don’t Lock Fido Out
Make sure Fido can easily get in and out of his dog house. Ensure the dog house is tight enough to help keep the cold, rain, and snow out.
Final Thoughts
It may seem like a lot of work, and it is! But the rewards are well worth it. You can sleep peacefully knowing that your furry family member will be warm and cozy and healthy during the cold winter nights.
For some last touches, you can place straw bedding, a favorite, thick blanket, or a cushioned dog bed inside the dog house.
You can even add a family photo or two on the carpeted walls. But you may have made it so cozy that Fido will refuse to come out!
