Housing your dog

Breeds of dogs all differ, just as owners Differ. Housing your dog depends on many factors, such as your lifestyle, your dog breed and the amount of room you have to spare.

For those who dont know me, my name is Sue Walton, and I am a professionaly accredited Dog trainer and coach. This article shares with you some of my top dog housing tips, but for my best secrets and heaps more info, you need to visit my site on dog training tips, which has a huge section on choosing and siting a great kennel/dog house. 

We should start by assessing what breed you have. Housing your dog largely depends on its needs to stay safe warm and dry.

Toy breeds by the virtue of their small size, make perfect house pets. Many owners of small dogs like terriers, maltese or bichon are happy all the time, provided they are trained well!

These small dogs respond well to the home, providing they know their place inside! You’ll find a matt or a dog bed around the size of a cat bed will do for these small breeds.

Keeping him/her in garage or washhouse could be ideal, if that your puppy or dog feels safe and it feels like it has place of its. Dogs after all are known to be territorial.

As for larger dogs, such as medum sized terriers, boxers and terriers, you will find that having them inside gets tedious or irritating. Not just for you, but for the dog too.

They need spacious areas that the outdoors gives them.

Secondly, you will needs to consider the size and space you can offer for housing your dog.

If the garage is well aired, cosy and there is not to much clutter, it might be a great place for your dog to live, if however its full of items and your dog has to live in a small area where it cannot make its own room, it will quickly become fustrated.

For those who live in small residential apartments or similar, you have to be very aware of how your dog will react with neighbours or strangers. Alot of dogs dont like being housed where other people can annoy them and irritate them.

Youve also got to think about what sort of breed requires what sort of housing.

Your breeder will have evaluated you before selling a dog, to see if your lifestyle suits that breed, however people often obtain dogs in other ways. Always do lots of research into your breeds living habits. A lazy bulldog will surely be happy with a corner of the yard and not much room, but try and keep an active variety or breed like a pointer in a small yard, and you’ll drive the poor dog insane. Working breeds are active and require room to run and spacious kennels.

If your in this situation, and have a yard space for your dog to be housed and run around in, at all costs ensure that the fence you put up or have, is in good order and is very secure. Consider your dog must not get out, but also consider if anything else can get in. Cats, other dogs and children are pretty handy at getting into places where they shouldnt be, and this can lead to obvious trouble!

Housing a dog also has situational requirements. Think about the climate you live in and where you will site your kennel. will your pet be cold? Windy? Directly sunny? Consider all these factors when pacing a dog house in your yard or chosen space. Insulated kennels might be required if the place you live is frosty or snow prone.

Obviously in this situation a great dane will be happier than a greyhound, so use common sense about the breed. Pay attention particularly to hot climates, which can affect your dog very fast.

Black colour on that kennel might suit your house, but will it harm your dog….? As far as getting a kennel goes, now days there are greatitems that suit many lifestyles and designs. Plastic moulded ones are common, but if your dog is a chewer, watch out!

Avoid fibreglass kennels like the plague, as the glass can lead to pain and harm for your pet. Wood styles are great and look good too. If your budget lets you, go for a nice looking wood kennel!
My best dog housing tips, and some great examples of kennels and enclosure designs can be found at my dog resource page on housing your dog. Check it out, and the rest of my site www.dog-hobbyist.com